Mast climbing harness

G

Graham_Wright

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 Dec 2002
Messages
8,186
Location
Gloucestershire
www.mastaclimba.com
After restepping my mast, I have paid a few visits to my mast head to reinstall items removed.
I chose the climbing harness I had bought a couple of years previously in preference to my Compass bosun's chair which, as I have commented in the past, is ok when seated but becomes painful when standing vertical during climbing.

I reported my purchase on these forums and drew derision as it was Chinese manufactured. It was available in two parts totalling around £63.

I found it pretty comfortable and certainly preferable on a long stay trip at the masthead. It can be secured at two points for extra security. (I also have a second safety line).

I note it is now sold under a variety of names (and is more expensive).

Pro Safety Rock Climbing Arborist Tree Rappelling Harness Seat SittingWaist Belt | eBay

Approaching my 82nd birthday, I failed to achieve my previous record ascent time - 2 minutes 10 seconds. Mast is 42 feet high.
However, just short of 5 minutes is acceptable!
 
Graham_Wright said:
After restepping my mast, I have paid a few visits to my mast head to reinstall items removed.
I chose the climbing harness I had bought a couple of years previously in preference to my Compass bosun's chair which, as I have commented in the past, is ok when seated but becomes painful when standing vertical during climbing.

I reported my purchase on these forums and drew derision as it was Chinese manufactured. It was available in two parts totalling around £63.

I found it pretty comfortable and certainly preferable on a long stay trip at the masthead. It can be secured at two points for extra security. (I also have a second safety line).

I note it is now sold under a variety of names (and is more expensive).

Pro Safety Rock Climbing Arborist Tree Rappelling Harness Seat SittingWaist Belt | eBay

Approaching my 82nd birthday, I failed to achieve my previous record ascent time - 2 minutes 10 seconds. Mast is 42 feet high.
However, just short of 5 minutes is acceptable!
Click to expand...
I had intended to buy the one in the link below, which is sold by a company whose premises I pass two or three times weekly, so no carriage charges, but the price of your one, notwithstanding carriage and customs charges, is much more attractive. The item itself looks impressive. I am however, enthusiastic about the other pieces of kit in my link;
P30 Safety Harness
Edit: Having now checked carriage charges. it seems that they ship to UK only, so I will have to use the accomodation UK address service provided by An Post, which will cost me €3.95. The Customs charges will amount to something similar. Not bad!
 
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I wouldn't consider 15 quid expensive.
Maybe they should call it a marine harness, then charge like a bull.
Congrates on your mast climbing time. Way better than me.

gary
 
Spirit (of Glenans) said:
P30 Safety Harness
Click to expand...

That's a fall-arrest harness. It's designed to be a backup in case you fall off something else, not to be comfortable to hang in directly. It would be appropriate as a safety upgrade to a traditional plank bosun's chair, or if you're climbing mast steps, but you will not enjoy being lifted in it.

Pete
 
Spirit (of Glenans) said:
I had intended to buy the one in the link below, which is sold by a company whose premises I pass two or three times weekly, so no carriage charges, but the price of your one, notwithstanding carriage and customs charges, is much more attractive. The item itself looks impressive. I am however, enthusiastic about the other pieces of kit in my link;
P30 Safety Harness
Edit: Having now checked carriage charges. it seems that they ship to UK only, so I will have to use the accomodation UK address service provided by An Post, which will cost me €3.95. The Customs charges will amount to something similar. Not bad!
Click to expand...
Very skinny leg straps! DVT is a real risk and has led to compensation claims at climbing centres.
 
prv said:
That's a fall-arrest harness. It's designed to be a backup in case you fall off something else, not to be comfortable to hang in directly. It would be appropriate as a safety upgrade to a traditional plank bosun's chair, or if you're climbing mast steps, but you will not enjoy being lifted in it.

Pete
Click to expand...

I'm guessing you've never watched an arborist work nor used this sort of harness. They are hanging most of the day. Same with tower climbers, and they don't use boson's chairs. This is for both suspension and fall protection. It is not the same as a climbing harness in many details.

