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my_name_is_fake
Apr 19, 2006, 1:16 AM
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Registered: Jan 25, 2006
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Yesterday at my gym, someone made a comment abt my recently acquired Black Diamond BOD harness. She said " I think you bought the wrong harness. Its not really suitable for men or for trad/indoor climbing, more for alpine. The leg loops can hurt your balls (note: she really said this) as there are no paddings, hurts esp if you belay".
Is this true? I havent notice this until yesterday , when i was wearing slightly thicker(heavier) combat type cargo shorts, where the crotch or leg loop was REALLY grabbing me by the balls ( literally)...
Thanks for the input.
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colotopian
Apr 19, 2006, 1:20 AM
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I think the BOD is made more for low angle alpineering than rock climbing.
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treez
Apr 19, 2006, 1:22 AM
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Some things in life are REALLY F#@*KING SELF-EXPLANATORY.
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phassett74
Apr 19, 2006, 1:24 AM
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She is correct. You were cheap and now your testicles will suffer. So long future children, and hello eunuch.
Sad thing is that a chick figured this out, and you did not.
To teach yourself a proper lesson, get on your bicycle, stand on pedals, drop onto the middle bar. Lesson learned yet? If not, volunteer as the "nut-kickee dummy" at a women's self-defense class. Repeat until your sing like Michael Jackson, or can part with an additional 30-40 dollars to buy a real harness.
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my_name_is_fake
Apr 19, 2006, 1:25 AM
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I see. Thanks.
well
I paid the price for a spur of the moment buying ( it was on sale) with no research.
edit: I may add that i bought this at a store where noone spoke any english at all.
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up_for_a_good_time
Apr 19, 2006, 1:41 AM
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It will still serve you well. I used one for roughly a year. Mine was a christmas present back a couple years ago. It has solid padding around the waist, but yeah...the legs can quickly become painful. That said, there are no safety issues with it. I thought it was a solid harness. It will treat you well.
P.S.-I don't know if I would use it too often outside of top-roping, if your's has the same plastic front clips as mine did. No big whippers on plastic please.
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musicman1586
Apr 19, 2006, 1:49 AM
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In reply to: I see. Thanks. well I paid the price for a spur of the moment buying ( it was on sale) with no research. edit: I may add that i bought this at a store where noone spoke any english at all.
So you didn't splurge on the Calidris, it's apparently the Eleventh Commandment or something that you've just broken, I'm sorry, your going to hell, or atleast that's how everyone else is reacting
Anyways, yeah, you have an uncomfortable harness, but you can sometimes just adjust how your stuff is hanging so that it's out of the way of the harness, this can be somewhat unsightly as your trying to handle your junk in a public place, but it's worth it if you can get the leg loops to sit where they should and not ride up.
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csproul
Apr 19, 2006, 1:55 AM
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It'll work fine. Many people have climbed on a BOD for years. You'll climb on it a while and then you'll probably want something else down the line. If it doesn't hurt it's fine (if it's really painful then that's a different matter). Keep it for when you do some alpine climbs.
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basilisk
Apr 19, 2006, 1:56 AM
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doesn't really matter that you're using an alpine bod. that's what i've had for years. it's relatively cheap and is very versatile. it can hurt the balls a bit if you don't get it on quite right. i find it's more of a groin issue for me. right where the strap passes over the groin in thinns out and thus puts more pressure on it.
as long as it works and you can make do with it, it's fine. a swiss seat can pinch the balls just as much if not more. doesn't make it any less safe
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my_name_is_fake
Apr 19, 2006, 1:58 AM
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well, ive only noticed it yesterday when i wore this heavy cargo pants for the first time for climbing. Generally, i climb wearing pants with thinner material, the BOD does not feel like its jerking my crotch.
Going again today, so we'll see how it goes.
musicman, its ok. i see that a lot in this forum.
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buckyllama
Apr 19, 2006, 3:10 AM
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In reply to: It will still serve you well. I used one for roughly a year. Mine was a christmas present back a couple years ago. It has solid padding around the waist, but yeah...the legs can quickly become painful. That said, there are no safety issues with it. I thought it was a solid harness. It will treat you well. P.S.-I don't know if I would use it too often outside of top-roping, if your's has the same plastic front clips as mine did. No big whippers on plastic please.
The plastic is non structural. In a fall they are not loaded, they are just there to keep the leg loops in place the rest of the time.
This is a perfectly good harness. I had a partner years ago who swore by them. If you get it adjusted right, and you find it comfortable enough, who cares if it's stylish.
