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Until very recently the SITTA was Petzl’s leading ultralight climbing and mountaineering harness. The new WHISPER has superseded it in the lightweight climbing department but is not a direct replacement nor is it as versatile.
What sets the SITTA apart is its remarkable comfort and feature set in such a lightweight package. Pared back ultra-lightweight sport climbing and mountaineering harnesses are nothing new – I’ve got a Troll harness from the early 90s that was remarkably lightweight but only had space for around 18 quick-draws and fastened with a double fisherman’s on 6mm cord instead of a buckle! Lowering from the chains was not the most comfortable! The SITTA almost matches that esoteric piece of sport climbing history weight wise whilst actually providing all day mountaineering and multi-pitch climbing functionality. More importantly it is COMFORTABLE!
The SITTA is a fixed leg loop harness with 5 gear loops and a semi-captive buckle fastening. The waist belt and leg loops are sculpted to provide freedom of movement and support where needed – a big change from the old fashioned ‘ultra-light’ harnesses which basically rolled up so it felt like you were hanging suspended in a thong – neither a pretty mental image or a comfortable experience! Petzl have achieved this with what they term “WIREFRAME technology using HMPE (high-modulus polyethylene) strands in the waist-belt and leg loops to provide optimal load distribution without the use of foam.” In practice this means the harness doesn’t collapse but maintains its shape and structure supporting your body whether that be falling, abseiling or hanging on a belay. Additionally lack of foam helps increase breathability and reduce moisture retention which is great if your sweating your way up a demanding sport lead in summer or getting the full damp winter experience on the the Ben, either way you get to dry off more quickly. In winter terms your harness gets (a chance) to dry more quickly in the drying-room/pub/bothy/tent! In terms of storage the five gear loops should cope with pretty much any standard rack. At the back there is a small loop which I typically use to clip prusik loop, knife and belay device to. Next come two large flexible loops angled to slide the gear forward. Finally the main two gear loops are rigid (to aid unclipping) with a novel separator so you can if you wish separate cams and quickdraws etc. Now I’ve never personally felt the need for this and for most of the review just positioned the separator out of the way however I realised that if you deploy it you can actually clip gear to the separator – increasing storage and perhaps separating out that vital piece, though there is a tangle risk with a big rack. This is not what it is designed for so use at your own risk and don’t blame me if that vital wire you had ready for Wee Doris/Cockblock etc. tumbles to the ground – not as fast velcro ‘quick snatch’ home brew solutions but possibly less risky! Finally on the storage front there are two ice clipper slots optimised for PETZL’s own CARITOOL EVO and compatible with CARITOOL but works with most other ice clippers including my favourite Grivel ‘Carryabiner’ (which are actually rated to 25Kn). The leg loops are fixed and elasticated for a comfy and secure fit coping with my larger quads well. At the back they are suspended with a simple non-adjustable length of thin ‘bingo’ elastic which worked perfectly for me but might be worth a check if you are at the limit of a size range. Talking about sizes, with a 30″ (76cm) waist I went for the medium (77-84cm) as this gave room for winter layers and I like my gear loops nearer the front rather than further back.
In use the SITTA like all great harnesses faded into the background and went unnoticed. Totally comfortable whilst leading, falling, abseiling or sat at a hanging belay. Despite its lightweight construction there is little sign of wear and tear after 10 months use including being scraped against abrasive alpine granite and one lead fall through a tree after a hold exploded on our ‘wonderful’ local limestone! The SITTA accommodates a full multi pitch trad rack or 20+ ‘draws for a mega clip up equally well. Even with the full metal hula-skirt there is no discomfort or slippage. For mountaineering purposes the elastic rear leg loop support does mean that some calls of nature will likely require removing the harness depending on your clothing system.
The only slight niggle I had was the stiffener in one of the forward racking loops poked through the outer sheath – this was easily remedied in the field by snipping a millimetre off the end and wiggling it back in. I suspect that this might have happened as a result of a sharp edge left on the stiffening plastic during production and then some careless stuffing of the harness in my sac. I’ve asked a few people who have this harness if they had any issues and none did so probably just a bit of QC bad luck or maybe a lesson to pack more carefully! Chatting with Lyon Equipment who distribute Petzl in the UK they believe it would have been a warranty replacement if returned. Which is another plus point with Petzl, their excellent customer service.
Overall climbing wise the SITTA is pretty much the ‘one harness to rule them all’. I can’t see any scenario short of big wall climbing (of which I have no experience) where the SITTA wouldn’t work well. Obviously ski tourers may want a harness that has leg loops that fully unfasten for donning whilst still clipped into their skis but Petzl has them covered elsewhere in their range.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Comfortable
- Extremely versatile
- Compact
- Plenty of racking room
Cons
- Issue with stiffener (easily remedied)
- Toilet breaks may require harness removal
SRP £140
Disclaimer – CGR reviewers are never paid to provide a review and the website does not take advertising. We are a bunch of keen climbers and outdoor enthusiasts that accept sample products and offer an honest and independent review of the item. The reviewer will often keep the sample after reviewing it for both hygiene reasons and more often they’re in no fit state to return!
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