The Jay II and Jayne are two climbing harnesses from the German gear manufacturer Edelrid – The Jay is designed for men and the Jayne for women.
The first and most noticeable feature of both of the harnesses is their colour – they are quite striking being combinations of a vivid blue and bright yellow/green with a dash of black (on the Jay II) – these are not for those who like there climbing kit understated.
The harnesses come in at a good price point and are packed with features which would appear to be very robust and work exactly as they should out on the crag in either sport or trad mode or down at the climbing wall. There are also options for attaching winter climbing accessories – ice screw clips.
Both the Jay II and Jayne harnesses have exactly the same features but are sized differently to allow for waist and leg diameter variation. The Jay II and Jayne are built for comfort, both the hip and leg loops being well padded and fully adjustable using easily managed smooth gliding buckles that do not need doubling back.
The waist belt can be moved (via a sheath in the belt) to allow the front tie-in point and the gear loops to be centred and equally aligned. This allowed the four gear loops to be maintained in their optimal position and consequently all quickdraws and other gear can be easily located at all times. The four gear loops are slightly asymmetric and made of plastic covered with fabric and work very nicely allowing for a decent selection of trad gear to be racked up without the need to overload each gear loop.
The tie-in point has an abrasion protector that is pretty stiff and quite large – good for aiding tying in and added safety but it is perhaps a bit of overkill and adds weight to what is an already fairly beefy unit.
The harnesses performed excellently in action being very comfortable when on cramped/hanging stances and also when abseiling/working routes and taking leader falls.
Summary
The Jay and Jayne are well made all-round harnesses that are durable, practical, comfortable and a good price. You might just have to by a pair of sunglasses if you intend to look at them for too long!
What Edelrid Say - The Jayne:
"An all-round women’s harness with an easy to align tie-in point for all types of climbing."
- Overlapping 3D mesh padding at upper edge for optimal support and comfort
- 3 Easy Glider buckles ensure a secure and comfortable fit
- Moveable padding at hips allows tie-in point and gear loops to be to be centred and aligned
- Longer leg loop base enables optimal positioning above the hip bones for full comfort whether climbing or hanging
- Adjustable leg loops for optimal fit and full flexibility
- Abrasion protector for extra durability at the tie-in point
- 4 asymmetric gear loops and 2 attachment options for ice screw Clips
PRICE: £55
More Info: Edelrid Website
What Edelrid Say - The Jay II:
"The Jay is the perfect all-rounder with adjustable leg loops for all types of climbing."
- 3D mesh padding for optimal support and comfort
- Easy Glider buckles for a secure and comfortable fit
- Moveable foam waist padding allows the tie-in point and four fixed gear loops to be centred and aligned
- Abrasion protector at tie-in point for extra durability
- Adjustable leg loops with elastic mesh inserts for optimal fit and flexibility
- 4 asymmetric fixed gear loops for perfect Organisation
PRICE: £55
More Info: Edlerid Website
Comments