[TowerTalk] Climbing Harness

[Dick Green WC1M]

Definitely agree that lighter, more streamlined rock/rescue harnesses like the ExoFit Nex are much better for amateur tower work than the heavier industrial harnesses. I've used a Petzl professional harness for eleven years that's almost identical to the ExoFit Nex. Petzl doesn't make my specific model anymore, but it's similar to their AVOA line of professional harnesses: https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Professional/Harnesses.

The Petzl harnesses seem to be a little more advanced, but are considerably more expensive. Some of the models allow attachment of an optional seat. It looks like the ExoFit has a nice feature the Petzls lack: a buckle on one of the shoulder straps instead of requiring that you unhook the carabiner to get in and out of the harness. Not a huge deal, but nice. All the newer harnesses have one feature mine lacks, which is a place to store the excess shoulder strap after you adjust it to your size. I usually end up wrapping it around the shoulder strap to keep it out of the way, but it doesn't always stay put.

I also use an adjustable Petzl GRILLON positioning lanyard, which is really  great: https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Professional/Lanyards-and-energy-absorbers/GRILLON. I have the version with the sleeve that protects the rope when snaked through or around the tower.

Instead of the standard Y-lanyard for fall arrest, I use a Black Diamond Via Ferrata lanyard:  https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/web-specials/easy-rider-via-ferrata-set-BD6201050000ALL1.html. It's made for clipping/unclipping along a fixed cable on the side of rock faces. I used to have a standard industrial Y-lanyard, but the gorilla hooks were huge and heavy, as was the strapping, and the straps were too long and tended to get tangled with each other. The Easy Rider is very light and the hooks take very little effort to snap on and off. The short elastic straps resist tangling, though you do have to keep an eye on that with any Y-lanyard. A couple of caveats: this product probably isn't specified for tower work by the manufacturer (hence use at your own risk) and the hooks are too small to go around tower legs. They have to be clipped on the rungs. I'm confident that the rungs of my Rohn 55 tower will hold my weight, but YMMV and use at your own risk. Personally for me, the much lighter weight and ease of use (energy saving) of the Via Ferratta lanyard is worth it. That said, many times I've considered adding safety cable to my tower so I can climb more quickly with less energy expenditure. But it's complicated when you have three Tic rings on the tower!

Finally, I've added one more safety feature: a short, six-inch climbing strap with a man-load rated carabiner at each end. I attach one carabiner to the belt (lower) D-ring. When I reach a rest or work position, I quickly snap the other carabiner on a rung. That essentially acts as a positioning attachment that lets me free both hands to thread the adjustable lanyard through the tower. It's also an extra attachment point for safety, and comes in very handy when standing on the top plate working on antennas attached to the mast. It then becomes a very short "belt" I can put around the mast.

73, Dick WC1M

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Hybiske <thybiske at gmail.com> 
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 11:38 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Climbing Harness

When I was shopping for a full body harness to replace my old climbing belt, I learned the hard way.  I purchased a couple of harnesses that were marketed as a "tower harness". Indeed, that's what they were. But they had features on them more suitable for large TV and radio towers. They came with bosun chair-like seat bars and large appendages from which D rings were attached to. They were totally unsuitable for smaller faced amateur radio towers. I finally spoke with a knowledgeable rep at a large online tower gear retailer who understood my needs, and turned me onto the DBI-Sala "ExoFit Nex" Rock/Rescue harness. When you put it on, the first thing you notice is how comfortable it is. I've worn this harness for an entire day and it never lost its comfort. It has D rings in all the correct locations. The main side rings are close to the hips and not on stalks.
There is a chest ring along with a rear D ring for fall arrest purposes.
There are fall arrest free hook stowage locations on the front of the harness that feature tear-away keepers. If you climb small-faced towers like the Rohn G series, this harness is the one to get. You won't be disappointed. Is it quality piece of safety gear and is priced accordingly.
Tom Hybiske, K3GM