From high roping within the health club to distant alpine expeditions, harnesses are a necessary a part of each climber’s package.
The GearJunkie crew is made up of all kinds of climbers, enabling us to precisely check quite a lot of gear in keeping with its supposed use. The lead writer of this text is Austin Beck-Doss, a devoted climber who’s at the moment based mostly within the bolt-clipping haven of Lander, Wyo. Sport climbing is Austin’s major pursuit, so he tends to climb in light-weight harnesses with minimal gear loops and padding.
Austin has managed to check out dozens of beefier harnesses whereas creating new routes and climbing large partitions. Additionally contributing is senior editor and YOSAR veteran Matt Bento, who has spent a whole lot of hours hanging in climbing harnesses throughout rescues, on bigwalls, and failed redpoint makes an attempt.
On this listing of the most effective climbing harnesses of 2024, we’ve included our favorites from all kinds of classes. From novice climbers to trad masters, our listing will embody an choice that fits your climbing wants.
Editor’s Word: We up to date this information on December tenth 2024, with the addition of the Arc’teryx Skaha.
The Finest Climbing Harnesses of 2024
Sturdy
Comfy
Versatile
On the heavier aspect
Not probably the most breathable
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Inexpensive
Customizable match
Sturdy
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Nice match
4 pressure-molded gear loops
Good value
Not probably the most sturdy
Some climbers could desire wider waists and leg loops for lengthy days of hanging
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Light-weight relative to its padding and options
Loads of house for an Indian Creek mega rack
Versatile double belay loops
Marketed as an enormous wall harness, although it falls a bit of brief for that utility
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Sturdy
Extremely supportive
Adjustable
Heavy
Not supreme totally free climbing
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Uncomfortable for extended hanging
Minimal gear storage
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Further belay loop turns out to be useful in sure multi pitch conditions
Sturdy
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Massive gear loops
Light-weight
Packable
Costly
Not as comfy as our favourite outdated Arc’teryx harness
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Light-weight
Smooth really feel
Very breathable
Tremendous packable
Rear gear loops are a bit of smaller than the competitors
Slim-fitting leg loops could not present the most effective match
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Light-weight
Comparatively comfy
Breathable
Minimal space for storing on gear loops
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Good worth
Versatile
Sturdy
Lacks specialty options
Not supreme for lengthy hanging belays
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Climbing Harness Comparability Chart
HarnessPriceWeightBest forKey FeaturesPetzl Sama$8014.6 ouncesSport climbing, top-roping, all-around useHighly padded waist and leg loopsPetzl Selena$8014.8 ouncesSport climbing, top-roping, all-around useHighly padded waist and leg loops Edelrid Moe$6511.5 ouncesAll-around climbing (sport, trad, ice, and so forth.)Heart Match know-how (adjustable belay loop positioning), ice clipper slotsBlack Diamond Zone$9910.2 ouncesSport Climbing, Ice, multi-pitch free climbing “Infinity” belay loop, massive rear loop for further gear or a taglineWild Nation Mosquito$1109.2 ouncesRedpointing sport routesLightweight gear loops, breathable waist loopBlack Diamond Lengthy Haul$14014 ouncesTrad climbingFifth gear loop for further gear, abrasion-resistant “Super Fabric”Misty Mountain Titan$2101 lb., 8.4 ouncesBig wall climbing, route developmentSix gear loops, rated haul loop, twin belay loops, detachable leg loopsBlue Ice Choucas Gentle$803.1 ouncesMountaineeringTwo zippered entrance pockets, zippered thigh pocketArc’teryx Skaha$18010 ouncesSport climbing, multi-pitch trad climbing 4 massive gear loopsEdelrid ACE$13010.7Sport ClimbingFour gear loops, Ice screw holder attachmentMetolius Protected Tech Harness$1301 lb., 2 ouncesTrad and large wall climbingDual belay loops, weight-bearing belay loopsBlack Diamond Resolution$8011 ouncesAll-around climbing, health club climbing, beginnersFixed leg loops, easy no-frills design
How We Examined the Finest Climbing Harnesses
Our Skilled Testers
Climber and author Austin Beck-Doss is the unique writer of this information. Sturdy and psyched, Austin put nearly all of these harnesses to the check at his native cliffs, which simply occur to be the world-class limestone crags surrounding the Lander, Wyoming. Carrying the information ahead is Matt Bento, a former member of the Yosemite Search and Rescue crew with nearly 20 years of climbing expertise underneath his belt.
