Rock Climbing Harness

Hey Bunz looking for a deal!

I have been seeing a great deal of posts about climbing harnesses and I wanted to make sure my fellow Bunz know what they're getting themselves into.

Read first but there are pictures and links to follow...

1. Can you REALLY trust a persons word?
   As much as we would love to think others are looking out for our best interest, likely hood is if they are trying to get rid of a used harness they may not know some of these issues either. Common phrases 'I only used it a couple times,' 'It's just been sitting around and never used,' 'like new,' 'mint condition.' If you see these buzz phrases/words BEWARE. If it was stored incorrectly, took any major falls, and so on, it is no good.

*see pictures of frayed equipment.

2. Harnesses age just like us (not for the better though).
   A fine wine may age well but harnesses do not. ALL companies that produce climbing equipment recommend an expiry date (most say 3 years in good conditions). Sure you 'could' wear a harness after the date just like you drink milk after it's expired but do you really want to risk a sour situation if they were right? Because certain materials break down over time with harnesses you may not see an issue before it happens. With these materials it could explode at a really inconvenient moment. Don't let it happen to you.

*See picture of Black Diamonds recommendations, as well as picture of an old harness for reference.

3. Spend your money where it counts!!!!!!
   Harnesses have come down in price a great deal over the years. Don't spend $30 on a sketchy harness when you could spend $54 on a brand new one from a reputable store. Places like MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop) have amazing package deals as well as a range of styles for different climbing needs. A trained staff member will guide you to a harness that fits your body type as well as your climbing style better than you could imagine. Some harnesses are designed for other purposes like construction and arboriculture. These styles are notccepted in traditional climbing as they are meant to secure differently and suspend in different ways. Spend the money on the harness but get your shoes second hand if you want a deal.

*I am NOT a MEC staff member. I do however work in the climbing industry and have seen some VERY SCARY situations because of a lack of knowledge or information.

In the end folks, I just want to make sure you all stay safe and sound. In climbing if something goes wrong the consequences are great and often devastating. Make climbing a fun experience not a scary one.

Better to be safe than sorry!

#rockclimbing #climbingharness #safetyfirst #donttruststrangers #safetysecond #safetythird #climbinggear #onthecheap #bestdealintown #harness #secondhandisntalwaysbesthand