The Finest Climbing Harnesses of 2024

From prime roping within the gymnasium to distant alpine expeditions, harnesses are a vital a part of each climber’s equipment.

The GearJunkie group is made up of all types of climbers, enabling us to precisely check a wide range of gear in accordance with its supposed use. The lead writer of this text is Austin Beck-Doss, a devoted climber who’s presently based mostly within the bolt-clipping haven of Lander, Wyo. Sport climbing is Austin’s main 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 growing new routes and climbing massive partitions. Additionally contributing is senior editor and YOSAR veteran Matt Bento, who has spent a whole bunch of hours hanging in climbing harnesses throughout rescues, on bigwalls, and failed redpoint makes an attempt.

On this record of the perfect climbing harnesses of 2024, we’ve included our favorites from all kinds of classes. From novice climbers to trad masters, our record will embrace an possibility that fits your climbing wants.

Editor’s Notice: 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 facet

Not probably the most breathable

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Reasonably priced

Customizable match

Sturdy

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Nice match

4 pressure-molded gear loops

Good worth

Not probably the most sturdy

Some climbers could favor 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 a giant wall harness, although it falls slightly brief for that software

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Sturdy

Extremely supportive

Adjustable

Heavy

Not perfect at no cost climbing

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Uncomfortable for extended hanging

Minimal gear storage

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Further belay loop is useful in sure multi pitch conditions

Sturdy

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Large gear loops

Light-weight

Packable

Costly

Not as snug as our favourite previous Arc’teryx harness

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Light-weight

Gentle really feel

Very breathable

Tremendous packable

Rear gear loops are slightly smaller than the competitors

Slim-fitting leg loops could not present the perfect match

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Light-weight

Comparatively snug

Breathable

Minimal space for storing on gear loops

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Good worth

Versatile

Sturdy

Lacks specialty options

Not perfect for lengthy hanging belays

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Climbing Harness Comparability Chart

HarnessPriceWeightBest forKey FeaturesPetzl Sama$8014.6 ozSport climbing, top-roping, all-around useHighly padded waist and leg loopsPetzl Selena$8014.8 ozSport climbing, top-roping, all-around useHighly padded waist and leg loops Edelrid Moe$6511.5 ozAll-around climbing (sport, trad, ice, and so forth.)Heart Match expertise (adjustable belay loop positioning), ice clipper slotsBlack Diamond Zone$9910.2 ozSport Climbing, Ice, multi-pitch free climbing “Infinity” belay loop, giant rear loop for additional gear or a taglineWild Nation Mosquito$1109.2 ozRedpointing sport routesLightweight gear loops, breathable waist loopBlack Diamond Lengthy Haul$14014 ozTrad climbingFifth gear loop for additional gear, abrasion-resistant “Super Fabric”Misty Mountain Titan$2101 lb., 8.4 ozBig wall climbing, route developmentSix gear loops, rated haul loop, twin belay loops, detachable leg loopsBlue Ice Choucas Mild$803.1 ozMountaineeringTwo zippered entrance pockets, zippered thigh pocketArc’teryx Skaha$18010 ozSport climbing, multi-pitch trad climbing 4 giant gear loopsEdelrid ACE$13010.7Sport ClimbingFour gear loops, Ice screw holder attachmentMetolius Secure Tech Harness$1301 lb., 2 ozTrad and large wall climbingDual belay loops, weight-bearing belay loopsBlack Diamond Answer$8011 ozAll-around climbing, gymnasium climbing, beginnersFixed leg loops, easy no-frills design

How We Examined the Finest Climbing Harnesses

Our Professional 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 group with virtually 20 years of climbing expertise beneath his belt.

Our Testing Grounds

The easiest way 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 grasp time in these harnesses, grasp dogging on troublesome sport climbs within the Owens River Gorge and Pine Creek and sometimes bolting new routes.

Bench Testing

For strong comparisons, we weigh every harness and think about what they add to our whole climbing equipment, measure the dimensions of the gear loops and rack an assortment of cams and attracts to see how they grasp, how accessible they really feel, and what number of every gear loop can fairly maintain. After just a few months of use, we assess put on and injury and replace our findings on this information if we observe something important. General, climbing harnesses can stand as much as a whole lot of abuse, and when you ought to frequently examine your harness, we’ve been in a position to take pleasure in our favourite harnesses for a few years earlier than retiring them.

