I browsed a couple of old (2008ish) gear catalogues of PMI,
Petzl, BlackDiamond, & OnRope1 --the BD one being pretty rockclimbing
centered, the others more broad or other-aimed (SAR, caving,
canyoneering, arborist).
I see a variety of harnesses. SOME have a *clip-in* ring
of metal, which sort of concerns me re diameter (I've read
"10mm" for some separate rings, but am not sure that
what is part of the harness is as thick). Others have no
discernible means of
closing --as though awaiting some
binding hitch or really snug eye to effect this (e.g., the
Goliath Expedition) !? Some have two built-up attachment
eyes coming together, and the rockclimbing one's have a
belay loop connecting waist belt anchor point to the joined
leg-loops rather cord-like part; it seems that one will want
the looseness between waist & leg loops for activity, and
they should come together only on a fall being caught
(so a hitch would not be happy here).
It occurs to me to wonder at the compression of webbing
by the rope --esp. a hitch-- on catching a fall. The lower
connecting point of the rockclimbing legloops is rather
rope-like, but the belay loop isn't --though I think that
it's advised NOT to tie-in to this--, nor other tape points.
Consider this one, the Fusion Climb Centar; anchor point
sure doesn't give much to hitch around (diameters, substance)!
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00J0W4Y92/ezclimbingharnesses-20 - - - - - - - -
Another tie-in-structure idea :
1)
clove hitch to tie-in thread (well, if all so darn skinny!);
2) take hitch tail up and put in a
bowline,
3) then bring eye-knot tail down to tuck *through*
the
clove h. --i.e., run it along tie-in "thread",
which increased hitch-to bulk-- ; and finally
4) take tail --which needed to be long enough-- up
to tuck through the
bowline's nipping loop,
giving a 3rd diameter and further security.
The eyeknot should be abutting the hitch,
and thereby giving what I'll call "security by crowding"
--i.e., neither adjacent knot can loosen much, because
the other is in the way! (And yet both knots can be
moderately loose.) (The
mirrored bowline has this
sort of slack security if properly dressed --so many parts
bumping into each other.)
And, no, this isn't violating the NO HITCHES rule,
really; the
clove operating really as twin eyes
and distributing force over the 4 strands leading
around the anchor point (2 eyes, i.e.).
--dl*
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