Petzl's latest Avao harnesses have been designed alongside industry professionals to achieve two objectives: maximum comfort and maximum fall protection.
The X-shaped dorsal construction with wide, semi-rigid waistbelt and leg loops reduces pressure points during prolonged suspension in work situations, while the shoulder straps are widely spaced to avoid neck chafing. The waistbelt and leg loops are lined with perforated foam for comfort and ventilation.
The semi-rigid, pre-shaped construction makes the harness easy to put on. There's plenty of adjustment using self-locking DoubleBack buckles, and once you've achieved your optimum set-up the optional FAST automatic leg loop buckles mean you can gear up quickly.
Avao harnesses feature a dorsal attachment point for connecting a fall arrest system. In the event of a fall, your weight is automatically transferred through to the leg loops to limit pressure points; as Petzl puts it, creating a "Less traumatising post-fall position" allowing the user to remain suspended longer while waiting for rescue.
Six equipment loops on the sides and rear of the waistbelt are shaped to clip carabiners, and each harness has retainers for Petzl's Caritool tool holder and Toolbag pouch.
The two Avao full-harness options are the Avao Bod (with or without FAST buckles) for fall arrest and work positioning, and the Avao Bod Croll Fast for rope access. The Avao Bod features a quick and easy directional connector, while the Croll Fast features an integrated Crollventral rope clamp. The shoulder-strap/waistbelt connector is equipped with a captive bar to inhibit connector rotation, and there are two attachment points allowing a podium seat to be attached for prolonged suspension.
For users looking for a lighter, modular solution there is the Avao Sit seat harness with separate top and top croll chest harnesses.
Meanwhile, compact and tough, Petzl Pixa headtorches are designed for frequent, demanding use. Pixa headtorches are single-unit designs made for durability with excellent resistance to falls (2 metres), crushing resistance (to 80kg), and rated waterproof to 1m depth. They feature a rotating control dial designed for use with gloves and can be worn with the headband, mounted on a helmet or placed on the ground.
The Pixa 2 is designed for close-range work and moving around safely. A single high-power LED gives two lighting modes - a wide, uniform beam for working comfortably at close range, (30 lumens, lights to 20m for 12 hours) or a mixed wide and focused beam to illuminate the wider environment (40 lumens, lights to 30m for 6 hours).
The Pixa 3 adds an extra high-power LED to give three beam options - the same wide, uniform beam and mixed beam as the PIXA 2, plus a focused beam for long-range vision (50 lumens, lights to 55m for 3 hours).
(Jim Evans)
