USER GUIDE - CLIMBING AND MOUNTAINEERING HARNESS - ROCK

- Pull the harness out of its carrying bag and spread it out before you. - To put on the ROCK harness, hold it in front of you with the roping ring at the front, and verify that the elastics connecting the thigh adjustment straps to the belt do not pass above the belt and/or are not twisted. If they are, untangle them. Pass the legs through the belt and leg loops (Figure 3). - It is possible to associate the ROCK harness to a chest harness defined by the EN 12277: 2015 standard, for Type D (harness surrounding the upper part of the body, passing around the chest and under the arms), to ensure proper position of the body. For roping-in in this situation, refer to the body harness manual. 

- The adjustment of the belt and thigh adjustment straps is done through straps equipped with self-locking buckles (Figure 4). Always start with the belt adjustment, then the leg loops. When properly fitted at the waist, not the hips, the harness should not slip or be too loose at the thighs. Conversely, it should not impede movement nor prevent breathing. When tightened optimally, you can pass a hand between the thigh and the leg loop (Image 5). - Originally, the strap of the harness belt is passed through as shown in the first diagram of Image 9 (below the two elastic bands). At the lowest part of the waist, you will have to dismantle the buckle in order to pass the strap only below one elastic band. (2nd image). This will let you use the full adjustment range. - Before use in the field, perform suspension tests in a safe place, to ensure the right size, the accuracy of the adjustments and sufficient level of comfort of the harness for its use. - During Rock harness use, regularly check its adjustment and the tightening the self-locking buckles.

 An image shows you the place where you need to rope up (Figure 7). We recommend using a double figure of eight knot with stop-knot (easy to tie and check visually) for roping in. Be careful, roping up should only be done at the tie-in points (B). Any other rope-up option, directly on the strap or on a gear strap (as shown in Figure 8) is forbidden. Their strength is not designed for such stress (risk of serious injury or death). Do not forget to visually check the climber’s rope-up knot and that the follower’s carabiner is locked before climbing. 

To belay another climber, connect a belaying device to a carabiner set up on the belaying ring (Image 7). Be careful, no straps or gear straps of the harness should be used to belay another climber or for self-belaying. Their strength is not designed for such stress (risk of serious injury or death). 

To clean your harness, wash it with warm, clear water (30°C) and mild soap. Be sure to rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of soap. Allow it to dry in the open air, away from light and heat. If you use your harness in salt air, be sure to rinse it with clear water after use and allow it to dry in the open air. 

Store your harness in a dry, cool and ventilated place, away from light.Avoid any contact with chemicals or corrosive substances, whatever they are, as their effects on the strap would be harmful.The set must be transported in its original packaging case. Take care not to expose your harness to a temperature below -40°C or above 80°C. You should never leave your harness inside a car in direct sunlight, for example.

Before and after each use, you should check the condition of your Rock harness: - Check that there are no abrasions, burns and/or cuts on the straps and seams of the belaying loop, tie-in points or on the harness overall. The tie-in loops are equipped with a wear indicator. The appearance of a red textile will signal the end of the service life of the reinforcing part (Image 10). In this case the harness must be discarded. Please note, if affected by moisture or frost, the harness becomes much more sensitive to abrasion, so take extra precautions. - Ensure that the self-locking buckles do not show any cracks, deformation, corrosion, wear or other damage. Make sure they work well. A more detailed inspection should be carried out at least once a year by a qualified person. Following the checks set out above, if you notice that the harness has any fault on any straps or self-locking buckles, stop using it and destroy it. If in doubt about the condition of the harness or its resistance, have it checked by a competent and trained person or destroy it. 

The maximum service life of SIMOND products, considered from the date of manufacture indicated on the product, is as follows: - 10 years for harnesses. - lifetime for metal products. This service life is defined from the date of manufacture of the product, stamped on the harness label in day/month/year format. This 10-year service life may be reduced depending on the type and frequency of use. It may be reduced to a single use in case of intensive use with friction or in the case of high stress (stopping a high fall, exposure to chemicals, extreme temperatures, etc.). As long as your Rock harness meets the control requirements set out above, you can use it. If you have any queries on the state of the product, have a competent, trained person check it, or destroy it