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BD Xenos or Arcteryx I340A

Original Post
George Suchand · · Ventura, CA · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 0

Looking to buy an ice climbing specific harness. Appears these two are the ones that keep coming up in research. Which one would you buy and why? Price is not a concern. Obviously I 'm looking at the most current models. I know these harnesses have been updated over the years and their names probably changed.

michaeltarne · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 120

I have the last generation version of the Xenos (the red and white one) and I really like it. Comparable in comfort to the Chaos, which I've always thought was one of the most comfortable harnesses out there once you break it in. The gear loops are nice to clip, if not a bit small, but they're big enough for a full doubles rack plus other stuff. They're durable too, I got four years out of my Chaos with no issues. Even though price is no issue, I'd have trouble believing the Arc'teryx is $40 better than the BD.

AKM1878 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 50

The new Xenos blows the old one out of the water. It's more comfortable and lighter. Can't speak to the arcteryx.

Geoffbrown · · Calgary, Alberta · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 20

I have the i340a its good but not great, I had the last version of this harness and loved it but sent it in for warrenty and arcteryx replaced it with the I340A I find it fits much smaller then the last version and the ice clipper slots are in bad locations and kind of look rediculas I absolutly loved the last versoin, the I340A not as much. Still a good harness but not as good as it could be.

George Suchand · · Ventura, CA · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 0
Geoffbrown wrote:I have the i340a its good but not great, I had the last version of this harness and loved it but sent it in for warrenty and arcteryx replaced it with the I340A I find it fits much smaller then the last version and the ice clipper slots are in bad locations and kind of look rediculas I absolutly loved the last versoin, the I340A not as much. Still a good harness but not as good as it could be.
I read that the ice clipper locations are too far forward and this was something they didn't correct on the newer model. If you use them the ice screws hit your legs.
Warbonnet · · Utah, India and Cambodia · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 630
George Suchand wrote: I read that the ice clipper locations are too far forward and this was something they didn't correct on the newer model. If you use them the ice screws hit your legs.
I've made it my life's mission to find the best winter/ice climbing harness, not only for cragging days but much longer trips. BD made one 10 years ago and the designers & I agree it was the best....should have continued it. Many reasons for this, however, a big issue for me is what George said: last year's model....and MAYBE THIS YEARS AS WELL...NEED TO REPEAT EXPERIMENT.....had the ice clippers too far forward (esp. the front crotch-gouging one). Last year, I brought my own gear to the store....alot of it....and hung by their shop rope and moved in space for almost an hour. I hated the location of the ice clippers (last year's model) nor did I particularly like the shape of the loops.

This year's harness has moved the clippers back (slightly) & has a different slotted figuration to accept the clippers. Last year's were ripping out (the vertical material channel between the loops). This year's has a different design (hot knifed(?) or laser cut and horizontal on the main waist harness); this obviously solves that problem. Last year's seat-drops were made of plastic buckles....my preference because I'm used to using them on a variety of things. This years' has a metal "hook-type" thingy that requires they be carefully threaded through small slots in the receiving end. I've used this type before and was always asking my partner to "fix my diaper". Hate them. If I buy the new Xenos....am considering it yet I like my Wild Country (hard to get in and out of though, esp. with crampons), I'll retro-fit the hooks on the drop seat to plastic buckles.

What I don't like in any harness out there (except Wild Country's but they just discontinued it; has a zillion loops) is that there are no above-the-butt slots for taking clippers such that you can put your tools on two (one each) ice clippers & get them out of the way for a zillion reasons. In other words, you can rack them with picks facing in and walk around forever w/o them rattling on your side biners & potentially causing problems. Rear-most tool racking also makes rappels easier & smoother (but some may disagree). But you can't drive your car with these rear-racked but they look cool when sitting on a bar stool.

I do NOT like BD ice clippers; Petzl's Caritool is the only way to go (even though tough to place & remove in some harnesses due to "tooth" design but they are rock solid once on). But they have a unique top "shelf" wherein you can pull 3-4 screws up the wire gate biner and "shelf" those that you don't want and isolate the one you do....BIG bonus. I find BD clippers flop around too much. Intensely dislike them, even though some claim that you can place them on any harness in any position. Look at both websites and the difference is obvious.

I also often...but not always....use the Petzl Pan Pipe for screws (takes 2 22 cm & 3 19 cm or smaller). Popular in Europe & especially in Scotland, I love it (many don't) but are catching on here (check Petzl's site). It's simply a separate "bandolier" with rubberized, vertical slots (tubes) that hold about 5 screws that come out and go in with zero hassle; no need to unclip from a harness biner. (Also protects the screw ends during gear packing & keeps the ends inside the rubber tube, obviating shredding your expensive climbing costume. Can move the Pan Pipe (a separate but light piece of equipment) around the body, wear it on the other side, etc. Great for swinging leads. Even so, with only 5 screws, on longer routes, I'll rack 4-5 or more on the harness loops. Another advantage of the Pan Pipe is that you can slip a Candela inside one of the screws, however, I've learned to simply clip it on my harness, obviating moving the Candela from one screw to the next in the Pan Pipe. Easy access to ream the ice inside the screw.

The two biggest complaints I have is 1) the new Xenos' lack of two rear-most biner spots (wire gate Caritool) for temporarily racking the head of each ice tool and 2) the metal hooks for the drop seat.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Ice Climbing
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