REF: 8646258, 8618928

VERTIKA HARNESS USER GUIDE

KEY
GENERAL INFORMATION
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE
MODIFICATIONS AND REPAIRS
CHECKS AND LIFE SPAN
GUARANTEE
MARKING MEANINGS

Thank you for choosing this VERTIKA SIMOND harness and putting your trust in us. The VERTIKA harness is available in 4 sizes for men and 3 sizes for women: These harnesses are designed for climbing and mountaineering For your safety, read this guide in full before use. Do not dispose of this guide and keep it for future reference (maintenance, lifespan and product guarantee).

CAUTION: TRAINING ESSENTIAL

Rock climbing and mountaineering are dangerous. It is your responsibility to learn the necessary techniques for these activities and to use the equipment correctly. Only people trained in high-altitude activities or who are under direct visual supervision of individuals trained in mountaineering techniques are permitted to use this equipment. If you have not received such training, you should not be using this product. Ignorance and/or incorrect application of these techniques can result in serious injury or death. This user guide has been drafted in compliance with the EN 12277 standard: 2015 + A1:2018 and the European regulation (EU) 2016/425 pertaining to personal protection equipment. We cannot envisage any incorrect uses of this harness. Hence, any use other than that described in this user guide is strictly prohibited. Failure to respect any of these instructions may result in serious injury or death.

1 - BILL OF MATERIALS Figure N°1

A - Belay loop B - Thighs C - Tie-in points (loops) D - Loop for additional kit holder E - Waist adjustment buckle F - Thigh adjustment buckle G - Kit holder ( x 4) H - Rear adjustment buckles I - Waistband

Figure N°2

2 - GENERAL

This product is a thigh harness designed for climbing and mountaineering. It is designed to retain the user in the event of a fall from height. The VERTIKA harness is not suitable for children weighing 40 kg or less and/or with an inner leg/shoulder length shorter than 50 cm. Risk of injury in case of reversal. In this case, a full harness (type B harness defined by the EN 12277: 2015 standard) is more appropriate. The VERTIKA harness is been designed for use with personal protection equipment that complies with the applicable standards. Ensure that the elements of the belay system are compatible with one another and that none of the elements in the belay chain affects the operation and safety function of any other elements. You must follow the tie-in and fastening diagrams for the harness. Make sure that you check the buckles and adjustment elements during use. Always plan the best way to organise rescue operations for yourself or others, if needed. Caution: polyethylene has a low melting point of 140°C and a low friction coefficient.

Setting up the harness

Take the harness out of its carry bag, unfold it and set it out in front of you. To put on the VERTIKA harness, hold it in front of you with the tie-in ring facing forwards, and check that the elastics connecting the thigh bands to the waistband do not pass over the waistband and that they are not twisted. If they are, arrange them back in the right sense. Put your legs into the waistband and thigh bands (Figure N°3). You can combine the VERTIKA harness with a torso harness, as defined by the standard EN 12277: 2015 standard relating to type D harnesses (harness surrounding the upper body, going around the chest and under the arms) in order to ensure sufficient body support. In this case, for tying-in, refer to the torso harness user guide.

Adjustments

The waistband is adjusted using a self-locking buckle (Figure N°4). When it is properly adjusted at the waist, and not at the hips, the harness should not slip down or be too loose at the thighs. When the thigh is properly adjusted, it is possible to pass your hand between the thigh and the thigh strap (Figure N°5). That said, it also should not restrict your movements or stop you from breathing comfortably. Before any use in the terrain, carry out some suspension tests, in a safe place, in order to make sure that the harness fits properly and is well-adjusted, and that it is comfortable enough for use. When using the VERTIKA harness, regularly check that it is adjusted properly and that the self-locking buckles are secure.

Tying-in

An icon indicates where you should tie in (Figure N°7). We recommend using a double figure-8 stopper knot (easy to do and to visually check) for tying in. Be careful, as you should only tie into the tie-in points (B). Any other tying-in choices, such as directly on the strap or on a kit holder (as shown in Figure N°8), are prohibited. Their resistance has not been tested for such a constraint (risk of serious injury or death). Do not forget to visually inspect the climber's tie-in knot and the security of the belay carabiner before starting the climb.

