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Topic Date User

clip belay loop or harness? 18-Dec-2008 At 3:55:06 PM ohrabanek

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I generally clip in through the waist and leg loops and not the belay loop. I suppose it depends a lot on the harness that you are using as well as the belay device.
For me, the reasoning is:
1. the biner is easier to keep oriented in the position I want and seems to stay put better when I need to take in or the climber falls
2. there is less movement of the biner when belaying - so less likelyhood of cross loading the biner (But I think this really depends on your belay position)
3. 3-way loading hasn't been a potential issue with the harnesses I've used as the waist and leg loop usually meet at the same place when forces are pulling the biner hard in any direction - so in effect the force on the biner is basically the same as on the belay loop in this circumstance (I think).

The thing I haven't really considered is when you are tied to the anchor and the forces involved in both directions if you used the belay loop.