The Alpinist Mountain Standards reviews apply Alpinist's tradition of excellence and authenticity to gear reviews by providing unbiased, candid feedback and anecdotal commentary to equipment tested (hard) in the field. Our panel is comprised of climbers who use the gear every day as part of their work and play. Only the gear they would actually buy themselves, at retail price, qualifies for the Alpinist Mountain Standards award. The five-star rating system is as follows: One Star = Piece of junk. Two Stars = Has one or more significant flaws, with some redeeming qualities. Three Stars = Average. This solid piece of gear is middle-of-the-road on the current market. Four Stars = Better than most comparable gear on the market. It has one or two drawbacks, but still 90% positive. Five Stars = Is there such thing as perfection? An Alpinist Mountain Standards award-winner. Review Panel Adam George Caroline George Larry Goldie Blake Herrington John Race Bert Severin Jed Workman The rest of the MS Team |
 Petzl Corax HarnessPosted on: February 9, 2006 
MSRP: $80 This harness is a Cadillac for comfort and Petzl's slick buckle system helps keep you safe without having to double back the waist belt or leg loops. This feature also makes it super fast to change layers on the move. I've used the Corax extensively for rock climbing, ice climbing and alpine routes. Although it looks heavy, it is quite light, weighing only 510 grams. Details I appreciate on the harness are the padding that stays rigid and doesn’t compress over time; the attention to detail with stitching and colorful accents; gear loops that stay rigid and have plenty of room for racking; and my favorite is the quick release system for the leg loops that enables me to stay tied in when I need to drop my drawers. The only setbacks I've found with the Corax are the buckles on the leg loops: they loosen up and the elastic straps for keeping the leg loops up stretch out over time. I would like to see Petzl incorporate a hard point on the back of the harness for trailing a line and clipping my shoes to. Otherwise, it is a great all-around harness. |
