You can do better than this
Written: Mar 11 '01 (Updated Mar 11 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: relatively cheap and adjustable
Cons: uncomfortable, no features, not good for taking falls in!
The Bottom Line: For the same price, you can get so much more from a harness, so there is absolutely no reason I would buy a Bod today.
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| bastardo's Full Review: Black Diamond Bod |
I climbed with a Bod harness for about a year, and I recently upgraded because I was just sick of the lack of features and overall uncomfortable fit of the Bod.
I do mostly sport and gym climbs, which involves falling a fair amount, often a pretty decent distance. As such, the harness should absorb a fair amount of the blow, but the Bod does not. Granted, the waistband has some polarfleece on it to provide a little protection (but not as much as some good laminated foam), but the leg loops are totally unpadded, meaning a whipper is definitely an uncomfortable option.
Another main gripe I had with it is the total lack of a belay loop (note--the newest Bod harness now has a belay loop, but the rope still has to be tied in against your skin at the waist). This is a real pain, especially when it comes time to rappel, string an anchor, or switch from leading to belaying from the top. Almost every harness on the market today has a belay loop, so there's no reason not to get a harness with one. And on the subject of lacking features, the tie in points put the rope right against your body and also allow the rope to slide around all over the place--not good if you happen to take a fall in a weird orientation. The webbing doesn't change color when doubled back either, and the leg loops aren't droppable (note: the leg loops are now droppable on the newest Bod harnesses, but be careful if you're buying used).
This harness may have been pretty cool 15 years ago when it was introduced, but the technology has really improved since then, so there's really no reason to buy a Bod, especially when there are so many full-featured harnesses for about the same price. I know a lot of alpinists like it because it's super adjustable through a wide range, but there are so many better harnesses in terms of alpine applications that I see no reason to buy an old fashioned harness like this.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
bastardo
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Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Reviews written: 40
Trusted by: 46 members
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