Need a lightweight Via feratta harness

[avi sito]

Hi folks,

I’ll be trekking northern Italy in the summer and my trails occasionally cross short via feratta sections, a pass here and there. I’ve encountered this once last year with no harness, crossed it with no real issues, though it was a bit scary. So the question is: is there a lightweight harness I can use for the occasional crossing? Or could I tie a few knots and improvise something lightweight instead, knowing that this will only be use during short sections of my route?

thx!

[James holden]

there many lightweight mountaineering and ski harnesses … however be aware that an actual lead fall (above yr last protection point) on em might not be comfortable and may lead to some back injuries … however you will likely live (providing you use a proper absorption system)

more important is the ABSORPTION system you are going to use … true via ferrata lanyards built for lead falls are not lightweight, for good reason … they need a dynamic capability to absorb the shock of falling above your protection

of course there are shortcut and homemade systems that may provide what one person may consider and “adequate” amount of safety depending on your application … but then you had better know what you are doing …

and not listen to some random stranger off da intrawebz for safety advice

;)

[W I S N E R !]

Black Diamond Couloir Harness.

My choice for a light and very small packing harness when canyoneering.  Closest thing to a real harness for when you don’t really want a real harness…but don’t want to tie your own out of webbing either.

 

[Michael Sirofchuck]

I climbed several via ferratas in the region near Corvara, in 2015, including what is supposedly the longest one (at least in Italy) on Marmolada.  I rented via ferrata gear similar to the Black Diamond Easy Rider setup in Corvara for my climbs .  A little research on the specific via ferratas (ferratae?) you will encounter would be in order; the term is used to describe any section of a trail that has a cable, etc., regardless of rating/grade.  I went on a lot of hikes that had cables that one simply held onto with one hand; in some cases we didn’t even hold on to the cable because either the trail was fairly wide or the exposure was just not that scary.  There are a number of guidebooks out there specifically for via ferratae that might help.

Theoretically, one could do a via ferrata with a harness and two connected pieces of 9 mm Perlon or slings, each with a locking biner; however, as stated above, a fall on a via ferrata is basically a leader fall, so I,too, recommend the shock-absorbing setups specifically designed for climbing via ferratas (ferratae?).  Many times the cables are there mainly due to exposure even though the climbing may be Grade III, but there are definitely sections where a misstep, a slip, or a fall could lead to disaster without leader fall designed gear.  We even encountered verglas on Marmolada; this was in July.  Will you be carrying crampons/microspikes?

It’s a matter of deciding what your life is worth in terms of weight and money.

Signed,

Some Random Dude on the Series of Tubes

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Avi

As Michael mentioned, a lot of routes in Europe have cables but are not real via ferrata, so we don’t know enough about the routes you are talking about. That means that you might be needing anything from a firm hand hold on the cable to a full harness.

Cheers

[nunatak]

Like eric, and others mentioned above, do not underestimate true Via Ferratas: A fall on short lengths of webbing/line attached to unforgiving bars of steel is very dangerous. Far more than any leader fall with running protection in place, as associated with regular climbing.

Some sort of friction release/impact absorbing component must be incorporated in the system to save body and gear.

My favorite is a traverse of Monte Civetta via ferratas Alleghesi and Tissi.

[avi sito]

Thank you all –

I plan to start in sentiero-roma from Novate (Lombardia) and follow the alps East & North. Anyone familiar with this route?

I plan a trek not a climb :-), so I won’t be walking a high-route if avoidable. No I will not be carrying crampons\spikes. If I do hit ice – I’ll go down or find an alternate route. I haven’t found this to be common in July over recent years I hiked Europe.

The Kompass maps I just got showed that there are several ‘cabled’ passes in sentiero-roma, hence my concern.

Yes the Black Diamond Couloir Harness looks like a great option (thanks WISNER!). Has anyone tried the Petzl ALTITUDE harness? it’s even lighter.
I see that lanyards are all around ~500gr with carabiners. So it looks like I’ll end up with ~700gr of added weight, though a very important one as you all suggest above. thanks!

[Roger Caffin]

The cabled passes may be just that: a section with a steel cable used as a handline. Hundreds (thousands?) of those around Europe.

As a major SkyRunner race takes place over the route, with competitors in joggers, shorts and singlets, I have some doubts that the technical parts will really require full via ferrata equipment. But that is a personal decision.

If you want a really hairy route, try the Europaweg into Zermatt. It is meant to be a tourist track, but it was designed by bureaucrats and repeated avalanches over it have made it ‘a bit tricky’. When we were there one section was closed because the valley above had just avalanched over it from hundreds of meters above – and rocks were still coming down where the track should have been. We followed everyone else down into the valley.

Cheers

[avi sito]

Back – this is what I ended up doing:

So I went into our local climbing shop and bought a 2m sling, carabiner and 2m length 8mm rope. I was assured it would easily hold my weight.

