I don't think this is a compliment.

[Posypetals]

My partner and I have been together 27 years. Few ups and downs as with any relationship.
Anyway, today he went rock climbing and I asked him to pick me up a new climbing harness
No problem says he.
He came home later thos afternoon with said harness and I tried it on, fit perfectly.
I asked him how he managed to get the right size. (He's no good with sizes)
He said the woman there had asked him what my body shape was, he said, she's slim with child bearing hips!!! (We have 3 grown up children)
I am a tad miffed that that was the way he described my body shape. AIBU???
I was like, thanks.... not.
He seems to think he was kind amd that he was been nice.

Well you said it fits perfectly so it’s obviously somewhat accurate. Your hips do indeed widen after children, why is this offensive?

Non issue.

I’ve just given you an example of a harness that has quite clearly defined waist sizes. I am definitely a small and not an extra small in this.

Also - not everyone winter climbs etc. I don’t. I use this specific harness for indoor leading, and an Arcteryx one for trad climbing because I prefer the waist belt for hanging (all those hanging belays!). So the OP might just need a harness for indoor wall climbing….

Isn't that what Marilyn Monroe was like, I'd be happy with that

The premise of the post still makes no sense though.

Do you know any climber, male or female, who when buying a harness, just sends their partner out for a generic "harness"? Who doesn't want to try it on before buying?

You obviously have a preferred harness that suits you. That's totally normal, because most climbers have gear that suits them.

yep, bought online, but I often find v12/ Joe browns/ Cotswolds quite understanding with harnesses.

I’m not the OP. I’m just pointing out that you saying that harnesses only come in S/M or M/L is just wrong based on my experiences of buying harnesses.

If you buy online they have to offer a limited returns service due to distance selling regs.

Harnesses bought in person aren't covered by that. Cotswold etc. don't accept returns of safety gear bought in store.

Fair enough re: sizing though - I've never worn one that had that many subdivisions! It's not standard.

I have wide hips too and tbh I think “child bearing hips” isn’t the nicest thing to say - but now I think about it I don’t think there is a nice way to say “wide hips”!? Even though there’s nothing wrong with saying wide hips if it’s literally just describing your hip shape!

But when I was a teenager a boy told me a had child bearing hips and it gave me a bit of a complex so probably I’m not the best person to ask.

This shows what I mean re: climbing gear bought in store.

If the shoe fits 🏃‍♂️

"I'm keen enough on this sport, and do it often enough to want to own my own harness (as opposed to renting), but I don't care at all what the harness is so I just sent my DP out to buy a random one. I also didn’t do any research about the model or size to guide him. Oh, and this is gear that can't be returned if he gets it wrong."

^ That is what isn't credible.

Right, okay - I won’t tell you about the time I bought said boyfriend a new harness from Ellis Brigham and they let me buy two sizes so he could return the one that didn’t fit… I did explain the issue in store though. This was when he was fairly new to climbing, and didn’t have preferences.

You were obviously lucky!

You’re being proven incorrect by the vast majority of replies!

:) maybe.

I don’t find the story that hard to believe.

but to bring it back to the thread OP I don’t think you should be offended.

The fact that he told you what he said shows he wasn’t being unkind. Don’t get worked up over this.

I wouldn’t take offence-as others have said, he was explaining you’re are slim but not straight up and down (you have curves).

He cant have known the exact way you like your shape to be described, so he did the best he could and got the size right. Job done.

Ellis Brigham's returns policy specifically excludes climbing gear. You were lucky they made an exception, which was great for you.

I personally like to buy my harnesses from stores which know exactly how the harness was stored at every point up until my purchase, as do most climbers.

Climbing gear bought in store that should say

Climbing gear bought in store that should say

I think you need to bin this concern.
He was being honest .
What's the point of getting an I'll-fitting harness?

Child bearing hips is not derogatory at all.

My partner of 6 years, has just called me a ‘Lesbian’ for drink plant based milk. I have switched to oat milk, as of recently, to reduce inflammation, as I am also a Celiac. I really did not expect this of him, as usually he is so kind and respectful.

Subsequent to his comment, I called him a ‘pig’, and said to him that I was ‘taking the kids with me’. Did I Over React?

And it's not unusual for critical PPE to be excluded from returns policies - it's the case in other areas outside climbing as well.

is this a humble brag ..

That doesn't make sense though @ThatFraggle if he needed to describe her shape and size to get the right fit, there would be no point in suggesting she was a completely different shape possibly resulting in the wrong equipment (although I understand from those who know about rock climbing it's actually irrelevant ).