For more information, you possibly can try our information to ladies’s particular climbing harnesses. We even have top-notch guides for males’s climbing sneakers, ladies’s climbing sneakers, and a deep dive into the perfect climbing ropes.

Climbing at Smith Rock, Ore., within the Edelrid Ace II; (picture/Austin Beck-Doss)

Purchaser’s Information: How one can Select a Climbing Harness

Earlier than you buy a climbing harness, it’s vital to grasp your wants as a climber.

Completely different harnesses are designed for various climbing purposes. Whereas any harness made by a good producer is constructed to maintain you protected, a rigorously chosen harness will provide way more than fundamental security.

It’s vital to pick out a harness designed for the sort of climbing you intend to do. For instance, closely padded harnesses are nice for assist 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 is probably not vital for ski mountaineering. Our record of suggestions contains numerous forms of harnesses, and our purchaser’s information may also help 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 embrace options that apply broadly to a number of climbing kinds.

For newbie climbers, these harnesses are a snug and inexpensive software that permits for the exploration of various sorts of climbing. On this record, we advocate the Edelrid Moe and the Petzl Sama/Selena as wonderful entry-level choices.

Whereas these fashions aren’t ultralight or full of high-tech options, they’re good for top-roping on the gymnasium, studying to guide exterior, 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 typically bulkier and heavier than most skilled sport climbers favor.

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 stuck leg loops. Additionally, sport climbing harnesses generally characteristic cut up webbing development as an alternative of a single piece of webbing coated in cumbersome foam.

Gear storage just isn’t a serious precedence for sport climbing harnesses, they usually normally include both two or 4 scaled-down gear loops.

Excessive-end sport harnesses needs to be thought-about a specialty piece of substances. They’re nice for redpoint burns and projecting, however we don’t advocate them to climbers in search of 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 snug for hanging belays and have loads of room on the gear loops for racking; (picture/Honey McNaughton)

Trad climbers frequently carry a hefty rack of cams, nuts, and different gear through the gear loops on their harnesses. In comparison with an entry-level or sport climbing harness, trad-specific fashions are likely to have no less than 4 giant 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 needs to 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 desire a mannequin snug sufficient for all-day use. Whereas sitting in a dangling belay, you’ll be glad to have broad and well-padded waist and leg loops.

A rear haul loop is a useful characteristic too. Even in case you don’t use it to haul a load, it may be an excellent place to clip a water bottle or a pair of strategy sneakers. On this record, the trad climbing harnesses we advocate are the Black Diamond Lengthy Haul and the Metolius Secure 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 presents a lot of the identical options as a trad climbing harness. The important thing distinction is that alpine harnesses usually embrace options geared towards glacier journey and ice/blended climbing.

Along with no less than 4 giant gear loops, alpine harnesses normally have ice clipper slots, that are useful for carrying ice screws. When touring within the alpine, you’ll probably expertise extreme temperature fluctuations in a single day. Adjustable leg loops can broaden to accommodate further decrease physique layers when vital.

Most alpine climbers intention to maneuver mild and quick, so many harnesses on this class are streamlined and packable. On our record, the perfect alpine harness is the Blue Ice Choucas.

Large-Wall Climbing

Large-wall climbing harnesses are all about consolation, gear storage, and help. For most individuals, massive wall climbing is a sluggish and laborious course of that entails an entire lot of hanging round in a harness.

In comparison with some other kind of harness, the waist and leg loops on a giant wall mannequin are extraordinarily padded and burly. A real massive wall harness has two belay loops, no less than 4 giant gear loops, and a load-bearing haul loop.

Although these beefy harnesses aren’t perfect for different kinds of climbing, they’re a vital merchandise for slogging up the wall in true big-wall model. On this record, we advocate the Misty Mountain Titan for big-wall climbing.

Excessive on El Cap in late October temps rocking the Metolius Secure Tech Harness; (picture/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 a lot of strolling, climbing, and low-angle climbing on snow and ice. For that reason, these harnesses should be snug for strolling in and in addition should be straightforward to placed on and take off.

Detachable leg loops are an excellent characteristic for ski mountaineering particularly. As a result of falling is mostly not a protected possibility in a mountaineering setting, these harnesses are usually not 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 typically cheaper than extra feature-packed kinds. On this record, the mountaineering harness we advocate is the Blue Ice Choucas.

