Am I going to die?

*Edit: More to the point, Is there such as a thing as top rope gear? A rope? This harness?

Belay loops and usually tie-in loops are typically made of two strands of webbing, one on top of the other. The result is a piece of webbing so strong that its strength essentially provides redundancy. It looks like you've worn through the top strand, revealing the bottom strand. Probably won't kill you but it's time for a new harness. Some companies, such as mammut, use a plastic molding over the tie-ins to protect them from abrasion that effectively prevents this from happening.

Eli said it... The harness is toast, it will still hold weight but it's a matter of how long?

You wore through the piece of webbing that covers the structural webbing, your fine it just that any more wear will be making ur harness slightly weaker, you could even replace the worn stuff if you really wanted to.
i would just buy a new harness.

The short answer is, YES. You ARE going to die. "On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero."

If you are asking whether or not that worn-to-hell harness will be the cause...that depends. Are you still climbing on it?

The harness is worn out, replace it. You see that red webbing the manufacturer sandwiched in there? That's a wear indicator. You're supposed to replace the harness when it starts showing. You've worn through it and on to the secondary structural webbing below it.

You are into "use at your own risk" territory. Harnesses are cheaper than dying. If you are wearing that far through the harness, it probably wouldn't hurt you to take a couple days off from climbing, so you can do some odd jobs to get the cash for a new one.

I agree the outer webbing that covers the actual loop has been worn through. At this point it is time to retire the harness as if that webbing is worn the rest of the harness has been more than enough usage. Though I would probably use it some canyoneering and finish it off.

Allen Sanderson wrote:I agree the outer webbing that covers the actual loop has been worn through. At this point it is time to retire the harness as if that webbing is worn the rest of the harness has been more than enough usage. Though I would probably use it some canyoneering and finish it off.

If you feel that the harness has more than enough usage and should be retired from climbing, why on earth would you suggest using it for canyoneering? Don't use it for climbing but it's fine for the 300' free hanging final rap out of Heaps?
To the OP - really, it's time to chop it up and toss it in the trash.

Marc801 wrote: If you feel that the harness has more than enough usage and should be retired from climbing, why on earth would you suggest using it for canyoneering? Don't use it for climbing but it's fine for the 300' free hanging final rap out of Heaps? To the OP - really, it's time to chop it up and toss it in the trash.

You could argue that the forces on a rappel are a lot lower than a bad fall. So using a worn harness in a setting of heavy abrasion/accelerated wear is kind of value conscious.

I'd consider cutting off the protective sheath so that I could keep a closer eye on the weight bearing element which is now exposed to wear.

Another use for the harness is for training.
I've got one that is in arguably worse shape that I use for hangboarding.

The OP harness is pretty sketch though.

Mark E Dixon wrote: You could argue that the forces on a rappel are a lot lower than a bad fall.

Certainly.
Recall how Todd Skinner died.

Marc801 wrote: Certainly. Recall how Todd Skinner died.

True, but wasn't his harness much more worn, and wasn't the damaged area covered by girth hitched slings?

If you were at the ATM and somebody came up to you, held a gun to your head and said "Give me $60" - you'd have to try hard not to laugh. Hopefully I've made my point.

OMG! that harness needs to be retired. Regardless of safety it has been USED like a ... I'll let D Trump finish my sentence.

Valar Morgulis.

Not for $60

As long as you continue to slide that harness up onto your waiste, this question will weigh on your mind. I've been wanting a high-end performance harness ever since the Petzl Sitta came out. I've been eyeballing my tie-in loops and belay loop more often, anxious for an excuse to retire my cheapo harness that every other newb gym rat has.

If your harness were mine, I'd have that bright orange Sitta beauty in my toolbox! That harness is trash.

Todd Skinner would say it's cool, if he were still here.

These modern-style harnesses blow... this is built-in obsolescence to scare people into buying a brand-new overpriced harness every year or two, plain and simple.

Dustin Stephens wrote:These modern-style harnesses blow... this is built-in obsolescence to scare people into buying a brand-new overpriced harness every year or two, plain and simple.

Huh? Every year or two? I used my Petzl Corax for around 8 years. Overpriced? At under $80?

Dustin Stephens wrote:These modern-style harnesses blow... this is built-in obsolescence to scare people into buying a brand-new overpriced harness every year or two, plain and simple.

That is a completely ridiculous claim

Marc801 wrote: If you feel that the harness has more than enough usage and should be retired from climbing, why on earth would you suggest using it for canyoneering? Don't use it for climbing but it's fine for the 300' free hanging final rap out of Heaps? To the OP - really, it's time to chop it up and toss it in the trash.

The forces are static when rappelling and it is the protective sheath that is worn through. As I noted some canyoneering would finish it off. So it is really a judgement call.

Mike Lane wrote:Todd Skinner would say it's cool, if he were still here.

Not funny.