Our Testing Grounds
One of the best ways to check these harnesses and get an image of the general person expertise is to simply go climbing. Beck-Doss spent hours in every mannequin whereas working sport routes at Wild Iris and Sinks Canyon, and in addition made the lengthy March into the Wind River vary to guage the harnesses for multi-pitch trad climbing. Bento lives in Bishop, California, the place superior alpine climbing is a 20-minute drive away. He additionally logs loads of hold time in these harnesses, hold dogging on troublesome sport climbs within the Owens River Gorge and Pine Creek and infrequently bolting new routes.
Bench Testing
For stable comparisons, we weigh every harness and think about what they add to our whole climbing package, measure the scale of the gear loops and rack an assortment of cams and attracts to see how they hold, how accessible they really feel, and what number of every gear loop can fairly maintain. After a number of months of use, we assess put on and injury and replace our findings on this information if we observe something important. Total, climbing harnesses can stand as much as lots of abuse, and when you ought to repeatedly examine your harness, we’ve been capable of take pleasure in our favourite harnesses for a few years earlier than retiring them.
For more information, you’ll be able to take a look at our information to girls’s particular climbing harnesses. We even have top-notch guides for males’s climbing sneakers, girls’s climbing sneakers, and a deep dive into the most effective climbing ropes.
Climbing at Smith Rock, Ore., within the Edelrid Ace II; (photograph/Austin Beck-Doss)
Purchaser’s Information: Tips on how to Select a Climbing Harness
Earlier than you buy a climbing harness, it’s necessary to know your wants as a climber.
Totally different harnesses are designed for various climbing functions. Whereas any harness made by a good producer is constructed to maintain you secure, a rigorously chosen harness will provide way more than primary security.
It’s necessary to pick out a harness designed for the type of climbing you propose to do. For instance, closely padded harnesses are nice for help climbers or route builders, however they are going to be too heavy and hulking for informal sport climbing.
Equally, a harness with tons of substances loops could also be a sensible choice for big-wall trad climbing, but it surely will not be essential for ski mountaineering. Our listing of suggestions consists of numerous forms of harnesses, and our purchaser’s information can assist you perceive the variations between them.
Entry-Degree and All-Round Harnesses
Climbing harnesses designed for all-around use are probably the most beginner-friendly. As a substitute of specializing in a single particular self-discipline, all-around harnesses embody options that apply broadly to a number of climbing types.
For newbie climbers, these harnesses are a cushty and inexpensive instrument that enables for the exploration of various sorts of climbing. On this listing, we advocate the Edelrid Moe and the Petzl Sama/Selena as glorious entry-level choices.
Whereas these fashions aren’t ultralight or full of high-tech options, they’re excellent for top-roping on the health club, studying to guide outdoors, or venturing up your first multipitch route.
Sport Climbing
Harnesses constructed for sport climbing are light-weight, low profile, and performance-oriented. All-around harnesses can completely be used for sport climbing too. Nevertheless, they are usually bulkier and heavier than most skilled sport climbers desire.
As a result of harness weight is a consideration for this climbing self-discipline, sport climbing harnesses are likely to have minimal metallic buckles and glued leg loops. Additionally, sport climbing harnesses generally characteristic break up webbing building as an alternative of a single piece of webbing lined in cumbersome foam.
Gear storage shouldn’t be a significant precedence for sport climbing harnesses, they usually normally include both two or 4 scaled-down gear loops.
Excessive-end sport harnesses must be thought-about a specialty piece of substances. They’re nice for redpoint burns and projecting, however we don’t advocate them to climbers searching for versatility. The harnesses we advocate on this class are the Black Diamond Zone, Petzl Sama, and the Wild Nation Mosquito.
