When you are in the climbing gym, it is normal to see climbers using climbing chalk. Chalk is responsible for absorbing all the moisture that is in your hands to keep them dry all the time. It also helps in providing a better grip to improve performance. A chalk bag containing the chalk can be carried through a belt or a harness.
But how to attach a chalk bag to harness? There are many ways that a climber can attach the chalk bag to the harness. Primarily, the climber can use a carabiner and other random gear, which will be discussed in this article.
Using Carabiners
One way to attach a chalk bag to a harness is using carabiners. There are two ways to this method which are listed below.
Clipping to Both Gear Loops at the Back of the Harness
One way to attach a chalk bag to the harness is to clip both gear loops at the back of the harness. In this method, you will need two carabiners at the back of the harness to keep the chalk bag secure and permanently fixed.
The only issue with this method is the weight the two carabiners bring to the climber. This situation will put the climber at a disadvantage, especially when climbing for a longer route where the need to cut weight is essential.
Using Single Carabiners to the Haul Loop
Another method is attaching a chalk bag to your harness is to use a single carabiner to the haul loop. This method is secure and easier to keep attached to the harness. In this method, you do not need to remove the webbing belt if you take the harness off and will never misplace the chalk bag.
The downside of using a single carabiner is the inconsistent placement of the chalk bag at the back. This situation can be an issue when you reach the chalk, as the position of the bag changes every moment you move.
This type of webbing approach will also need you to adjust the strap manually every time. The result will be the bag’s constant changing of its position, which can be very uncomfortable from your end.
The rule of thumb is to let the chalk bag hang at the height of the harness waist belt to maximize efficiency. However, the success of this technique will depend on the height of the torso, the ape index, and the flexibility of the arms and shoulders.
Furthermore, when using a single carabiner, the addition of the length of the haul loop will make the chalk bag difficult to reach when dealing with vertical terrain. It can also lead to the bag’s constant swinging when you move around on the overhangs. This situation can affect your efficiency when aiming the bag at your hand.
Using Quicklink
Apart from the carabiner, another way to attach a chalk bag to the harness is to use a quicklink clipped to the haul loop. There are upsides and downsides when using this method. It provides a secure attachment from the chalk bag to the harness.
The security to give is so secure that you will be having a hard time getting off the back once the quicklink is connected to the harness. And that’s one of the downsides of also using this method.
The chalk bag is fastened into the harness and will like to offer some resistance once removing the bag. The weight is also another issue and can be a problem during the climb.
Using Quickdraw
Another way to attach the chalk bag is to use a quickdraw that will be clipped to the gear loop. But I have to warn you that this method is not the best one you can use with all the disadvantages you will get during the climb.
First, when you use a quickdraw, that’s an extra 11 inches extra length that you need to deal with when you climb. The quickdraw is so long that it will be hard for you to chalk your hand opposite the gear loop.
Although this method is possible, it still is not the best way to chalk when you climb, regardless of the location. Should you decide to use this method, expect discomfort along the way.
Conclusion
There are many methods on how to attach chalk bags to harness, as shown in this article. Each has unique advantages and disadvantages that will contribute to your performance during the climb. I suggest using the carabiners to attach the chalk bag to the harness or using another alternative which is utilizing a webbing belt to attach the chalk bag to the harness.