What is The Best Trad Climbing Harness

Another vote here for the Misty Mountain Cadillac. Comfy and big enough for even big walls, definitely great for long multi-pitches with hanging belays and a ton of gear hanging off your loops, and even small enough that you don't look like a *total* goober when you pull it out at the sport crag.

B.D Big Gun is my personal favorite.

I had the BD Big Gun. I picked up a Misty Mountain Cadillac. I sold the big gun.

The BD has better gear loops. More of them. Stiffer, holds gear more.

The MM has dual buckles so the belay loop is always centered nicely, and quick-release buckles.

I'm torn, almost wishing I didn't sell the big gun. I wish my MM had a rear loop.

enkoopa wrote:I wish my MM had a rear loop.

I've heard that MM will do some minor custom work on their harnesses on request. I imagine an additional loop may be possible. You would have to contact them and ask.

CornCob wrote: I've heard that MM will do some minor custom work on their harnesses on request. I imagine an additional loop may be possible. You would have to contact them and ask.

Or they will do a custom build for you.

I always have a second belay loop added to mine and they are super accommodating.

I have wondered after doing alot of trad climbing and some bigwalls. Why do people want two belay loops?

Rob Warden, Space Lizard wrote:I have wondered after doing alot of trad climbing and some bigwalls. Why do people want two belay loops?

For double rope rappels. Duh.

I do a lot of rebolting and rope soloing while new routing. I like to be able to transfer from two rope solo devices (one on each loop), to a gri gri to rappel or lower down a bit and it's easier to do with two loops. Just more space with a bunch of stuff going on.

Misty stitches them so one fits inside the other when you don't need both.

hasn't been mentioned yet so I'll throw in the Camp Warden. Comfy for me, adjustable legs, two waist buckles to center things and six gear loops to rack, a bit on the heavy side but thems the breaks.

Rob Warden, Space Lizard wrote:I have wondered after doing alot of trad climbing and some bigwalls. Why do people want two belay loops?

There's no reason for double belay loops for all or predominantly trad climbs. For big walls with lots of aid climbing (and specialized uses like top-rope soloing), two loops can be useful. Here's what Chris Macnamara has to say about them in outdoorgearlab.com/Big-Wall… (scroll down to "Features.")

"I used to thing this was overkill but now I am pretty sold on it. Two belay loops gives you more options with daisy chain configurations and is great for any time your harness is loaded in two directions. For example, if you are ascending a rope you can have your top ascender attached to one belay loop and your back up knots attached to the other belay loop. Or when you are rappeling the East Ledges descent on El Capitan, you can have the haul bag into one belay loop and your rappel device into the other."

(Personally, if I have to rappel with a bag, I want it hanging directly from the rappel device and not from the harness at all...)

As for harnesses with more than the standard 4 gear loops, additional side loops are usually added above the regular loops. Gear in the top loops gets in the way of accessing gear in the bottom loops. If you are aid climbing and have both hands free, not so much of a deal, but for free-climbing, overlapping curtains of gear is not the way to go.

Even after doing all those things... I can see how it would be nice... however it's never been a thing I would want. However now, I might reconsider.

The gear loops on my warden, ripped off with very little force. It dropped a whole loop worth of gear. Fortunately it was close to the ground.

Do anybody know, if BD in Salt Lake City do some custom work on harnesses like MM maybe do it?
Id like to have a second belay loop stiched in. I know they reset slings in cam 's so maybe this is also possible with a harness?

RoHo wrote:Do anybody know, if BD in Salt Lake City do some custom work on harnesses like MM maybe do it? Id like to have a second belay loop stiched in. I know they reset slings in cam 's so maybe this is also possible with a harness?

Wouldn't calling or e-mailing Black Diamond directly be the best way to answer your question? Even if you're in Germany.

Sure, but maybe somebody did it before and can / can't recommend it, before making the birds shy?

''making the birds shy'' ???

Just email them dude

The Camp Energy harness is lightweight, comfortable, and very inexpensive. It's very simple and gets the job done.

I can't imagine BD would do anything that isn't to spec since the harnesses are chinese made, and they are owned by a big investment company.

Thet are made in the Philippines. And yes they are not going to modify their gear because of the legal ramifications of doing so.

You could ask a resling place

CornCob wrote: I've heard that MM will do some minor custom work on their harnesses on request. I imagine an additional loop may be possible. You would have to contact them and ask.

I've thought about it, but since I already have it, the economics of shipping probably aren't worthwhile from the great white north.