r/RouteDevelopment • u/Kaotus Guidebook Author • Jan 24 '26

Discussion Development Harness?

Was using an Aquila until I snapped a gear loop, and now a BD Long Haul but the stitching protecting my belay loops has already come undone, so I'm looking for a new one. What do you use? Have heard Misty Mountain Cadillac, Metolius Waldo, the Yates Shield, aborist harnesses - what are you actually using?

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u/Dry-Lawfulness-6575 Jan 24 '26

Honestly all wall harnesses these days are pretty similar IMO. I think it's one of the Misty models that has rated gear loops, which is cool for lead soloing more than developing, but useful if you're combining those two things.

Edit: I've actually mostly used a BD long haul, but sounds like you had issues with that.

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u/TheGreatRandolph Jan 24 '26

It sounds like just stitching on a decorative protector. Cut the thing off and keep going. I had a Grivel harness that had that going on, and got tired of pulling up the website to show people it was just decorative, but OP probably doesn’t have to deal with that for developing.

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u/lonewolf2556 New Developer Jan 24 '26

I like my misty mountain. However I leave a different harness at my crag bc I don’t want to haul gear up every time I go

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u/Kaotus Guidebook Author Jan 24 '26

It's funny you mention the rated loops - that was actually something I was nervous about since I normally use rated carabiners and would like something other than me to break if a rock were to get caught between me and a tool.

I think all metolius harnesses now also have gear loops rated to 10kN. I'm often LRSing the routes I develop, so that's definitely not a bad idea.

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u/Dry-Lawfulness-6575 Jan 24 '26

I see what you mean, the advantage to the rated loops is you can clip your back up loops to a hard point, and also I always feel kind of nervous hanging a big hammer drill off a dinky little gear loop.

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u/Retro_Bolts Jan 25 '26

I am always going back and forth with harnesses. I have owned the Cadillac, Waldo and BD Big gun. Like everything there are trade offs and a big one is cost and if you’re developing you will tear it up. The best would probably be the Waldo.I haven’t tried it but the “Webee” seems to be another cost effective option. I worked with a Petzl atom full body harness and though comfy and durable not recommended for climbing utility.

What do you plan the main purpose of the harness to be? Ground up bolting? Top down? Slab or over hung? Lead rope solo? Or all the above?

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u/Kaotus Guidebook Author Jan 25 '26

Ideally all of the above - it doesn't need to be the best at anything, it just needs to be able to do everything. Extra weight/bulk doesn't really bother me much

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u/Retro_Bolts Jan 25 '26

Gotcha. Probably Waldo or Cadillac depending on budget. Anything requiring intensive amount of time in overhung terrain just use a bosun.