I received a letter from REI yesterday, detailing a serious accident
using one of their climbing harnesses. I thought I would append this
to the forum, for those tower-climbers among us that use them.
My seat harness has 2 loops, one that comes up from each side of
the harness. These loops are designed to work together, that is you
should loop a carabiner through BOTH of them, and then route your
tower attachment (rope, webbing, etc) from that carabiner. In the
letter, REI stated that a climber had secured himself using only
ONE loop, and that loop tore away from the harness during a fall.
The design of the harness is such that a single loop just
won't hold, and will rip out during a fall. I had been using my
harness in this fashion. I suddenly got very cold thinking about
how little protection I had been wearing. I use a chest harness
also, but my PRIMARY harness would have failed if I had ever fell.
**THE FOLLOWING IS MY FIX, I CLAIM NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT'S USE**
To atone for my sins, I redid my seat harness, using a locking
carabiner to secure both sides of the harness loops, and a Mammut
shock absorber (which then clips to the tower). I am now secured
to the tower in two places: from the chest harness, and from the
seat harness. Before it was in three places: from the chest harness,
and from each loop of the seat harness. I feel more secure now,
especially with the Mammut's to take up the shock load of a fall.
Please don't use my advice verbatim, this was just my suggestion.
I encourage you to contact REI if you have such a harness, or you
haven't received a letter from them. I just wanted to relay this
concern to those with this style seat harness. Be careful.
tyler N4TY
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