Trad Climbing
A harness for trad climbing must be comfy for hanging belays and have loads of room on the gear loops for racking; (photograph/Honey McNaughton)
Trad climbers repeatedly carry a hefty rack of cams, nuts, and different gear by way of the gear loops on their harnesses. In comparison with an entry-level or sport climbing harness, trad-specific fashions are likely to have at the least 4 massive gear loops.
Whether or not you’re single-pitch cragging or multipitching, trad climbing usually entails bodily climbing methods together with crack climbing and chimneying. A trad harness must be sturdy sufficient to carry as much as these rugged sub-disciplines.
As a result of trad climbing generally does contain multipitch routes, you’ll additionally need a mannequin comfy sufficient for all-day use. Whereas sitting in a dangling belay, you’ll be glad to have huge and well-padded waist and leg loops.
A rear haul loop is a useful characteristic too. Even in the event you don’t use it to haul a load, it may be an important place to clip a water bottle or a pair of strategy sneakers. On this listing, the trad climbing harnesses we advocate are the Black Diamond Lengthy Haul and the Metolius Protected Tech Trad.
Alpine Climbing
Alpine climbing usually entails lengthy approaches, lengthy multipitch routes, tough safety, and less-than-ideal rock high quality. An alpine climbing harness affords a lot of the identical options as a trad climbing harness. The important thing distinction is that alpine harnesses sometimes embody options geared towards glacier journey and ice/blended climbing.
Along with at the least 4 massive gear loops, alpine harnesses normally have ice clipper slots, that are useful for carrying ice screws. When touring within the alpine, you’ll possible expertise extreme temperature fluctuations in a single day. Adjustable leg loops can broaden to accommodate extra decrease physique layers when essential.
Most alpine climbers purpose to maneuver mild and quick, so many harnesses on this class are streamlined and packable. On our listing, the most effective alpine harness is the Blue Ice Choucas.
Massive-Wall Climbing
Massive-wall climbing harnesses are all about consolation, gear storage, and assist. For most individuals, large wall climbing is a sluggish and laborious course of that entails an entire lot of hanging round in a harness.
In comparison with another sort of harness, the waist and leg loops on an enormous wall mannequin are extraordinarily padded and burly. A real large wall harness has two belay loops, at the least 4 massive gear loops, and a load-bearing haul loop.
Although these beefy harnesses aren’t supreme for different types of climbing, they’re a necessary merchandise for slogging up the wall in true big-wall fashion. On this listing, we advocate the Misty Mountain Titan for big-wall climbing.
Excessive on El Cap in late October temps rocking the Metolius Protected Tech Harness; (photograph/Chris Carter)
Mountaineering
Of all of the classes of climbing harnesses, mountaineering fashions are probably the most light-weight. More often than not, mountaineering entails plenty of strolling, mountain climbing, and low-angle climbing on snow and ice. Because of this, these harnesses have to be comfy for strolling in and in addition have to be simple to placed on and take off.
Detachable leg loops are an important characteristic for ski mountaineering particularly. As a result of falling is mostly not a secure choice in a mountaineering setting, these harnesses will not be padded to comfortably cushion a fall. Positive, these harnesses can safely catch you, but it surely isn’t going to really feel good.
Minimalism is the secret with mountaineering harnesses, they usually are usually cheaper than extra feature-packed types. On this listing, the mountaineering harness we advocate is the Blue Ice Choucas.
Components of a Climbing Harness
The essential components of each climbing harness are the waist loop, leg loops, belay loop, and equipment loops. Each harness on our listing consists of these basic options, regardless of which climbing self-discipline it’s designed for. Past the necessities, harnesses may additionally have extra options comparable to a haul loop and ice clipper slots.
Sitting in a harness at a dangling belay; (photograph/Chris Carter)
Waist and Leg Loops
The waist loop of a climbing harness ought to match snugly round your waist and sit simply above your hip bones. Most waist loops could be adjusted utilizing a system of webbing and buckles. Many harnesses include an identical buckle adjustment system on every leg loop.