Components of a Climbing Harness

The essential elements of each climbing harness are the waist loop, leg loops, belay loop, and kit loops. Each harness on our record contains these elementary options, regardless of which climbing self-discipline it’s designed for. Past the necessities, harnesses may additionally have further options resembling a haul loop and ice clipper slots.

Sitting in a harness at a dangling belay; (picture/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 will be adjusted utilizing a system of webbing and buckles. Many harnesses include an analogous buckle adjustment system on every leg loop.

Harnesses with mounted leg loops are normally constructed for high-end sport climbing. It’s essential that your waist and leg loops match correctly, and we advocate making an attempt a harness on earlier than buying.

Belay Loop

The belay loop is product of very robust 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 higher climbing system.

Light-weight harnesses for sport climbing or mountaineering can have thinner belay loops, whereas all-around and trad climbing harnesses can have thicker loops. Many big-wall harnesses, just like the Misty Mountain Titan, embrace two belay loops for additional versatility. As a result of your belay loop is a key a part of the climbing system, you must examine it frequently for put on.

Cinching down an all-around harness with a thick belay loop; (picture/Austin Beck-Doss)

Gear Loops

Each harness will embrace no less than two gear loops the place you possibly can conveniently grasp objects 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 gymnasium climbing and single-pitch climbing.

For multipitch climbing, the addition of a fifth gear loop or haul loop is usually helpful. Large wall climbing requires a lot of gear, and lots of big-wall harnesses have greater than 4 gear loops.

Haul Loop

A haul loop is a small attachment level situated in the back of a climbing harness. This characteristic just isn’t vital for gymnasium 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 masses. 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 advanced into light-weight, snug, and exceptionally robust items of substances. Nonetheless, as new supplies and expertise come to the forefront, harnesses proceed to enhance. In as we speak’s market, there are two main forms of harness development: foam and cut up webbing.

This isn’t an ultralight sport climbing-specific harness. Notice the thick belay loop and enormous leg loop buckles; (picture/Austin Beck-Doss)

Foam Harnesses

Foam harnesses are constructed on a single piece of high-strength webbing embedded in layers of soft foam. Whereas the webbing provides this type of harness its load-bearing capability, the froth supplies help and luxury.

A well-constructed foam harness successfully disperses your weight whereas falling or hanging. Foam presents ample padding, and it’s nonetheless the usual for harnesses constructed for consolation, together with most entry-level and big-wall harnesses. On this record, the Petzl Sama and Selena are nice foam harnesses.

Nevertheless, foam and webbing development does have some disadvantages. Foam is an insulator and doesn’t breathe effectively. 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 snug it would develop into. For skilled sport and trad climbers, foam harnesses are not the best choice available on the market.

Cut up Webbing Harnesses

Although foam and webbing harnesses have been the usual for a number of many years, increasingly more climbers are turning to separate webbing harnesses.

As a substitute of a single piece of webbing coated by foam, cut up webbing harnesses characteristic a web-like matrix of high-strength supplies. By spreading out the load-bearing supplies, these harnesses are in a position to distribute stress extra evenly.

On cut up webbing harnesses, little or no padding is required to create a snug match. Cut 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 cut up webbing harnesses are significantly dearer. Nevertheless, cut up webbing is clearly the way forward for harness expertise, and lots of of our favourite harnesses match into this class. The Black Diamond Answer Information is a high-quality cut up webbing harness.

Harness Sizing

All the time double-check that your harness is fitted correctly earlier than leaving the bottom; (picture/ Austin Beck-Doss)

It’s essential that your climbing harness is correctly fitted. Finally, one of the simplest 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 needs to 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 slightly wiggle room in your leg loops, as they’ll reduce off circulation if they’re too tight. Whereas all harnesses embrace adjustable waist loops, not all embrace adjustable leg loops.

When you plan to climb in alpine circumstances 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 toilet breaks.

Sturdiness

Relying on what sort of climbing you do — and the way usually you do it — a harness can final anyplace from just a few 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 will be comparatively skinny.

Trad and assist climbing contain methods resembling offwidth and chimneying, which require direct contact between your physique and the rock. Most trad and assist harnesses are produced from burly supplies. For instance, the Black Diamond Answer Information is constructed with an additional abrasion-resistant outer materials.

