Black Diamond Alpine Bod

I bought two of these accidentally. I don't know if the retailer made the mistake or me but I am glad for the error. 

I have five kids ranging in ages from 3-12.  The 12-yr-old is too old for this but the 3-, 5-, 7- and 10-yr-olds all can fit this harness fine. Two makes things faster because of less time spent swapping harnesses.

The back padding is fleece which I thought was kinda cheesy but it actually does fine for the kiddos. They shipped two with different color padding so the kids claimed one as their own. 

The fleece is kinda grabby so the little ones can't slip out with their narrow hips. The 10-yr-old puts his own on just fine (always double check of course). None of them have ever expressed discomfort wearing it and they often hang in it for longer than I would want to in my own harness. The problem is that they forget they are wearing it and run off at the crag with the harness on and forget to leave it for their siblings. 

The 10-yr-old follows 5.9 sport climbs just fine with it and I like all of its features. The belay loop is nice and stiff and it has gear loops just like dad's. I can't think of a reason to dislike it yet.  

PARENTS: For your littlest climbers use a piece of webbing and make a figure 8 chest harness to keep these top-heavy kids from capsizing in a fall. Though unlikely in toproping, it's still a good idea. 

Update 08/2015: Still fits the youngest two kids. Great harness, still happy!

I started rock climbing fairly recently and bought this for my first harness. I really like it and can't see myself buying a different one unless this one wears out. I use it primarily for simpler, single-pitch routes and have had no issues with safety, durability, or comfort.

I think the best thing about this harness is that it is also very versatile. I'm a "gear junkie" with way more hobbies than I can afford. It's nice having a harness that can be used for rock-climbing, mountaineering, scrambling, via ferrata, etc.

If you're a hardcore rockclimber with a little extra cash, you may want to experiment with some fancier harnesses. If you need something simple, affordable, and functional, be confident that this harness will do the job great.

Mine is the older model, gear loops have been added now. I find this harness has been adequate for alpine climbing and I have done low class rock climbing with it too. One advantage is that it is simple and lightweight. Another advantage is that it is adjustable because I seem to gain weight and use more clothing in the winter. It is as safe as any certified, approved harness. Because it has no padding it isn't comfortable to hang in for more than a few minutes. It has no belay loop, but that hasn't been a problem. It depends on what you use it for, but for my purposes, so far, it has been great.