Harnesses with fastened leg loops are normally constructed for high-end sport climbing. It’s essential that your waist and leg loops match correctly, and we advocate attempting a harness on earlier than buying.
Belay Loop
The belay loop is fabricated from very sturdy nylon or Dyneema webbing and connects the waist loop to the leg loops. Whereas belaying or rappelling, this loop is used to connect your self to the rope and the better climbing system.
Light-weight harnesses for sport climbing or mountaineering could have thinner belay loops, whereas all-around and trad climbing harnesses could have thicker loops. Many big-wall harnesses, just like the Misty Mountain Titan, embody two belay loops for further versatility. As a result of your belay loop is a key a part of the climbing system, it is best to examine it repeatedly for put on.
Cinching down an all-around harness with a thick belay loop; (photograph/Austin Beck-Doss)
Gear Loops
Each harness will embody at the least two gear loops the place you’ll be able to conveniently hold gadgets together with quickdraws, cams, a jacket, a water bottle, and so forth. The extra gear-intensive and technical the climbing, the extra gear loops you’ll want.
A harness with fewer than 4 gear loops is a specialty merchandise and might be designed for high-end sport climbing or mountaineering. Most all-around and entry-level harnesses include 4 gear loops, which is loads for health club climbing and single-pitch climbing.
For multipitch climbing, the addition of a fifth gear loop or haul loop is usually helpful. Massive wall climbing requires plenty of gear, and lots of big-wall harnesses have greater than 4 gear loops.
Haul Loop
A haul loop is a small attachment level positioned in the back of a climbing harness. This characteristic shouldn’t be essential for health club climbing or single-pitch climbing.
For multipitch or big-wall climbing, search for a haul loop rated to full energy so you should use it to haul heavy hundreds. Whereas actively climbing, a haul loop could be a handy place to retailer an additional layer or a water bottle.
Ice Clipper Slots
Harnesses with ice clipper slots are particularly designed for mountain climbing. They’re primarily used to hold ice screws.
Supplies and Building
As of 2024, climbing harnesses have developed into light-weight, comfy, and exceptionally sturdy items of substances. Nonetheless, as new supplies and know-how come to the forefront, harnesses proceed to enhance. In right this moment’s market, there are two major forms of harness building: foam and break up webbing.
This isn’t an ultralight sport climbing-specific harness. Word the thick belay loop and huge leg loop buckles; (photograph/Austin Beck-Doss)
Foam Harnesses
Foam harnesses are constructed on a single piece of high-strength webbing embedded in layers of comfortable foam. Whereas the webbing offers this sort of harness its load-bearing skill, the froth gives assist and luxury.
A well-constructed foam harness successfully disperses your weight whereas falling or hanging. Foam affords ample padding, and it’s nonetheless the usual for harnesses constructed for consolation, together with most entry-level and big-wall harnesses. On this listing, the Petzl Sama and Selena are nice foam harnesses.
Nevertheless, foam and webbing building does have some disadvantages. Foam is an insulator and doesn’t breathe nicely. In heat climate, these harnesses can really feel scorching and sweaty.
Foam additionally wears out over time, and the extra you climb in it, the much less comfy it can turn out to be. For knowledgeable sport and trad climbers, foam harnesses are now not the most suitable choice available on the market.
Break up Webbing Harnesses
Although foam and webbing harnesses have been the usual for a number of a long time, an increasing number of climbers are turning to separate webbing harnesses.
As a substitute of a single piece of webbing lined by foam, break up webbing harnesses characteristic a web-like matrix of high-strength supplies. By spreading out the load-bearing supplies, these harnesses are capable of distribute stress extra evenly.
On break up webbing harnesses, little or no padding is required to create a cushty match. Break up webbing harnesses are likely to last more than foam choices, and lots of climbers discover they provide a consolation benefit too.
