Gear and Advice for a top-heavy climber

[rico]

I still haven't picked one of those up, yet... been waiting for you to do it so I can get your Shiny Object review...

I want one because it almost HAS to be better for the rope... but... does it perform as you expected? Fall out, too much? Not grab when it should? Any deal breakers I should know about before I buy one, so I don't have to call you names and make fun of you? Well, ok, I'm going to do that anyway... but still... I value your opinion on subjects not related to sex and farm animals.

So far I love it.. Getting it on and off the rope is effortless..Slack falls through it better than any footie I have used..So far zero issues with is not grabbing, and as you said it has virtually no negative impact on your climbing lines.. The only negative I can report so far is that it is a little difficult to get tight on your foot when new, but as the clasp has broken in that problem is quickly disappearing.

I like it enough that I have been thinking about how one could be attached to a gaff..

 

[evo]

I took a 3 day rec climbing course - once the weather starts getting warmer, I am interested in getting my own gear and climbing in the nearby woods. I am in Victoria, BC.

However, I am a bit "top heavy" and my natural position is to be quite leaned away from the rope. This makes climbing difficult - its take a lot of energy to get anywhere. I found that once my feet touched the tree, the climb suddenly got 10* easier since that helped to keep me upright.

I tried quite a few combinations of equipment - including a made-from-tubular chest harness that carabinered onto the rope. That helped, but it still wasn't great.

Yes - I am a bit overweight and definitely not in great shape (I'm 50). I am working on that.

I have been researching - and I see people recommend using a chest roller, like in this video;

So, perhaps the folks here can give me some help on saddle/system recommendations as well as techniques and suggestions.

I really appreciate your help!

There is no way you had the chance to dial in your saddle for the deceptions pass climb. Sometimes you get lucky off the bat, but I remember feeling like I had it down. One day I took some extra time to do a few tweaks. It took a bit but it was a night and day adjustment.
I just went from a TM to a onyx. I can see how the onyx would work for a bigger guy. I’ve had the onyx for a month and a half and I’m still tweaking it. There are a few major key points about this saddle which doesn’t work well for me, but it’s all mostly production orientated. The hip dee’s seem to point downwards, and having the lanyard higher than 8” from below my waist line causes the harness to ride up my waist into my ribs

 

[moss]

Chest roller is still a strong option for the original poster. This would be a DdRT or MRS climbing system. With a center attach New Tribe harness like the Tengu for example you'll keep a lower anchor point that you won't get with a bridge style harness. I would set up a a single leg 11mm double-braid split tail and tie a Blake's Hitch above the roller. Ony the leg of the rope with the hitch on it goes through the chest roller. You'll need a foot ascender to help make all that work, the tension from your foot on the tail of the rope will hold you up at the chest. Also a double or single footloop on a handled/cammed ascender is awesome for maxing your leg power. Your life on rope will be much better. This is not a super fast ascent system but there's no rush when you're building your core strength and learning how to be a self-sufficient rec climber.

Experienced climbers may take for granted (a little) the way above average core strength they've acquired in their years climbing. For a new rec climber you've got a little ways to go but you'll get there. After you've climbed on a basic system a bit you'll be in a better position to know if you want to upgrade to a more expensive and ultimately more versatile bridge harness. The chest roller will always come in handy even if you find you no longer need it. For example I never had to stop climbing when I injured one of my shoulders a few years back, adding in a chest roller allowed me to one-arm climb for the months needed to recover.
-AJ

 

[rico]

There is no way you had the chance to dial in your saddle for the deceptions pass climb. Sometimes you get lucky off the bat, but I remember feeling like I had it down. One day I took some extra time to do a few tweaks. It took a bit but it was a night and day adjustment.
I just went from a TM to a onyx. I can see how the onyx would work for a bigger guy. I’ve had the onyx for a month and a half and I’m still tweaking it. There are a few major key points about this saddle which doesn’t work well for me, but it’s all mostly production orientated. The hip dee’s seem to point downwards, and having the lanyard higher than 8” from below my waist line causes the harness to ride up my waist into my ribs

Nice post Evo.. It takes a lot of climbing and tweaking to get a harnesss truly dialed in....
Great assessment of the Onyx... Are dream if you spend a lot of time hanging, but not so great if you spend a lot of time doing spar work, which was a deal breaking for me....Bummed because there were a lot of things a really like about the Onyx.....Comfy like a mofo when sitting in it.....The Op sounds like a he's is strictly a rec climber so the side dee's shouldn't be a big issue for him, and the Onyx should be a strong contender for a bigger rec climber.....

 

[Burrapeg]

. . . Op sounds like a he's is strictly a rec climber so the side dee's shouldn't be a big issue for him, and the Onyx should be a strong contender for a bigger rec climber.....

I only rec climb and I LOVE my Onyx. It was a total game changer from my original NT Yellow Jacket. Mind, the Yellow Jacket is an excellent harness for a younger, less top heavy rec climber and it has the ability to be wadded up into quite a small bag for hiking. I don't see them listed much anymore; maybe NT quit making the Yellow Jacket?

 

[Tuebor]

I only rec climb and I LOVE my Onyx. It was a total game changer from my original NT Yellow Jacket. Mind, the Yellow Jacket is an excellent harness for a younger, less top heavy rec climber and it has the ability to be wadded up into quite a small bag for hiking. I don't see them listed much anymore; maybe NT quit making the Yellow Jacket?

I love my Yellow Jacket for minimal rec climbing! I think they quit making them, along with a few other saddles, and tree boats.