Grivel's 2015 Harness Lineup

Grivel has designed 3 purpose-driven harnesses creating an entirely new line for spring/summer of 2015. Although Grivel has been making harnesses since the 1980’s they haven’t had any models commercially available since the early 90’s. With their return to the harness market, Grivel’s new line showcases many new features beyond the expected basics.

Standard features packed into each model

Four molded gear loops

Large, easily manipulated buckles for the drop seat and adjustable rear rise

Double waist buckles

To prevent ill fitting harnesses, Grivel has added double buckles to their waist belts. For little additional weight, a double buckle system ensures a proper fit, front and back, regardless of the clothing you may put on or take off. This has the most impact if you use one harness for all aspects of climbing as it gives substantially more adjustment to accommodate the different layers used during warm and cold weather.

Double buckles are the quickest, most effective method to ensure you always have a centered and properly fitting harness. They also allows for a significantly greater range of size adjustability. Most climbers should easily fit into a Grivel harness even though they’re offered in only two sizes.

Reinforced tie-in points (color wear indicator)

Most wear on a harness occurs at the tie-in points. Every time you thread or unthread the rope, as well as anytime you are tied into the rope, the tie-in points experience nylon on nylon abrasion.

Grivel uses a yellow reinforcement fabric over the structural black core of the tie-in points. If there is significant wear, you can easily visually identify the black core showing through the yellow reinforcement and know it’s time to replace the harness.

Web-Core technology

Web-Core technology is a fancy way to say that Grivel harnesses use a thin, laser-cut piece of webbing shaped to provide maximum comfort, which is laminated to the interior and exterior of the harness. It’s wide enough to distribute a climbers weight and makes for a light harness that packs down well.

Grivel’s 3 harness models

 

Apollo

an all-around rock harness

($79.95)

A standard sport/trad harness offering, the Apollo is the lightest in the line at 290 grams (10.2 ounces). It has fixed leg loops but still incorporates two waist buckles. This harness is stripped clean of any extraneous features, but you’ll still notice a handy tag line loop on the back.

Size 1: 670 – 870 mm

Size 2: 800 – 1100 mm

Ares

an alpine mountaineering harness

($99.95)

At 300 grams (10.6 ounces) the Ares comes with a unique front structure: It includes a “Comfort Box” where the leg loops attach directly to the waist belt, for increased comfort and greater range of motion. The relocation of the attachment points ensures a wider, open area, around the crotch.

Grivel assured us that this comfort box works for males and females, as it makes walking and glacier slogging in the harness significantly easier and more comfortable. Adjustable leg loops also enable more layering options for cold weather endeavors .

Size 1: 640 – 840 mm

Size 2: 760 – 1060 mm

Poseidon

a mountaineering / ice harness

($99.95)

Also 300 grams (10.6 ounces) and with adjustable leg loops, the Poseidon is currently the only harness on the market treated with water repellency, making it great for use in wet conditions. Grivel promises this is the first waterproof harness of its kind. It utilizes the same dry treatment that is used on dry treated ropes.

The goal is to eliminate the wet harness rubbing against your outer clothing layers which leads to water penetrating through to your insulation/base layers.

Made for ice climbing, the Poseidon features 2 ice clipper loops and 4 molded gear loops.

The Poseidon also has the ability to completely remove the leg loops so you can wear the swami belt alone as you settle in for a bivy. Note: We didn’t test out this feature, but to remove the leg loops from the swami, you unclip the back buckles and then stuff one of the legs through the belay loop to completely detach the bottom half of the harness.

Size 1: 670 – 870 mm

Size 2: 800 – 1060 mm

Bottom Line

I am a fan of any company that knows exactly how they intend their gear to be used. It’s clear that Grivel designed these harnesses with specific uses in mind, and incorporated the features applicable for those uses. And, in addition to the standard features you’d expect, they are coming out with completely new features like water repellency and their Comfort Box, aiming to please with extra comfort in the crotch region.

We’ll update this post when the harnesses are out, but until then, it’d still be worth checking out more upcoming Grivel products like the highly anticipated Grivel Twin Gate Carabiners.

In the market for a harness now? Check out weighmyrack.com/harness to see every harness currently available.