The tradeoff is break up webbing harnesses are significantly dearer. Nevertheless, break up webbing is clearly the way forward for harness know-how, and lots of of our favourite harnesses match into this class. The Black Diamond Resolution Information is a high-quality break up webbing harness.
Harness Sizing
All the time double-check that your harness is fitted correctly earlier than leaving the bottom; (photograph/ Austin Beck-Doss)
It’s essential that your climbing harness is correctly fitted. Finally, one of the best ways to discover a good match is to attempt a harness on earlier than buying. Each harness and each individual has a singular form and dimensions, and the method of figuring out the proper match can contain some trial and error.
A correctly fitted harness will really feel cosy and sit simply above the hips. The harness must be tight however not uncomfortably so. It’s okay to have the ability to match a finger or two between your physique and the harness.
The leg loops ought to sit semi-snugly round your mid-thigh. It’s good to keep up a bit of wiggle room in your leg loops, as they will minimize off circulation if they’re too tight. Whereas all harnesses embody adjustable waist loops, not all embody adjustable leg loops.
Should you plan to climb in alpine situations the place you’ll want to alter your decrease physique layers usually, adjustable and/or detachable leg loops are a should. Leg loops include skinny elastic straps that connect to the waist loop alongside the bottom of the thighs. These are sometimes releasable for simple rest room breaks.
Sturdiness
Relying on what sort of climbing you do — and the way usually you do it — a harness can final anyplace from a number of months to a number of years. As a result of sport climbing tends to contain much less contact between your harness and the rock, sport harnesses could be comparatively skinny.
Trad and help climbing contain methods comparable to offwidth and chimneying, which require direct contact between your physique and the rock. Most trad and help harnesses are made out of burly supplies. For instance, the Black Diamond Resolution Information is constructed with an additional abrasion-resistant outer materials.
Although the ultralight improvements sweeping the climbing market are thrilling, it’s necessary to recollect lighter supplies do typically include a lower in sturdiness. Should you select to purchase a brilliant low-profile mannequin, you also needs to bear in mind it in all probability gained’t final so long as extra strong choices.
When to Retire Your Harness
Absorbing the candy aid of a ledge after hanging in a harness for hours on El Cap; (photograph/Austin Beck-Doss)
Similar to a climbing rope, a harness must be repeatedly inspected for indicators of wear and tear. Pay further consideration to the weight-bearing parts, together with the tie-in factors, belay loop, waist loop, and leg loops. Look rigorously for fraying, fuzziness, or any indicators of abrasions. The belay loop or tie-in factors are normally the primary components of a harness to wear down.
Should you’re unsure whether or not your harness must be retired, lookup the producer’s directions for care and upkeep. Usually, we advise conservative selections relating to whether or not a harness continues to be secure to make use of. If in case you have doubts concerning the situation of your harness, buy a substitute.
Weight
Whether or not you’re carrying it or hauling it in your pack, you’re going to spend so much of time carrying your harness round. Light-weight harnesses are typically related to elevated efficiency.
For entry-level climbers, weight shouldn’t be as necessary as consolation. Nevertheless, for climbers working to push themselves and enhance — particularly within the sport climbing self-discipline — minimal weight is most popular.
Although light-weight harnesses work nice for sport climbing and mountaineering, different disciplines name for one thing a bit of heavier. Massive wall harnesses with their quite a few gear loops and maximal consolation are rightfully heavy.
On this listing, we’ve included extremely mild harnesses just like the Wild Nation Mosquito, which weighs 9.2 ounces. On the opposite finish of the spectrum, we additionally advocate the thick and burly Misty Mountain Titan, which weighs a whopping 22.4 ounces.
Worth & Worth
The harnesses in our information vary from $65 to $210 in value. Our favorites fall someplace within the center. Relying on what sort of climbing you love to do, chances are you’ll not must pay high greenback for a climbing harness. Whereas consolation and options get a bit of higher as you pay extra, security is constant all through the worth tiers.
Funds
The Edelrid Moe ($65) is the least costly harness in our lineup. It has all the essential options you want for a day on the crag or perhaps a lengthy multi-pitch. Value financial savings come from the normal swami-style waist belt, that’s basically a chunk of webbing for security hooked up to some padding for consolation. Costlier fashions distribute stress extra evenly and are extra comfy.
