Edelrid Jay II and Jayne Harnesses Review

© Mark Glasiter

Belaying in the Edelrid Jayne harness  © Mark Glasiter
Belaying in the Edelrid Jayne harness
© Mark Glasiter
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 Edelrid Jay II harness tie in point  © Mark Glasiter
The Edelrid Jay II harness tie in point
© Mark Glasiter
The Edelrid Jay II harness - close up  © Mark Glasiter
The Edelrid Jay II harness - close up
© Mark Glasiter

 

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!

The Edelrid Jay II harness in action  © Mark Glasiter
The Edelrid Jay II harness in action
© Mark Glasiter
The Edelrid Jayne harness  © Mark Glasiter
The Edelrid Jayne harness
© Mark Glasiter

 

Edelrid Jayne Harness  © Edelrid
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

 

Edelrid Jay II Harness  © Edelrid
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

 




12 Jan, 2015
I've come to rather like the plastic reinforcement thingy on my Orion - http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=5779 It makes tying on a breeze and does protect against wear. My old DMM harness had red material wrapped around that part of the harness, with the idea being that once that material wears through it is time to consider changing your harness. It took five years of heavy use, which seems fair enough - but that bit of wear indicator was indeed the first to go. So Edelrid's solution seems a sensible one - obviously that junction on any harness takes some heavy wear.
12 Jan, 2015
After having Petzl Corax and Petzl Hirundos, I much prefer fixed leg loops. I can't understand why did I ever need adjustable leg loops. I think the next harness I'll have is Petzl Sama as Hirundos was too ultralight and it's probably going to be refunded soon (the stitching failed and currently waiting for the reply from the Petzl). A fit might be a problem, though.
22 Jan, 2015
I have used an Edelrid Moe for a while and really like it, the reinforced tie-in loop is a brilliant idea - it was always the 1st spot to wear. It also has sewn leg-loops which I prefer to buckles. The only worry is the way it 'creaks' when you lower off - I think it is the plastic reinforcement on the tie-in loop 'creeping' back and forth - spooky! Chris
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