Wider padding on the leg loops does help with long-periods of suspetion.
 
thinwater said:
I'm guessing you've never watched an arborist work nor used this sort of harness. They are hanging most of the day. Same with tower climbers, and they don't use boson's chairs. This is for both suspension and fall protection. It is not the same as a climbing harness in many details.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about the one in the OP or the one I was actually replying to?

Pete
 
thinwater said:
I'm guessing you've never watched an arborist work nor used this sort of harness. They are hanging most of the day. Same with tower climbers, and they don't use boson's chairs. This is for both suspension and fall protection. It is not the same as a climbing harness in many details.

Wider padding on the leg loops does help with long-periods of suspetion.
Click to expand...
An arborist once called at the garage next door to my factory. In the back of his pickup I spotted a harness I drooled over. It boasted really wide leg straps. Engaging in conversation I asked how long he had been using it. "Many years" he said.
Unfortunately, those many years had completely worn off the manufacturers information!
 
Graham_Wright said:
After restepping my mast, I have paid a few visits to my mast head to reinstall items removed.
I chose the climbing harness I had bought a couple of years previously in preference to my Compass bosun's chair which, as I have commented in the past, is ok when seated but becomes painful when standing vertical during climbing.

I reported my purchase on these forums and drew derision as it was Chinese manufactured. It was available in two parts totalling around £63......
Click to expand...

Quite right to attract derision. It looks very similar to one of Petzl's harnesses, a suspiciously cheap copy apparently not made or tested to any recognised standard.
 
prv said:
That's a fall-arrest harness. It's designed to be a backup in case you fall off something else, not to be comfortable to hang in directly. It would be appropriate as a safety upgrade to a traditional plank bosun's chair, or if you're climbing mast steps, but you will not enjoy being lifted in it.

Pete
Click to expand...
Yes , I was intending to use it for backup, as I feel a little unsafe in the bosun's chair. Instead of being lifted, which is a heavy job, given the size of the winches on my boat, I prefer to go up using a (homemade) ascender, with someone manning a halyard on a winch, as a safety line.
 
penberth3 said:
Quite right to attract derision. It looks very similar to one of Petzl's harnesses, a suspiciously cheap copy apparently not made or tested to any recognised standard.
Click to expand...

Interestingly, some of the better Chinese manufactures are activly pursuing either UIAA or ISO certifications for climbing gear. This is a good sign. The gear I have see that is certified apears, to my expereinced climbing and engineering eye, to be very well made. Some of the other stuff... not so much.
 
I climb albeit weakly. I am think of renewing my harness if only because my son has borrowed mine for security on roof repair work - he has also borrowed my ascender. I expect to pay maybe £40 to £75 from reputable uk or us manufacturers. I dont want basic as I want lots of gear loops to hold my kit, if I did i could pay less

I have used such climbing harnesses as sole support while doing work up mast. Not as comfy as rope access stuff as used by daughters bloke but ok for maybe 3/4 hour. I dont want to be up mast that long just changing bulb or aerial
 
penberth3 said:
Quite right to attract derision. It looks very similar to one of Petzl's harnesses, a suspiciously cheap copy apparently not made or tested to any recognised standard.
Click to expand...
For use climbing a mast it is not going to be subjected to the type of stress that a fall whilst climbing would exert on the harness...

I use an old petzel harness I bought for climbing probably 30 years ago and it is still perfect albeit not the most comfortable...the cheap one on the link looks attractive but I will probably just find someway to add padding under the legs.

I am frequently amused watching youtube of guys climbing masts and the number of variations on the same theme strikes me every time...
 
northwind said:
All this worry over harnesses, all, you need is a plank of wood...
Listen to the creaking sounds when he goes over the edge.. Oh and spare a thought for the cameraman.
Click to expand...
I would require a supply of disposable nappies in XXL size...?for really scarey stuff watch Fred Dimnah, laddering a chimney....https://youtu.be/F04dGK1_wYA
 
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