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billcoe_
Apr 19, 2006, 5:33 AM
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In reply to: She said....... "The leg loops can hurt your balls (note: she really said this) as there are no paddings, hurts esp if you belay". Is this true? I havent notice this until yesterday , when i was wearing slightly thicker(heavier) combat type cargo shorts, where the crotch or leg loop was REALLY grabbing me by the balls ( literally)... Thanks for the input.
You should consider yourself fortunate to have a sweet young lady be so keenly observant and interested in your soft unseen body parts. This should have led to quite the conversation had you followed through. Obviously a keeper..........not talking the harness.
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republiclimber
Apr 19, 2006, 5:49 AM
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certainly the wrong harness........better sell it to me.
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cal_gundert05
Apr 19, 2006, 7:45 AM
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In reply to: She is correct. You were cheap and now your testicles will suffer.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
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reg
Apr 19, 2006, 11:59 AM
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i've used n alpine bod for years and the boys never complained
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samxbam8
Apr 19, 2006, 12:33 PM
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i climbed in a bod for like 3 months just toproping and it was fine. then i wisened up and got something else
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tradclmbr
Apr 19, 2006, 1:43 PM
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It just means your 'old skool' sans padding and a belay loop. Absolutely nothing wrong with it, but yes there are more comfy harnesses to take lead falls on and doing hanging belays.
It can be your extra harness for getting other friends into the sport.
Also you could probrably sell it on ebay for twice what you bought if for, just market it as a retro-model
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markc
Apr 19, 2006, 2:17 PM
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While the Bod and Alpine Bod are no-frills harnesses, they are perfectly functional. Your major sacrifice (especially with the Alpine Bod) is padding, thus comfort. Check out the comparison chart on the Black Diamond site for recommended uses.
I'll agree that I wouldn't want to lead many routes or do a hanging belay in the Alpine Bod. However, the Bod served me well for a number of years, while I was predominantly toproping and sport climbing. I've retired it from regular use, but it makes a great backup harness.
If you're having a major issue with your junk, your harness may not be fitted properly or may be the wrong size. Make sure to adjust your leg loops to avoid any potential for slippage. Also, are you wearing boxers, or something more supportive? Boxers won't do anything to help keep your boys away from leg loops.
By the way, until people in the gym have proven themselves, I'd take what they say with a grain of salt. You may find people climbing for three weeks longer than you acting like authorities on all things climbing.
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plund
Apr 19, 2006, 2:51 PM
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Registered: Mar 6, 2003
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I keep my BOD in my crag pack as a backup (friend along, forgotten harness, etc). If you get it adjusted properly, the boys will be fine. Helpful tip - after putting it on, pull up hard on the belay loop or hang from something to ensure proper bag clearance in the event of a fall; also good to double check bag adjustment before lowering or rapping...
Good, serviceable harness for not much money....
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dingus
Apr 19, 2006, 3:12 PM
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Registered: Dec 16, 2002
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I retired my 1st bod harness in like 1992 or 3. I still own and use an alpine bod for, um, alpine climbing. And ice climbing too. You can take a shit and not have to remove or untie the harness, a huge benefit. I also like the fact that with the alpine bod the gear loops are optional. If you want a small and light pack, eliminating all superflous crap is important. You can wad that sucker up into a tiny package.
But the woman in the gym was right, but for the wrong reasons. It isn't so much your balls you need to protect, as it is your ego.
Cause if you make a habit of showing up at sport climbing areas wearing a bod harness, and are on the small side of 40 years old? People are going to chuckle at you, its that simple. Sorta like the big wall noobs that show up for their first aid route wearing one of those Yates monstrosities
Depending upon your long term objectives and short term budget constraints, I would buy a different harness for cragging, but keep the bod for the places where it comes into its own.
DMT
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heiko
Apr 20, 2006, 7:54 AM
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One thing I'd like to add: don't think that you can't get your balls hurt in a sport-climbing harness. It depends less on the harness but a lot more on the pants+underwear you're wearing.
If you replace your harness, keep the Bod for future use/climbing partners/second harness.
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steadymatrock
Apr 20, 2006, 12:50 PM
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Registered: Feb 21, 2005
Posts: 34
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Maybe she's a bit worried after looking at your balls :D. I wore them during my early days of climbing because they are the cheapest around.Had long lead falls and it doesnt hurt mine :)
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sweetchuck
Apr 20, 2006, 1:48 PM
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Registered: Aug 18, 2005
Posts: 151
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I got hooked on climbing in Wisconsin back in 97, and when I came back to NC I had to recruit friends to be my climbing buddies (belay dopes). I needed to buy a second harness for my recruits, and I wanted the cheapest most uncomfortable harness I could find so they would be motivated to get their own. Guess which one I got?
"How do I put this thing on?"
"Hell if I know, I wouldn't be caught dead in that contraption..."
Now you have the perfect guest harness. It will serve you for a long time.
sc
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