Black Diamond Bosun's Chair

Black Diamond Bosun's Chair Review. This is from the perspective of a sailor who uses a Bosun's chair to climb a mast.
The Tour Climbing harness, which is a good harness to use with a bosun's chair when climbing a mast can be see here amzn.to/2K6na89

[@hansoncrack]

Thanks for the review, I bought this for rock climbing and bolting, and it will do the job properly. I didn't realize BD was mislabeling the chair, and am surprised with the lack of reviews on this item in general. I appreciate the clarification of the differences in the chairs.

[@L-36]

It looks like a great chair for resting briefly while you are held in with a proper harness.

[@antonwearsakilt5209]

I have been mountaineering and climbing for 25 + years, everything from sport,trad,big wall aiding, mountaineering, ice climbing, caving. Even some yachting slash sailing. This is what we call a Bosun's chair in the climbing world, it is similar to Yachting gear, however it is not. Unless you are doing multi pitch trad, big walls then one would not bring it, typically. I have used it for many a wall,it is a great chair for it's intended purpose. You stay tied into your harness the entire time you are climbing and it is not until you reach the top,or the deck, would you untie from the rope. You can rig this chair to provide a comfortable place to sit while the leader is placing gear, this can take a long time,sometimes hour's before you get to stand up and follow up the route. In a situation where you are hanging in a harness esp one that is not built or padded for a long term hanging belay, a medical condition can happen called a compartmental hemorrhage, it's where the veins and arteries are cut off from fresh blood from the heart. This can lead the belayer to have a heart attack when standing up, all of that oxygen depleted blood hitting your heart at once,it can and will kill even the fittest among us. So when I set up my belay station I use a clove hitch on the rope from my harness to connect into the station, backed up a few feet away with a figure 8 on a bight.it is the main tie in point. The clove hitch allows me to release slack or tighten slack from the station. So if the leader of that pitch is taking longer than expected I can stand up every so often to stretch my legs and get some fresh blood into my lower body, or even stand up and pee,or poo. Stretch a bit,keep the blood flowing, so when the leader is off belay and it's my turn to follow up the route, I am ready. And depending on the weather, severity of the route, and other factors I am ready to climb. This is not a safety chair, it has no tie in points, hence why you have a friggin' harness on. In sailing and yachting one does not typically wear a climbing harness to ascend the mast. So could you rig this chair to work in that situation? Depends on how good a rigger you are. Ascending a mast is much different than rock climbing, similar technologies, similar materials etc, you would be better off with a proper Bosun's chair for yachting. It only takes a minute to don a harness, or buy a sailing outfit that has one built into it, so you can be at the ready to climb the mast in case of a emergency, or changing sails/knots etc. While sailing, one typically does not hang out long on a mast and sitting around for long periods in a chair up the mast. It's a boat with way more comfortable sitting on the deck.

[@L-36]

I agree with everything you say. The point is Bosun is a yachting term by origin and climbers have picked it up from the yachting world. If you read the reviews on Amazon for this chair you will find that people are using this as life support to climb masts, which as you point out is not its intended use. It has also been reviewed by sailing magazines along with proper Boeun's chairs. This video is trying to discourage that use. Other than that, it is a very nice chair. Just not for mast climbing as life support. Even at that, I would hate to see someone use this chair to climb a mast and use a sailing harness as life support. You can't hang in a sailing harness, which is basically a chest harness, for very long. I find a mountaineering harness ideal for backup in mast climbing.

[@antonwearsakilt5209]

@@L-36 I agree, no one wants to see a sailor or a climber for that matter fall to their death. Unfortunately Amazon is not a place I would buy any safety gear,or technical gear. To much fake Communist Chinese crap for sale. I do not trust my life to anything made in C China, from food to safety gear,I'll buy socks and underwear from the Communist Chinese, who gives a shit :-}. Even main line safety gear manufacturers have some of their gear made in C China, I will not trust that either, I do trust people in the Western World who are making a decent wage to make my safety gear. DMM is a Welch company who makes some of the finest gear, made in Wales. Kong-Bonati Made in Italy Austri-Alpin Made in Austria Omega Made in the USA Typically only sold at real technical shops,not on Amazon. As for this chair it could be rigged fairly easy to handle a live load, not recommended though. I would suggest the 8003 harness from Petzl it makes a great all around,multi sport full body harness. The one thing about a climbing sit harness it's not real fun if you invert while on the rope, hence why sailors use a chest rig. The 8003 is a full body lightweight harness, Made in France. It is fairly comfortable for all day comfort, and since the tie in point is closer to the sternum, in the event you invert while in a vertical space, it is much easier to right one self to being back to vertical than while using a sit harness. As for comfort up the mast I would use the 8003, I would find a nice piece of redwood maybe a 2"x6, 2"x8" sand it seal it and rig it with some real cordage, and use that over this thing from Black Diamond. Take care and good luck.

[@L-36]

Good comments. I use a climbing chair. When I had a wood mast I would be up for several hours at a time and no harness it going to be comfortable as you pointed out earlier. Now I use a mountaineering harness from Petzl (Tour) and the climbing chair. The mountaineering harness does not have the stiff gear loops or padding so goes under the chair without interfering. You should never use a chest harness like I have to keep me from falling off the boat for life support aloft. I forget how long you have before it will kill you but let's just say you better hope somebody is close by. I ordered a new chair as mine is getting old and will review it when it comes. It is backordered.

[@maggie4834]

Thank you for the information Allen !

[@L-36]

You are welcome.

[@JeanBenoitFOURNIER]

Landed here just after receiving my "bosun's chair". I'll also use it in conjunction with my harness

[@RobertSzasz]

Thanks for posting this. I've always found the bulky harnesses more comfortable, and that rest looks like it could be an ok pairing. It really is just a place to rest your behind though since it isn't any safer than a plank.

[@L-36]

Thanks for the comment.

[@shanedenniscom]

Thank you!

[@L-36]

Glad you found it useful.

[@santiagoaldana8604]

Hi allen, thanks for your video, do you think it going to work for windows cleaning?, I am normally holding for 1 to 3 hours in a droop, and the normal seats are very uncomfortable, thank you in advance .

[@L-36]

It is for comfort only. It is not safe. You would need to be in a safety harness. Don't count on just this chair for your life.

[@santiagoaldana8604]

@@L-36 thank you, I appreciate it.

[@rodrigotorresbuenrostro2362]

Hey Santiago! Did you try it for work purposes? I’m also looking for something comfortable as I’m on ropes daily ( sometimes 6 hours straight ), if you tried this one or another option I’ll really appreciate if you can share you experience :)

[@Artie6937]

Does it have a rigid base?

[@L-36]

It has a padded rigid base. Ideal for the use intended which is a place to rest while mountain climbing. Just not on a boat.

[@LucScheffers]

One could state, that there is in the market not one bosun's chair that is tested or certified for lifesupport. So my advice is to skipp them. The seats you are talking about are indeed just extra rests. Hence you can tie and sit in an aluminium chair if you want. ( and some actually do! check Sandu 's channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaGydZ17gqalpK8 :)) But the life support is AlWAYS coming from a descent certified work harness, certified climbing gear and certified ropes and attachement points.