Black Diamond Solution vs Ozone? vs anything petzl

So when I started climbing i bought a black diamond momentum and have been in this harness for a few years. Im constantly uncomfortable in it while belaying/catching or hang dogging/working on a project. Its time for a new harness. My gym has only black diamond, so I've tried on a solution (which felt like youre wearing a pillow), and they also have the ozone which i haven't tried on. They recently ran out of the solution but said they could give me the ozone for the same price. I primarily gym climb and weekend warrior outdoor single pitch. No plans for trad or multi pitch in the near future, so Im just wanting something super comfortable and functional for sporting with some draws. I literally haven't tried on any of petal's harnesses or any others. Thoughts?? 

Keep the BD haters to a minimum, im not talking big wall trad here, I just want something more comfortable. Cheers.

Earlier this year I got started climbing. I got a Petzl Corax. While I have nothing to compare it with, the harness is comfortable enough taking or catching a fall. I like that you can cinch the waist belt down on both sides and keep everything centered. A little OCD, maybe. 

Only difference is leg and waist loop size.

my recommendation: get the solution. The wider loops make a huge difference in comfort.

only thing about both is I hate the gear loops. Hard and small...

Chris Blatchley wrote:

Only difference is leg and waist loop size.

my recommendation: get the solution. The wider loops make a huge difference in comfort.

only thing about both is I hate the gear loops. Hard and small...

Thats great, I was leaning towards the solution thinking it may end up being a bit more comfortable. I really don't need great gear loops. The max draws I care is like 15 tops, so not a make or break. And Im not a trad climber at all so I won't have a big rack. I wonder how the solution compares to the Sama?  Can anybody chime in? 

Side note, I did try the ozone on and it literally feels like I had nothing on, super minimalist. Not really that important, and I didn't get to hang in it. But the folks at the gym said its the "exact same harness" just lighter. But it looks like the solution is probably more comfortable. 

Anybody have an opinion on comfort from a Petzl Sama vs a Solution?

Cameron Cunningham wrote:

Anybody have an opinion on comfort from a Petzl Sama vs a Solution?

I own both, as far as comfort, I'd say the Solution is a slight win, however, the gear loops on the solution suck.  Front gear loops on the Sama are good, rear ones suck, but for sport climbing, at least you have good gear loops at the front of the Sama.

The Solution has asymmetric gear loops; they don't sit on your waist at the same location. It drives me bonkers. So I use it in the gym only. I bought a Chaos for outside, and it's great.

Your results may vary of course, that's why it's best to see if you can hang in them at the shop to see what's truly comfortable to you. 

I had a Sama and was not a fan of the rear gear loops. It was comfortable enough for gym use but the rear loops were annoying outside. I switched to Misty Mountain about a year ago and plan to get another if this one ever wears out. The solution looks like a nice light harness but I’m not a big fan of the BD gear loops either.

Ken Noyce wrote:

I own both, as far as comfort, I'd say the Solution is a slight win, however, the gear loops on the solution suck.  Front gear loops on the Sama are good, rear ones suck, but for sport climbing, at least you have good gear loops at the front of the Sama.

What would be your go to? I primarily gym and single pitch sport so pretty much just going for comfortable gym harness I can take outside on the occasional weekend and be able to hold 10-15 draws. My gym doesnt have a sama so I cant hang test in both back to back. 

Cameron Cunningham wrote:

What would be your go to? I primarily gym and single pitch sport so pretty much just going for comfortable gym harness I can take outside on the occasional weekend and be able to hold 10-15 draws. My gym doesnt have a sama so I cant hang test in both back to back. 

For outdoor climbing where I need to carry draws, I would probably lean towards the Sama just because the gear loops are much better (at least the front ones, the back ones are worse than the solution's gear loops).  If I were just climbing in the gym or on routes with permadraws, I'd probably go with the solution.  You might want to go try on the solution and rack and unrack some draws on it a few times to see what you think of the gear loops.  In my mind, the two main advantages of the solution are the slight increase in comfort, and it's low bulk (making it easier to pack).  Of these, the comfort level isn't very different, and is probably dependent on your body shape anyway, and I always seem to have enough room in my bag for either harness, so the bulk of the sama isn't a problem.  For me, it really does come down to the gear loops, so I'd recommend seeing which ones you like.

I have climbed in the Adjama for years and love it. It is the same build as the sama but with adjustable leg loops.

Well I went with the sama. I found a super cheap deal on EMS.com and ended up snagging a sama for 30 bucks. 

I recently replaced a BD Chaos with a Solution. The leg loops on the Solution are way more comfortable for extended hanging. The waist belt is significantly less comfortable though. The 3 bands dig into my hips bad enough to leave an impression if I'm falling a lot.

The gear loops are symmetrical for me on the Solution, but some people have issues.