We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases. Read more about us. Our picks for the best rock climbing harnesses of below highlight a diverse selection of leading models for all disciplines including sport, trad, big wall, alpine, and the gym.
For more background information, see our comparison table and buying advice below the picks. Construction: Split webbing What we like: Super comfortable and slim; premium construction. Their FL held our number one spot for years for its sleek design and lightweight and comfortable build. Just about everything about this harness is picture perfect: the gear loops are big but not obtrusive, the leg loops are contoured to hold your weight comfortably, the rear elastic releases with a hook for quick bathroom breaks, and the haul loop and ice clipper slots add versatility.
Category: All-around Weight: Construction: Foam What we like: One of the least expensive harnesses on the market. With TrakFit leg adjustments for easy customization and a rear haul loop, the Momentum is versatile enough to be used indoors or outdoors, for sport or trad.
Plus, the most recent version shaves more than an ounce off the previous weight, making it lighter than all but a few harnesses here. Construction: Split webbing What we like: Lightweight but with a premium Petzl build.
The Sitta initially was intended to be a superlight alpine climbing and mountaineering harness, but quickly was adopted by high-end sport climbers looking for something light and sleek for sending tough climbs.
Unlike the BD Solution below, the Sitta offers durability and comfort without the weight or bulk of foam padding. See the Petzl Sitta. Construction: Foam and split webbing What we like: Streamlined, comfortable, and affordable.
The harness features a layer of foam and three separate strands of low-profile webbing—termed Fusion Comfort Construction—for a design that moves with your body while providing load distribution and comfort. What are the downsides of this harness? With minimal padding and a streamlined Ice clipper slots and adjustable leg loops keep things functional for four-season use, along with five gear loops for cams, slings, and more.
But the true selling point here is comfort—despite its minimalist intentions, the Alpine Flash manages to remain incredibly supportive and easy to wear. The result is a great all-around harness that can play double duty at the mountains and the crag. Held up against the Petzl Sitta above, the Alpine Flash features adjustable leg loops but clocks in a little over an ounce heavier.
Construction: Foam and split webbing What we like: Great comfort and high-quality construction. For a comfortable, well-made harness at a low cost, the Sama is a great pick. The Sama is a bulkier and heavier harness than the Black Diamond Solution, which ultimately comes down to a matter of preference for most gym and sport climbers. This extra heft does result in greater durability and comfort, making the Sama a great day-in, day-out workhorse.
Construction: Foam What we like: Impressively built, comfortable, and hand-made in the U. The harness is surprisingly supple and allows for freedom of movement better than some of the more padded harnesses on our list the Big Gun below, for example. Construction: Foam What we like: Well-constructed and highly adjustable. It's one of the best-fitting harnesses on our list: one of our favorite features is the ability to cinch it tight and then adjust it so that the belay loop always is down the center of your body.
Additionally, the Jay comes with adjustable leg loops, a feature that many will find necessary. While it would never be our first choice to take to the alpine, we think it makes an honorable cragging rig.
We recently spotted a crew of NOLS National Outdoor Leadership School students at Smith Rock all sporting the Jay—further proof that this is a long-lasting, durable, versatile choice for many climbing disciplines. And in their most recent update, Edelrid chose to build the harness fully from bluesign-certified materials, so you get the added benefit of purchasing a sustainably made product.
Category: Sport Weight: 8. Construction: Split webbing What we like: Remarkable comfort and durability at just 8. Instead of opting for a traditional split webbing construction, Black Diamond turned to their patented airNET technology, which uses a minimalist Dynex net to distribute the load.
The net result is a strong and comfortable harness that clocks in at just 8. But while the Sitta is versatile for everything from sport to alpine climbing, the airNET is a bit more targeted with pared-down gear loops not ideal for a full trad rack and thinner face fabric that provides less abrasion resistance for chimneying or thrutching up wide cracks. Category: Big wall Weight: 1 lb. Construction: Foam What we like: One of the most fully featured aid climbing harnesses.
Clocking in at a whopping 1 pound 7 ounces, it features a wide and generously padded waist belt and contoured leg loops, all of which are adjustable via large, durable buckles. Further, while most harnesses have four gear loops, the Big Gun features seven color-coded loops for racking multiple sets of cams, aiders, draws, carabiners, shoes, water bottles, and more.
You also get two belay loops that accommodate daisies and a fifi hook, and easy-release rear-riser buckles allow you to sleep comfortably with your harness on and leg loops off.
Despite its bulk, the Big Gun hugs the body nicely, breathes well, and offers decent freedom of movement.
See the Black Diamond Big Gun. Construction: Foam and split webbing What we like: Highly versatile, lightweight, and a great value. It checks all the boxes for everything from ice and trad to sport: the foam and split webbing construction is comfortable for most belays, you get a nice array of storage with five gear loops, ice screw clip attachments, and a chalk bag loop, and adjustable legs allow you to layer up or down depending on the conditions. But we do appreciate that the leg loops can be fully opened, making it easy to don the Sendero while wearing crampons or skis Edelrid also offers the similar Sirana, which clocks in at a scant 8.
All told, for the minimalist alpine climber looking to shed weight, the Edelrid Sendero is a great value and well worth a second look. Construction: Foam What we like: An affordable and well-built harness.
