Hanging in a harness for hours is a different proposition from wearing one. Load concentrates at the leg loops and waist, and a harness that is merely adequate to wear becomes genuinely uncomfortable when suspended. The Speed Air 5 addresses that with soft padding on shoulder, waist and leg straps rather than a mesh back panel alone, and Kratos state explicitly that it is designed to suit both men and women, which the rest of the range does not. Triple certified for fall arrest, positioning and suspension.
Key Features
- Soft padding on shoulders, waist and legs: Padding where the load actually concentrates in suspension, rather than only across the back. For rope access this is the specification that matters.
- Designed for men and women: Stated explicitly by the manufacturer. Harness fit differs by body shape and most ranges are designed around one, so this is worth knowing.
- Ventral attachment to BS EN 813: Descenders and ascenders connect at the waist for rope access work.
- Five attachment points: Sternal, dorsal, lateral and ventral, covering fall arrest, positioning and suspension.
- Three tool D-rings plus three equipment handles: Substantial tool carriage for a technician working suspended with a full kit.
- Three sizes: Fit matched by size rather than adjustment alone, which matters more in suspension.
- Maximum user weight 140 kg including tools.
Technical Specifications
| Property |
Value |
| Product Codes |
FA 10 206 XX (three sizes) |
| Configuration |
5 point suspension harness |
| Attachments |
1 sternal, 1 dorsal, 1 lateral, 1 ventral |
| Tool Carriage |
3 D-rings, 3 equipment handles |
| Padding |
Soft padding on shoulder, waist and leg straps |
| Adjustment |
Shoulder, thigh and waist belt |
| Maximum User Weight |
140 kg including equipment |
| Conformity |
BS EN 361, BS EN 358, BS EN 813 |
Note the source lists one lateral attachment point where the Fly'in 3 has two. Worth confirming, since work positioning normally uses a pair.
BS EN 361 | BS EN 358 | BS EN 813 Sit Harness | Category III PPE
Conforms to BS EN 361 for full body harnesses, BS EN 358 for work positioning and BS EN 813 for sit harnesses. Category III personal protective equipment under Regulation (EU) 2016/425, supplied with a Declaration of Conformity and covered by EU Type-Examination certificate 2777/10346-02 E03-03. Requires inspection by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months and immediate withdrawal after arresting a fall.
Suitable Applications
Specified for sustained suspended work: rope access on buildings and structures, façade inspection and cleaning, wind turbine maintenance, confined space entry involving descent, and industrial rope access generally. The padding is what distinguishes it, and it earns its cost on any job where the technician is suspended for extended periods rather than briefly. Where the work is conventional access with occasional positioning, a four point harness without the suspension certification costs considerably less.
More About This Product
A harness is the only piece of fall protection equipment worn continuously, and that changes what matters about it. A lanyard that is slightly awkward gets used anyway. A harness that is uncomfortable gets loosened off after lunch, and a loose harness performs materially worse in a fall — the wearer drops further before the harness takes load, and the load lands on the wrong parts of the body when it does.
So comfort is not a luxury specification on a harness worn for a full shift; it is what determines whether the harness is still correctly adjusted at four in the afternoon. That is why padding, ventilation and the quality of the adjusters justify their cost on anything worn daily, and why the cheapest harness is rarely the cheapest outcome.
Suspension Trauma and Why the Rescue Plan Comes First
A harness that successfully arrests a fall leaves the wearer suspended, upright and conscious. That is the point — and it is also the beginning of a second, less obvious emergency.
Suspension trauma, also called orthostatic intolerance, develops when someone hangs motionless in a harness. The leg straps restrict venous return, blood pools in the legs, and the volume returning to the heart falls. Unconsciousness can follow within minutes, and the outcome can be fatal even after a successful rescue if the casualty is moved incorrectly.
Two practical consequences follow. First, a rescue plan that depends on calling the emergency services is not a plan, because the response time is longer than the time available. Rescue has to be possible with the equipment and people on site. Second, a suspension trauma relief strap — a few pounds, deploys in seconds, lets the casualty stand in the loops and restore circulation — buys the time the rescue needs. It is the cheapest meaningful addition to any harness and the one most often left off.
This is why the rescue plan is required before work begins rather than written afterwards.
How to Use the Harness
- Choose the correct size: Three sizes, and fit matters more in suspension than in any other application. A poorly fitting suspension harness becomes painful within an hour.
- Use the ventral point for suspension: Descenders and ascenders connect there. Dorsal and sternal remain fall arrest points.
- Maintain a back-up system on rope: Rope access requires two independent systems.
- Adjust the belt onto the hips: It takes the load in suspension and must sit correctly before you commit weight.
- Adjust leg loops carefully: In suspension the leg straps carry much of the load. Too loose and they ride up; too tight and circulation suffers.
- Use tool D-rings and handles for equipment, never attachment points.
Warning: Rope access requires specific training and certification and an independent back-up system. Suspension trauma can develop when hanging motionless, so a rescue plan must be in place before work begins. Tool D-rings are not attachment points.
Safety Information
- For use only by trained and competent persons within a safe system of work.
- Rope access work requires specific training and certification.
- Maximum user weight 140 kg including tools and equipment.
- Ventral point for suspension, dorsal and sternal for fall arrest, lateral for positioning only.
- Maintain an independent back-up system when working on rope.
- A rescue plan must be in place before suspended work begins.
- Tool D-rings and handles are not attachment points.
- Withdraw immediately after arresting a fall.
- Inspection by a competent person required at intervals not exceeding 12 months.
Inspection and Maintenance
A suspension harness works harder than any other and the padding both helps and hides. Compress and examine the padded sections, since padding can conceal webbing damage underneath and can itself collapse, at which point it no longer distributes load as intended. Inspect the ventral attachment closely, as it carries sustained body weight rather than the occasional shock a fall arrest point sees. Check every strap on both faces, the stitching at all five attachment points, all buckles for creep, and the tool D-rings and handles for security. Given the duty cycle, inspect more often than the annual minimum.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Speed Air 5 or Fly'in 3?
Both are five point suspension harnesses to the same three standards. The Speed Air 5 has soft padding on shoulders, waist and legs where the Fly'in 3 uses a cushioned mesh back, and it is designed to suit both men and women. For sustained suspended work, padding where the load concentrates is usually the deciding factor.
Q: Why does it matter that it suits men and women?
Because harness fit follows body shape, and most ranges are designed around one. A harness that does not fit properly is uncomfortable, sits wrongly in a fall and gets loosened off in use. Kratos state this one is designed for both, which is worth knowing for a mixed team.
Q: How much padding is enough?
It depends how long you hang in it. For brief descents, minimal padding is tolerable. For a technician suspended for hours, padding at the leg loops and waist is the difference between a full day's work and stopping early. Rope access technicians generally regard it as essential rather than optional.
Q: Does it come with a descender?
No. The harness provides the certified attachment point; the descender, ascenders, ropes and back-up device are separate. The Kratos rescue and rope access range includes compatible equipment.