Although the ultralight improvements sweeping the climbing market are thrilling, it’s vital to recollect lighter supplies do usually include a lower in sturdiness. When you select to purchase an excellent low-profile mannequin, you also needs to remember it in all probability gained’t final so long as extra sturdy choices.

When to Retire Your Harness

Absorbing the candy aid of a ledge after hanging in a harness for hours on El Cap; (picture/Austin Beck-Doss)

Similar to a climbing rope, a harness needs to be frequently inspected for indicators of wear and tear. Pay additional consideration to the weight-bearing elements, 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 elements of a harness to wear down.

When you’re unsure whether or not your harness must be retired, lookup the producer’s directions for care and upkeep. Typically, we advise conservative selections concerning whether or not a harness continues to be protected to make use of. You probably have doubts in regards to the situation of your harness, buy a alternative.

Weight

Whether or not you’re sporting it or hauling it in your pack, you’re going to spend so much of time carrying your harness round. Light-weight harnesses are usually related to elevated efficiency.

For entry-level climbers, weight just isn’t as vital 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 slightly heavier. Large wall harnesses with their quite a few gear loops and maximal consolation are rightfully heavy.

On this record, 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 worth. Our favorites fall someplace within the center. Relying on what kind of climbing you love to do, you might not have to pay prime greenback for a climbing harness. Whereas consolation and options get slightly higher as you pay extra, security is constant all through the value tiers.

Finances

The Edelrid Moe ($65) is the least costly harness in our lineup. It has all the fundamental 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 snug.

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 Answer ($80) are all wonderful decisions. They sport the total allotment of substances loops, rear loops for a tagline, plus waistbelts and leg loops that distribute weight extra evenly than fundamental webbing with padding.

Premium

Paying prime greenback gained’t essentially make your harness extra snug 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 massive 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 presents some fairly distinctive, customized options in case you order by means of their web site.

The Black Diamond Lengthy Haul ($140) can be designed with the massive 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 a whole lot of time assist climbing or growing new sport routes. Lastly, the Arc’teryx Skaha ($180) has 4 giant gear loops, an excellent load distribution system, and is tremendous light-weight and packable. It’s a superb harness for folk who wish to free climb and wish to preserve the load down on lengthy approaches, however the weight financial savings will price you.

A very good harness can final for a few years, but it surely’s vital to look at its situation frequently; (picture/Chris Carter)

Males’s and Ladies’s Harnesses

Whereas some harnesses are designed particularly for males or ladies, many kinds available on the market are usually not labeled as such. On this record, the Petzl Sama and Selena are examples of two harnesses basically the identical when it comes to supplies and options, however every caters to a particular gender.

In comparison with males’s harnesses, ladies’s kinds usually have an extended rise between the waist loop and leg loops in addition to different minor variations. On this record, there are additionally a number of harness choices that aren’t gender-specific, together with the Wild Nation Mosquito.

Incessantly Requested Questions

The perfect climbing harness is the one which fits your present and future wants as a climber. When you’re simply beginning out, search for a harness that matches effectively and feels snug, as consolation is the highest precedence for freshmen.

There are a lot of forms of climbing and lots of sorts of climbers. Selecting the proper harness could require some endurance and trial and error.

Like all load-bearing climbing gear, harnesses are rated and authorized to carry a sure drive, measured in kilonewtons (kN). To make an extended rationalization about forces and supplies brief, climbing harnesses are loads robust to deal with numerous climbing situations, together with falls.

All climbers needs to be conscious solely sure elements 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 Secure Tech, additionally embrace rated haul loops and kit loops.

A worn-out harness can lose its energy, and it’s vital to routinely examine your harness and different climbing gear for indicators of wear and tear.

Relying on the kind and frequency of use, climbing harnesses can final anyplace from just a few months to a number of years. Typically, harnesses with extra sturdy supplies and a bulkier construct will last more than ultralight and low-profile choices, although many components make it troublesome to foretell the lifespan of a climbing harness.

We think about the entire harnesses on this record to supply an acceptable quantity of consolation for his or her supposed software. With that mentioned, most climbing harnesses are usually not as snug as a pair of sweatpants — it’s normally a aid to take away your harness on the finish of a climbing session.

On this record, some harnesses, together with the Misty Mountain Titan, are constructed for consolation and provide extra help whereas hanging or belaying. Different choices, just like the ultralight Wild Nation Mosquito, are much less padded and rapidly develop into uncomfortable whereas sitting or hanging.