lazide writes:
I have a petzl calidris harness I currently use for the gym (2-3 nights a week, often lead falls) which previously has seen 3+ years outdoors, 500-800+ routes? but few falls. It is showing some signigant wear - would you be interested in testing it to destruction and posting what you find?

Russ Writes:
The belay loop on that harness did look pretty worn. I would guess most of us would use it, but do an edge check for every rap..... I pulled it to 4000lbs with no signs of duress. Survey says bomber. The harness looks to be in better shape than you think. I'll test it later and maybe try to pull off the leg loops since this seems to be the prefered place to back up your rap these days.

From Lazide:
Petzl Corax harness. New in 2002. LOTS of use. Average of 2 gym days a week for 4 years. Maybe 1000 pitches of trad, sport and some aid witha few chinmeys and OW pitches. Repeated falls in the gym on lead, a few sport falls (10?) No walls.

Test Method:
I clipped into the main clip in point on the front of the harness with a biner. Started to pull. Noticed stitches ripping fairly soon. This was due to the different stretch ratios of the materials. The main webbing is sewn to some other webbing and all the way around the padded waist area. All these have different stretch values. All the initial stretch induced ripping stopped at about 2100lbs. Continued to pull and had catastrophic failure at 3200lbs. The buckles never slipped. What is odd is that the webbing broke between the buckle and the main body of the harness. I thought it would have broken at the buckle. There was also about a 30% failure of the stitches that make up the tie in point on one side. Anyway, 3200lbs for just the waist belt, no leg loops involved. Survey says, wish it was more, but should be more that adequate.

As for the leg loop as a backup for your prussik or whatever while rappeling..... If you just clip your prussik onto the top of the leg loop (like I have seen many people do) the numbers ain't that good. Stitches started to blow at 340lbs and there was a total failure where you are out of the system completely at 800lbs. Survey says, at least use the main leg loop clip in point if you are going to use this method.