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A complete ‘do it all’ harness that has all the features you would need from a day out sport climbing on your local crags to multi pitch alpine adventures.
With the rock climbing season in full swing here in the UK we thought it was time to review a fully featured climbing harness. The PETZL Corax harness is a fully adjustable, all seasons harness that is suitable for all climbing activities from indoor climbing to icefall climbing.
For some, the harness may seem a little overkill; if you are looking for a lightweight minimalist style of harness then the Corax isn’t for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for a durable and comfortable harness that you spend all day in hanging belays then the Corax is definitely a harness you should consider.
The CORAX harness has full adjustability and plenty of gear loops for multi-pitch trad.
The waistbelt is super wide at the back with a slight narrow in the lumbar area. This then tapers down to the double-buckled adjustable front. Having a double-buckled front is great for having total control of where the belay loop and the gear rack sits—ever wondered why your expensive Gore-Tex winter pants get tiny holes in the thigh? Well this is often because the ice screw racking biner (a Caritool) is sited in the wrong place – that can be avoided by having more control over the waist belt adjustment (that said there is no loop for hooking a Caritool as the Caritool EVO is designed for use with any harness). The down side of double-buckled adjustment is that it adds weight. If you are looking at saving weight for hard sport climbs then you may want to look at other harnesses in the range and there is a lightweight version of the harness the Corax LT.
You would want to consider the Corax for the full adjustability it offers. Particularly, if like me, you are in-between sizes or you are an all round climber who likes sport, trad and winter climbing then the adjustability will be worth the small amount of extra weight. The adjustable leg loops have locking steel buckles with a big range for those with larger thighs, it’s also great as you can adjust for extra layers in winter (or a typical UK Bank Holiday!). The leg loops can be further adjusted at the back with quick release buckles for those pesky toilet stops. Excess webbing can be tidied away using the elasticated retainers on both the waist and leg loops which helps to keep things neat and tidy.
The shaped and stiffened front gear loops are perfect for sport climbing quickdraws.
The waist belt and leg loops have a stiffened foam insert that feels stiff and keeps the waist in shape, this is important when fully loaded up with a heavy rack. Comfort comes from the width of the waist belt and it has felt fine in tight or hanging belays. The leg loops have also felt comfortable when hanging for periods of time on small, tight belay ledges. The ergonomic shaping has worked well with my body shape and I like the taper toward the front of the harness. I fluctuate between a 33-34” waist and the size 2 fits well. There is plenty of adjustment left for layers or larger waists. PETZL have sized the Corax harness in size 1 and 2 and not the more normal S,M or L so do check the sizing. I may have got down to a size 1 but I thought I’d play safe and have some room for adjustment when needed.
The Corax has 4 gear loops, the two rear ones are soft and larger than the pre-shaped front ones. There is plenty of room for a fully loaded trad or winter rack, more than enough. The pre shaped front loops are great for sport climbing where you need easy and quick access to quick draws and you can easily fit 7 or 8 draws on each loop. There is also a small loop at the centre of the back for clipping a chalk bag onto or, like me, your escape kit.
The Petzl Corax has plenty of movement for those high steps.
The front of the Corax has a burly belay loop that can be used for belaying when sports climbing and abseiling. The tie in loops are well stitched and reinforced with plenty of bartacking to offer full confidence. You should remember that it is this part of any harness that is your connection with the climbing rope, thankfully the Corax fully conforms to EN 12277 and has both CE and UKCA rating. Always retire a harness when the tie in loops show wear and you buy a cheap, unbranded harness from unspecialised online retailers at your peril!
So, if you are looking for a fully featured and adjustable climbing harness that you can use for all your climbing and mountaineering adventures the Corax is well worth a look. It is comfortable, has generous gear loops and a burly construction. It’s not the lightest harness in PETZL range but it will last a long time and is versatile enough for any climbing adventures you have in the dream bucket for years to come.
The PETZL Corax harness comes in three colour options and two sizes – Size 1 and Size 2.
The SRP is £67.00 and it can be bought through specialist retailers.
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