Mid Tier
Most climbers (and professional climbers) are rocking a reasonably priced harness, with $80 being the candy spot. The Petzl Sama ($80), the Black Diamond Zone ($99), and Black Diamond Resolution ($80) are all glorious decisions. They sport the complete allotment of substances loops, rear loops for a tagline, plus waistbelts and leg loops that distribute weight extra evenly than primary webbing with padding.
Premium
Paying high greenback gained’t essentially make your harness extra comfy or any safer, but it surely does get you some premium options. The Misty Mountain Titan ($210) is closely padded and has 5 gear loops. It’s geared towards large wall climbing. Misty Mountain is a small firm out of North Carolina that has produced high quality climbing mushy items like harnesses and webbing for many years and affords some fairly distinctive, customized options in the event you order by means of their web site.
The Black Diamond Lengthy Haul ($140) can be designed with the large stone in thoughts, has a whopping six gear loops, and is constructed from a extra abrasion-resistant materials. Each are nice choices however overkill except you spend lots of time help climbing or creating new sport routes. Lastly, the Arc’teryx Skaha ($180) has 4 massive gear loops, an important load distribution system, and is tremendous light-weight and packable. It’s a great harness for folk who prefer to free climb and need to preserve the burden down on lengthy approaches, however the weight financial savings will value you.
A very good harness can final for a few years, but it surely’s necessary to look at its situation repeatedly; (photograph/Chris Carter)
Males’s and Girls’s Harnesses
Whereas some harnesses are designed particularly for males or girls, many types available on the market will not be labeled as such. On this listing, the Petzl Sama and Selena are examples of two harnesses basically the identical by way of supplies and options, however every caters to a selected gender.
In comparison with males’s harnesses, girls’s types usually have an extended rise between the waist loop and leg loops in addition to different minor variations. On this listing, there are additionally a number of harness choices that aren’t gender-specific, together with the Wild Nation Mosquito.
Regularly Requested Questions
The very best climbing harness is the one which fits your present and future wants as a climber. Should you’re simply beginning out, search for a harness that matches nicely and feels comfy, as consolation is the highest precedence for learners.
There are numerous forms of climbing and lots of sorts of climbers. Selecting the proper harness could require some persistence and trial and error.
Like all load-bearing climbing gear, harnesses are rated and licensed to carry a sure power, measured in kilonewtons (kN). To make an extended rationalization about forces and supplies brief, climbing harnesses are loads sturdy to deal with numerous climbing situations, together with falls.
All climbers must be conscious solely sure components of the harness are licensed. In climbing techniques, we depend on the energy of the belay loop, tie-in factors, and waist loop. Some harnesses, just like the Metolius Protected Tech, additionally embody rated haul loops and equipment loops.
A worn-out harness can lose its energy, and it’s necessary to routinely examine your harness and different climbing gear for indicators of wear and tear.
Relying on the sort and frequency of use, climbing harnesses can final anyplace from a number of months to a number of years. Usually, harnesses with extra sturdy supplies and a bulkier construct will last more than ultralight and low-profile choices, although many elements make it troublesome to foretell the lifespan of a climbing harness.
We think about the entire harnesses on this listing to supply an applicable quantity of consolation for his or her supposed utility. With that stated, most climbing harnesses will not be as comfy as a pair of sweatpants — it’s normally a aid to take away your harness on the finish of a climbing session.
On this listing, some harnesses, together with the Misty Mountain Titan, are constructed for consolation and provide extra assist whereas hanging or belaying. Different choices, just like the ultralight Wild Nation Mosquito, are much less padded and shortly turn out to be uncomfortable whereas sitting or hanging.
We examined and reviewed the most effective climbing harnesses for ladies, together with high picks from Black Diamond, Petzl, Metolius, and extra.
Apart from the ice climbers, mountaineers, and Charles Albert, each climber wants a pair of dependable climbing sneakers.