The Energy CR-3 features fairly standard padded construction, combined with four gear loops, a haul loop, and releasable rear risers for easy bathroom breaks. Construction: Foam What we like: Safe, durable, and very comfortable. The Metolius Safe Tech Deluxe diverges significantly from our top choices on this list by going heavy. That said, if there was ever such thing as a foolproof harness, this is it.
Just about everything on the Safe Tech is rated to catch a fall of at least 10 kN, even the rope locator strap on the lower tie-in point. No other harness on this list comes anywhere near this level of safety usually only the tie-in points, belay loop, and maybe the haul loop are rated.
The end result is maximum security whether you're sketching out or simply bungling the tie-in job something beginners and expert climbers do alike. Although not as light or low-profile as the other models on this list, the Metolius Safe Tech Deluxe should deliver tons of comfort over its lifespan, and its fleece lining adds a nice dose of suppleness for days at the crag.
Further, the wide waistband and beefy padding provide excellent support for hanging belays and route projecting, making the Metolius a solid choice both for both beginners and climbers of higher skill levels. Category: All-around Weight: 13 oz. Construction: Foam and split webbing What we like: Breathability and comfort at a low price. Meanwhile, it's decently light at just 13 ounces and packs up small enough to be a trusty choice for crags with longer approaches.
While this means more freedom of movement and breathability, it also translates to less hanging comfort. Further, when racked with trad gear, the supple waistbelt tends to buckle a bit under the load. But for its entry-level price, the Ophir is a versatile harness and particularly great for new climbers exploring the range of disciplines.
Construction: Foam and split webbing What we like: Four-season versatility at a low price point. It uses the same foam and split webbing construction as the uber-popular BD Solution, but adds ice clipper slots and adjustable leg loops for extra versatility.
We do find room for improvement with the Technician, however. Most glaringly, the leg loops are too streamlined, resulting in a huge loss of comfort while hanging. Construction: Foam and split webbing What we like: Comfortable and well-ventilated. Despite its full coverage, the harness is also very well-ventilated, thanks to the die-cut holes in the foam and airy mesh overlay that Edelrid dubs its 3D-Vent Technology. It all adds up to a really comfortable harness that performs well during warm-weather ascents.
And the Orion is primed for winter objectives too, with two ice clipper attachment points and adjustable leg loops to accommodate varying layers. One glaring problem with the Orion is that the structural component of the webbing is exposed externally to abrasion almost all other harnesses cover their structural components with thin fabric to protect against wear and tear.
And with a bulky, For a lighter option from Edelrid with the same 3D-Vent Technology but fixed leg loops, see their Cyrus. Category: All-around Weight: 1 lb. Please note that when you are rappelling or belaying, you should never have the carabiner through the tie-in points because it distributes force unevenly through the carabiner making it weaker.
You always want to rappel and belay off of the belay loop. The star of the show! This is the strongest point on the harness and is where you are going to attach anything hard and load bearing carabiners, belay devices, etc. Belay loops have been getting thinner as companies release newer and newer harnesses, but not to fear, the belay loop is always load tested before distribution. Like the waist belt, leg loops are built for comfort and the material contributes to the overall weight of the harness.
Please note that some harnesses have adjustable leg loops while others do not. This may be a huge factor for some people when purchasing a harness but is ultimately a personal preference. Lastly, we have the thin, oftentimes adjustable, elastic straps that control the distance between the leg loops and the waist belt.
Whether or not you want this feature depends entirely on what type of climbing you will be doing. Alpinists and trad climbers may need drop-seat harnesses while sport-climbers may prefer permanent straps because of the fewer number of buckles. What features do you want to look for in your harness? Sport harnesses are light with good mobility. Gear Loops : Fewer the better. Usually, you are going to want to look for gear loops on these harnesses.
Buckles : You definitely want an automatic double-back buckle to get in and out of the harness quickly. Elastic Straps : Less important for sport and gym climbing. This is ultimately personal preference. Gear Loops : The more the merrier! Usually, you are going to want to look for 4 or more gear loops located more forward on the harness for easy access to gear.
Whether on the rock or in the hall, only with the right climbing harness and integrated into a climbing rope, one can venture into the air with a clear conscience. The market today offers a variety of innovative climbing harnesses.
You'll find sit harnesses worn for practically every type of climbing — they are the real all-rounders. Whether for sport climbing, ice climbing, multi-pitch routes, mountaineering, ski-mountaineering or via ferratas. Sit harnesses allow good freedom of movement and a high degree of safety without weighing much.
In addition, sit harnesses have plenty of room for adjustment and up to eight gear loops for all your equipment. Sit harnesses allow you to sit comfortably in them when hanging. They also spread the load to the upper thighs in the event of a fall. So are they suitable for everyone then? Well, not quite. Smaller children and heavier climbers should additionally wear a chest harness or a full-body harness. In both cases, due to the anatomy of their hips, relatively high center of gravity and in certain cases reduced body tension , a sit harness alone would not be recommended.
Chest harnesses are designed to be used in conjunction with a sit harness. Climbers with very skinny hips especially kids and very heavy adults should wear one. In the worst-case scenario, in the event of an upside down fall , a sit harness worn without a chest harness could potentially slip off the wearer.
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