Climbing harnesses have come a long way from tying the rope directly around the waist and praying that you don’t take a rib breaker free hanging leader fall past an overhang. Even the cheapest harness on the market will give Cadillac comfort compared to the good old (bad old) days. Nevertheless, you want a harness that is as safe, comfortable and durable as you can get for your dollars.
An important part of choosing a climbing harness is narrowing down many of the possibilities that a harness offers so that the end product gets the job done for your body type, the kind of climbing you do most and your budget. Things to keep in mind You’ll want a climbing harness that distributes weight well over all surfaces. Padding should have no friction points or places where there is a concentration of pressure, and should be of an abrasion resistant type of material. Consider weather conditions If you only climb in fair weather and your weight doesn’t fluctuate, getting a perfect fit for exactly the clothing that you climb in is just fine. But if you climb in mid summer as well as in cold conditions, consider getting a roomier harness or one with adjustable leg loops. In any case, avoid getting a climbing harness that is either tight or sagging. You should size your harness so that variations in weight or clothing will not require purchasing another. Climbing harnesses are purchased with designs for competition, sport climbing, general purpose / crag climbing, alpinism and big wall climbing. Harnesses designed for each of these styles will have the potential to overlap to others. At the far ends of the spectrum; competition and big walls, overlapping to the other extreme would likely end up in a negative outcome. An ultra lightweight competition harness would be extremely painful in a hanging belay and wouldn’t have the gear carrying capacity to handle the job. On the other hand a big wall harness is heavier and might inhibit the freedom of movement needed for high stepping and extreme ranges of movement. Unless you are going specifically for climbing a lot of big walls or you are a true high level competition climber, you’ll probably want a general purpose climbing harness that you can do virtually everything in. Harness design features Look for a climbing harness that has at least two gear loops on each side. Most are designed with a belay loop in front and may have convenient accessories like a haul loop, adjustable leg loops, elastic leg loop suspension, reinforced tie-in points for increased durability, droppable seats and more. Each accessory adds both utility and weight, so you need to think about what is really worthwhile, both in regard to body type (like adjustable leg loops) as well as the demands of your favorite climbing area. Materials Seriously consider what materials will be best for you. For example, an alpine harness might be a tempting choice for someone who sees the lightweight, low price and durable materials. Unless you will be using the harness for true alpinism though, consider the fact that an alpine harness will be uncomfortable to hang in for either working a sport climb or a hanging belay. The overall fit is designed for a large volume of clothing and the single layer of raw webbing is prone to sliding around compared to broader spectrum harnesses. An economic choice like an alpine harness is not necessarily a wise choice for another style of climbing. On the other extreme, some really comfortable multi purpose harnesses are not as durable due to softer materials. Wide crack climbing and canyoneering can trash a soft, padded harness in no time. Women’s climbing harnesses: The main features that differentiate women’s climbing harnesses from men’s are: • The shape of the waist belt is designed to fit a woman's waist and lower back. • The rise from the leg loops to the waist belt is increased by lengthening the belay loop. • The waist-to-leg loop-size ratio has been reduced. • Many, but not all are designed to facilitate answering nature’s call without removing the waist belt. • The waist belt on a woman’s climbing harness, because of the different position of the center of gravity, typically goes higher, reducing the likelihood of flipping upside down in a fall relative to a man’s harness. Chest harness Chest harnesses are designed to prevent a climber from flipping upside down in a fall or when a pack is worn. Rappelling with a pack causes an almost constant sense of being pulled over backward. Even though most rappels with a pack are accomplished without a chest harness, if you ever use one, you’ll wonder how you pulled it off without one. Another use for a chest harness is in ascending ropes with Jumars or other types of ascenders. “Jugging” on overhanging rock with a chest harness notably reduces fatigue and can also increase speed in ascending. Harness care Treat a climbing harness as caringly as you would a rope. Besides avoiding stepping on your harness, keep it away from chemicals and baking in the back window of your car. Do your harness a favor. Sit on a towel at the base of the crag instead of directly abrading it on rock while you rest. Tape around the tie in loop to reduce the effect of friction when pulling the rope through. Wash your harness in cool water with mild, non-detergent soap. Always check your harness before you climb for frayed stitching, cuts or other forms of damage. Now that you have the rock climbing harness information you need, you can click below to find the best equipment available. Check reviews of: Arcteryx Men's R320 Harness Black Diamond Momentum SA Petzl Sama Harness Review
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