Petzl’s new Selena harness is designed specifically for sport and gym climbing, but also performs fairly well as a trad harness. Let’s take a look at the product first and foremost as a climbing harness:
As one would expect, the Selena is manufactured to Petzl’s excellent standards – the broad waistband and leg loops are beautifully contoured and padded, and lined with a soft porous woven mesh material for maximum comfort and breathability. The outside material has a soft denim look and feel to it, which comes across as really stylish.
The gear loops are slightly offset – the rigid front loops are great for racking draws, staying nice and stiff and easy to work with, while the back loops are tucked a little further round the back, but angled slightly forward, keeping your other kit, like belay device, extra draws, etc., easy to reach and out of the way when carrying a pack. And the haul loop at the back of the harness is broad and robust, so works well for a tag line, shoes, or windbreaker.
The waistbelt buckle is smooth and simple to operate with its auto double back system and the belt loops have a thin strip of silicone on the inside to keep the belt from slipping out – quite a neat little addition, I thought. The belay loop and double attachments are super robust and the non-adjustable leg loops have a generous elasticated ‘self-adjustment’, so it is easier to fit over varying sizes of legs.
Okay, so what makes it a women’s harness? Well, it’s all in the fit, really. Once you are using the harness, it becomes apparent that it is thoughtfully tailored and designed for smaller and curvier bodies. It has a shaplier waistband and a lengthened belay loop, making it sit above the hipline.
And let’s not forget the all-important ‘going for a pee’ manoeuvre. The Selena has twin elastic straps with very easy-to-operate clips, keeping your leg loops attached to your waistband. With nary a flinch nor flurry you can have those babies unclipped and ready for relief in no time, without having to loosen any other part of the harness.
On the whole, the Selena is an excellent fit for a woman’s body, a well-designed and comfortable harness, and the stunning two-tone violet colour finishes it off perfectly.
Specifications
Materials: Nylon, polyester, EVA, polyurethane, aluminium, high-modulus polyethylene
Sizes: SX – L
Weight: 370 g to 450 g
RRP: R1549
www.eigerequipment.co.za/