Belaying

To belay another climber, connect a belaying device to a locking carabiner installed on the belay loop (Figure N°7). Take care as the straps or kit holders of the harness should not be used for belaying either another climber or yourself. Their resistance has not been tested for such a constraint (risk of serious injury or death).

3 – MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE

Care
To clean your harness, wash it in warm (30°C), clean water with a gentle soap. Make sure to rinse it thoroughly to get rid of any soap traces. Leave it to air-dry, away from light and heat sources. If you have to use your harness in a salt air environment, make sure that you thoroughly rinse it in clean water after use, then leave it to air-dry.

Storage
Store your harness in a dry, cool, and well-ventilated place, out of the light. Avoid any contact with chemical products or corrosive substances of any kind, as they may damage the harness. You should transport the harness in its original case. Take care not to expose your harness to temperatures below -40 °C or above +80 °C. Never leave your harness in a car exposed to full sunlight, for example.

4 – MODIFICATIONS AND REPAIRS

Any repair or modification of the product is prohibited. It is strongly recommended that you do NOT buy a second-hand harness as its history may easily be falsified.

5 - CHECKS AND LIFESPAN

Checks
Check that your VERTIKA harness is in good condition before and after use: Check that there are no signs of abrasion, burns and/or cuts on the straps, the stitching on the belay loop and the tie-in points, and on the harness overall. The tie-in points (loops) have a wear indicator. If you can see the red fabric, this means that the reinforced section has reached the end of its lifespan (Figure N°9). In this case, the harness must be scrapped. Pay attention, as humidity and frost can cause the harness to become much more sensitive to abrasion, so you will need to take more precautions. Check that the self-locking buckles do not have any cracks, deformations, corrosion, wear or any other damage. Check that they are working properly. A thorough inspection must be carried out at least once a year by a qualified person. Following the aforementioned checks, if you notice that the harness has any defects on the various straps or self-locking buckles, stop using it and scrap it. If you have any doubts regarding the condition of the harness or its resistance, have it verified by a trained and qualified person, or scrap it.

Lifespan
The maximum lifespan of SIMOND products, issued based on the manufacturing date indicated on the product, is the following: - 10 years for harnesses. - life for metal products. This lifespan is defined based on the product's manufacturing date, which is stamped onto the harness label in the day/month/year format. This 10-year span may be reduced depending on the frequency and manner in which the product is used. It may be reduced to single-use in the event of intensive use with friction or excessive strain (stopping a big fall, exposure to chemical products, extreme temperatures, etc.). The melting point of the hard-wearing polyethylene that makes up a part of the belay loop is 140°C. As long as your VERTIKA harness meets the control requirements set out above, you can use it. If you have any doubts about the condition of a product, have it checked by a competent and qualified person or destroy it.

6 – WARRANTY

SIMOND harnesses have a 2-year guarantee, starting from the date of purchase of this product, covering all manufacturing defaults. Normal wear and tear as well as any damage resulting from misuse or modification of the product are excluded from the guarantee.

7 – MEANINGS OF THE MARKINGS

VERTIKA GENDER SIZE : commercial name of the product, gender and size
XXX : UIAA
batch number: this product complies with the UIAA 105 safety label
EN 12277: 2015 +A1: 2018 : compliant with the standard EN 12277: 2015 +A1:2018 pertaining to Type C mountaineering harnesses
Type C: type C harnesses (thigh harnesses)
CNUF 69630: manufacturer's identification number
0082: Certifying organisation Module D and notified laboratory which conducted the standard EU testing: APAVE SUDEUROPE SAS - CS 60193 - 13322 MARSEILLE Cedex 16 – France. Laboratory N° 0082

: washing instructions
: Refer to the user guide before using this equipment
: SIMOND Logo

DECATHLON logo, SIMOND's parent group
: batch manufacturing date (day/month/year):

: recyclable product or packaging
: equipment compliant with the provisions of EU Regulation 2016/425

You can find the EU declaration of conformity on our website: www.supportdecathlon.com SIMOND – 150 Route des papillons 74400 CHAMONIX (FRANCE) Tel: 33 (0)4 50 55 50 54