Gear Review: Technical Alpine Harnesses

Technical alpine harnesses are necessarily jack of all trades.  Through the necessity of being used on technical routes, these harnesses need to handle the rigors of steep ice and mixed climbing, difficult rock climbing, whippers and be packed into a relatively light package.  For this review we are looking for harnesses with these specific features:  four gear loops, adjustable leg loops that can be dropped for pulling off pants or putting on crampons, cost and last but not least, its weight. Nearly every manufacturer has some offering that it touts as a technical alpine harness however few of these fit the billing.  In fact, taking the above  requirements into consideration, there are just four harnesses readily available in the United States that meet these specifications.  Of these, one clearly stands above the rest.  But first, lets meet the contenders.

Black Diamond Xenos
16.2oz $130

Petzl Corax
17.2 - 18.7oz $65

Arc'teryx I340a 
12.1oz $169

Camp USA Air CR
8.4 oz $80

All four harnesses meet the requirements of having four gear loops and adjustable leg loops.  The Black Diamond Xenos, Petzl Corax and Arc'teryx I340a have additional features such as ice clipper slots, haul loops and releasable riser straps.  Ice clipper slots are great at the crag but lousy in the alpine.  First and foremost they are prone to breaking.  While it may  not be the end of the world if you drop your screws 100ft up a local ice route, it certainly could if you are 2,500 ft up an alpine face.  If you don't know it yet, rack your gear on full strength carabiners.  All ice clipper slots is add weight to an alpine harness.  While I can't deny that releasable riser straps facilitate dropping a deuce, it's not neccessary (of this I can assure you).  It's possible to get the job done without getting all the way out of your harness and pants (and if its 30-below you'll likely not want to anyhow).  A haul loop is a valuable asset that the aforementioned three harnesses possess.

The Camp USA Air CR harness is certainly the most spartan of the four contenders.  It has no haul loop, its risers are not releasable, it has four gear loops though only two have plastic runners that facilitate clipping carabiners, there are no ice clipper slots and its lightly padded... very lightly padded.  However, the paucity of its features is actually its strength.  It weighs in nearly 4 oz less than its closets competitor, the Arc'teryx I340a, and costs less than half.  It's true that a haul loop would add greatly to the value of this harness but considering the cost and its light weight I would advocate just tying a piece of cord around the back to make a full-strength haul loop rather than coughing up an additional $90 and carrying an extra 3.7 oz to buy a haul loop.  While it certainly has the least padding of the harnesses in this review, I would argue that padding is of dubious utility.  First off, most alpine routes are cold and you'll more likely than not be wearing a few extra layers (i.e, padding).  Second, you're alpine climbing therefore its supposed to be uncomfortable.  If you want a comfortable harness buy a big wall rig and go top-roping.  Despite its lack of padding, taking a whipper in this harness is not like falling onto a swami belt.  While I wouldn't advocate working your sport project in it, you won't shy from the sharp end in the alpine where falls are a relatively rarer event.  Finally, while it doesn't seem to be in vogue to wear a CAMP USA harness at the crags, your wallet and back will certainly thank you.  In fact, I consider many of CAMPs offerings the best alpine gear out there, though they are rarely touted as such.

The Camp USA Air CR Harness on the Colton-Leach,
Mt. Huntington, Alaska Range, Alaska

Rethinking Alpinism

These days the term alpine climbing is tossed around freely.  Depending upon who you talked to alpine climbing could be a six-pitch rock climb with a two-hour approach or a virgin route up a 7000 m peak and everything between.  While no one argues with the later being termed an alpine climb, the former's designation is debatable.  Adding to the confusion is the unabashed braggadocio and, let's call it, bending the truth which is fluent in the alpine climbing world.  Not that either chest-beating or lying (just read anything about Maestri and Cerro Torre) is new but the instant gratification of the internet age is such that even relative common alpine climbers can appease their egos.  Nobody is interested in establishing moderate climbs even if the routes are in fact moderate.  Grades are sticky and no one wants their new route to be any easier than a Grade IV, 5.10, Wi4 or M5.  Unfortunately alpine climbing operates on the honor system and will always be susceptible to the machinations of self-aggrandizing climbers.  

I am advocating a return to reason in alpinism.  Instead of exaggerating the significance of your climb to ensure that you get a paragraph in next year's American Alpine Journal give it an honest grade so that future ascensionists might know what to expect.  Alpine climbing is rarely about technical difficulties.  The hardest section of a climb rarely correlates with its overall difficulty. Rather the sum of its parts is nearly always more significant than any pitch.  Give an honest grade.  Don't call your route 5.10 if it maybe had one move on the second pitch that went at that grade.  

We should return to the day when a climber would be embarrassed if their climb was repeated climb and found much easier than graded.  At the very least we should strive for honesty.