Softest harness

I'm in the market for a new harness right now, and I have a bit of a special need... I need an incredibly soft harness that won't risk creating any pressure areas on my body when I'm using it. It will be crucial to find a model that doesn't need shifting or adjustment throughout the day, but remains super supportive and super soft even in one single position. Based on years of scoping out this forum, I suspect the best available answer is a Misty Cadillac, but I'd love to know if there are other contenders as well.

The expensive arcteryx harness is by far the most comfortable I’ve ever worn in this regard despite its padding having such a slim profile.

jaredj wrote: The expensive arcteryx harness is by far the most comfortable I’ve ever worn in this regard despite its padding having such a slim profile.

I've had about a half-dozen Arc'teryx WARP harnesses over the last 10 years (the only brand I've worn) and like them a lot. However, I've always found that I need to shift them around from time to time throughout the day to prevent binding, folding, and chafing. Those are things that worry me now, as I no longer have the physical sensation to recognize when those things are happening. Hence the hope then I can find something that's just overall plush, and that won't cause any potential pressure points. Turns out that pressure wounds are very common, very quick to form, and very dangerous for folks like me!

petzl sama

While I can't give you great specific reccomendations, I can say you should get looking at big wall harnesses and try to get something with a classic double back style belt as they won't creep.   Misty mountain might be a good place to start.  Call them up and explain your situation... They may be able to steer you in the right direction

Mike Knight wrote: petzl sama

Thanks for the tip, Mike. I haven't worn a petzl harness in decades, but I liked it back then and it would be cool to try one again now!

Nick B wrote: While I can't give you great specific reccomendations, I can say you should get looking at big wall harnesses and try to get something with a classic double back style belt as they won't creep.   Misty mountain might be a good place to start.  Call them up and explain your situation... They may be able to steer you in the right direction

Great thoughts Nick! I hadn't thought about double backed webbing but that makes a lot of sense. It'll definitely be a bit of a trade-off since I don't have working hands at the moment, but with the right partners that won't be a problem!

I've found the BD Big Gun to be super comfy.

Emmett, I was reading through this post and you said you don't have"working hands" at the moment I don't know your situation but I was just on misty mountain web site a couple weeks ago and I saw some custom build harness that looked like they where for people in a whealchair. I could be wrong it was just a glance in passing but they do say they will custom build anything so it might be worth calling them. 

I think the arc'teryx harnesses are your best bet they have improved on their more recent harnesses so they don't fold over and fold at all. another option would be the solution from BD, I would think you would want to avoid chunky big wall harnesses as fat slabs of closed cell foam don't exactly sound like what you're looking for. Really though if you're after actual support in a harness get a work harness something like a petzl AVAO or for more climbing specific petzl falcon mountain.

Evan Jeffrey wrote: I've found the BD Big Gun to be super comfy.

Awesome beta.I've never tried a BD harness before, but this sounds like a great contender for me to check out.

Adam Grant wrote: Emmett, I was reading through this post and you said you don't have"working hands" at the moment I don't know your situation but I was just on misty mountain web site a couple weeks ago and I saw some custom build harness that looked like they where for people in a whealchair. I could be wrong it was just a glance in passing but they do say they will custom build anything so it might be worth calling them. 

Yeah, I'm a little bit vague about my injuries... still getting used to it I suppose! Thanks for the tip on Misty. Really sounds like they're one of the best places to look for help here. I wouldn't be unhappy if I ended up with my first Misty harness!

Emmett, that's no one's business buy yours man.  Be as vague as you want to be.  I hope they can help you out with whatever needs you may have.  If they can't post back on here this community is full of intelligent people I'm sure we could design something that would fit your needs.  

I'd suggest looking for a big-wall harness too, they'll be bulky, but they are meant for spending hours in while weighted so they really spread the load around.  Misty Mountain Titan, Metolius Waldo, Yates Shield would be good choices - The BD big gun is a decent harness, but not as wide or padded as those other 3.  I used to use one as my trad/multipitch harness, but i got something less bulky (and less comfortable) now.  Petzl Calidris could be a good option too.

Edit - useful link - outdoorgearlab.com/topics/c…

caughtinside wrote:

given this post, it seems that fit is more important than other considerations, hard to do w/o trying harnesses on.  good luck. 

Yeah, I agree that fit is crucial. The only limitation, at least in the short-term, is that there aren't a lot of places around me that stock a wide assortment of harnesses. So it's tough to try on brands like Misty or big wall models. But I'm patient, so I'll seek these things out!

that guy named seb wrote: I think the arc'teryx harnesses are your best bet they have improved on their more recent harnesses so they don't fold over and fold at all. another option would be the solution from BD, I would think you would want to avoid chunky big wall harnesses as fat slabs of closed cell foam don't exactly sound like what you're looking for. Really though if you're after actual support in a harness get a work harness something like a petzl AVAO or for more climbing specific petzl falcon mountain.

I'll take another closer look back at Arc'teryx and see what they've come out with the last couple seasons. I may be behind the times. Great idea on work harnesses too. At this point I'm not going to be climbing anything of substance, and probably going to be struggling even with rope ascension! A work harness would be just fine.

i have a similar need for the softest harness in the world so this thread is great...
but i'm also wondering if anyone has reccommendations for harness that fits 44-48" waist... I have a bigger friend who is looking and there don't seem to be many bigger harnesses out there.  (even the custom form on the Misty site only goes up to 38" in size..)

The tricky thing I've found with arcteryx harnesses is that mine puts a bit of pressure on my femoral arteries, right where the warp meets the webbing for the leg loops. If that band was just a hair bit longer, it'd be great. I have rather large thighs though. However, Emmett you might have good luck with them. If we are being honest here, I would imagine your situation has resulted in a smaller thigh circumference then most climbers, so the above negative may not be a problem at all. 

Backcountry is a contender fosho

With all the stellar adaptive climbers and skiers around I think it would be great if this forum had a sub forum for it. There's so much really cool work done on specialized technique, skills, gear, experiences..!  Paradox Sports in Boulder and Adaptive climbing.org in Massachusetts are two large organizations.. with industry connections. It would be great to have that info available on MP and bring the community together a bit.

Adam Grant wrote: Emmett, that's no one's business buy yours man.  Be as vague as you want to be.  I hope they can help you out with whatever needs you may have.  If they can't post back on here this community is full of intelligent people I'm sure we could design something that would fit your needs.  

Yeah man! I love this community!