The total weight was 240 gr.:

90 gr sling
85 gr carabiner
65 gr 8mm rope

I used it two days on two passes where it was snowing, steep and icy (I promised my wife).

@rcaffin was correct, that this trail does not necessarily need a harness. These were mostly chains used when you are literally walking up/down/along the cliff.

Regardless, nice trail where you stay above 2400m for 2 to 3 days.

thx, avi

[Woubeir (from Europe)]

If you want a really hairy route, try the Europaweg into Zermatt.

Ah, the Europaweg … sweet memories

[Roger Caffin]

Memories – yeah, but dunno about the ‘sweet’ bit. Some of the gullies were a bit hairy.

Cheers

[Woubeir (from Europe)]

Yeah, perhaps. There was one gully (Wildings ?) which was to me personal a bit scary, but indeed there were a lot of exposed sections.

About that ‘sweet’ part: well, a bivouac about 15 minutes before the Europahutte with a wonderfull view in the morning I call sweet.

[scott p]

I would still recommend a proper shock dissipation system instead of a sling and cord.  They are not appropriate for fall protection due to shock loading.  Please check out the following link to understand more.    Also a link to a set Camp makes that is 16 oz.

http://www.rockandice.com/climb-safe/the-dangers-of-short-static-falls

http://www.camp-usa.com/products/via-ferrata/vortex-rewind-light/

 

[Roger Caffin]

Shock loading …
You know, theory is great, and minimising shock loading is great, but I think we are talking about two very different situations.

You wouldn’t get much shock loading from a small slip on one of those routes as they are not vertical rock-climbing faces: they are principally walking tracks. A slip would not be free-fall: it would be more in the nature of a slither. Often, what they mean by cables looks like this:

Also remember that most people will travel those routes with no security at all – just their hands holding onto the cables. Adding just that little bit has no negatives, provided you remember the limits.

Sometimes, perfection is the enemy of good.

Cheers

[Jennifer W]

After doing two weeks of via ferratas in Italy and Switzerland a couple of years ago, and using regular climbing harnesses, I was determined to find a good lightweight and compact option for week in Austria last fall.  I found the “C.A.M.P. Alp Racing Harness.”   And it looks like Campsaver has them for a great discount, if you can use size large.

http://www.campsaver.com/c-a-m-p-alp-racing-harness

The one issue with these is, they run very small and there are no leg loop size adjustments.  I usually wear men’s medium.  But after reading the reviews, it sounded like I needed to size up, so I went with large.  The large was on the cusp of being too tight.  And especially if I was going to have a couple of layers on, I decided to go with XL.  The XL is perfect and insanely comfortable for the weight.  Yes, I wouldn’t want to be hanging in this harness for hours, but it is so perfect for via ferratas.  I think it was 3.4 oz on my scale, 1/4 the weight of my regular harness, An Alpine Bod, which is also a fairly minimalist harness at 14 oz.

And these harnesses fold up so nicely, and along with the Black Diamond Easy Rider kit and full gloves, everything fits fully inside my helmet.  It takes up way less space, and we had no trouble with carrying on these kits in carryon luggage through a bunch of airports in the US and Europe.

 

 

[Franco Darioli]

Via ferrata , plural : vie ferrate. (the ugly English version is via ferratas)

Literally : path with iron (cables) .

[Roger Caffin]

path with iron (cables).
Mostly. But sometimes, rather light UV-degraded boat rope, with loose pitons for anchors.

Echelles au Poteu des Etales.
It was a rather ‘interesting’ experience as the footing was as loose as anything we had ever met in Europe, and neither the rope nor the pitons gave you much confidence. Oh well, not Via Ferrata as such.

EDIT: we came DOWN this on all the loose stuff – going up might have been less concerning.

Cheers

[Woubeir (from Europe)]

@Roger

just saw an article in a newspaper that a new hanging bridge was opened on a trail between … Grächen and Zermatt. According to the article, this makes it possible again to follow that hiking trail between the two villages. Nothing about the trail itself which must be the Europatrail. And we know how hairy it can be :-).

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Woubeir

Hum – years and years ago there already was one hanging bridge across a huge erosion gully, somewhere between Grachen and Europahutte. If they have created another huge hanging bridge across the avy gully next to the Europahutte – it would have to be a very big span!

Even so, some of the other avy gullies remain … And they were plenty scary.

Cheers
Roger

[Woubeir (from Europe)]

@Roger

is 494 meter big enough ? :-)

[Roger Caffin]

Errr …
I want a photo!
Blimey.
EDIT: it opened YESTERDAY.

and

Cheers

[Woubeir (from Europe)]

Exactly.

I think you can still see the old trail (and bridge ?) on the bottom photo.

[Roger Caffin]

This is the ‘original’ track across the avy site, in 2009.

You can see what’s left of the avalanche galleries which were meant to keep the rocks off your head.

Cheers

[Woubeir (from Europe)]

Well, for me, the old trail looks comfier to me then the new bridge.

[Author]

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