The Finest Climbing Harnesses for Ladies in 2024

At first look, harnesses could seem easy, however their particular elements make a world of distinction for a climber’s wants and preferences.

Relaxation assured, these prime picks from our skilled gear testers will assist you really feel protected and safe whereas additionally assembly your climbing targets. We’re right here that will help you discover the most effective climbing harness on your particular wants.

Our testers embody an American Mountain Guides Affiliation-certified rock information, an intro-to-outdoor mountaineering information, a former Yosemite Mountain Information, and a talented leisure climber. All instructed, we examined each main women-specific climbing harness in the marketplace.

Whereas testing, our group of consultants rigorously thought-about match, options, sturdiness, and total worth. These harnesses supported our cams, swings, rappels, belays, and rests on a variety of North American rock from Canada to Colorado and throughout California. Our remaining record of suggestions represents a whole bunch of pitches climbed, dozens of hours of hanging at multi-pitch belay stations, and numerous after-work health club periods.

Under, we define our favourite climbing harnesses for girls in quite a lot of distinctive classes. In case you want extra assist deciding, try our comparability chart and skim our purchaser’s information for a full rundown of what to think about when buying a harness.

Editor’s Be aware: Contemporary for the Fall sending season, we gave this information an replace on August 9, 2024. We added two new harnesses to the lineup, together with the Mammut Consolation Quick Regulate for these in search of leg loops that may accommodate chilly climate layering. We additionally cowl the premium Arc’teryx Skaka.

The Finest Ladies’s Climbing Harnesses of 2024

The Finest Climbing Harnesses for Ladies in 2024

Black Diamond Answer $80 11.64 oz. Mounted leg loops, ladies’s particular rise and match Sport, trad, alpine climbing Black Diamond Momentum  $65 10.7 oz. Adjustable leg loops, roomy gear loops, nice value Sport, trad, health club climbing Mammut Consolation Quick Regulate $110  14.1 oz Ladies’s-specific development, ample gear loops, adjustable leg loops all-around climbing Petzl Sitta $200 9 oz. Low whole weight, simply packable, mounted leg loops Ice or sport climbing, mountaineering Edelrid Helia $140 13.9 oz. Detachable snack/telephone storage bag, adjustable leg loops, well-padded and cozy Trad climbing, multipitch climbing Metolius Secure Tech Deluxe $140 1 lb., 4 oz. Excessive power gear and haul loops, large padded hip belt, twin belay loops Trad, multipitch, large wall climbing Arc’teryx Skaha $180  10 oz Light-weight and breathable, inflexible gear loops  sport climbing, alpine climbing Black Diamond Ladies’s airNET Harness $170 8 oz. Load distributing airNET know-how, low weight, small gear loops, mounted leg loops Excessive-end sport climbing Petzl Luna $90 16.6 oz. Adjustable leg loops, plentiful gear capability Sport and health club climbing Mammut Ophir 3 Slide $70 12.3 oz. Adjustable leg loops, versatile gear loops, split-webbing development Sport, trad, ice, and health club climbing Petzl Selena $80 13.8 oz. Mounted leg loops, comfy contoured waist belt Sport climbing, health club climbing Edelrid Autana $90 10.3 oz. Adjustable leg loops, 5 gear loops, ice screw clips, low weight Sport, health club, mountain climbing Edelrid Jayne $70 12.7 oz. Adjustable leg loops, movable waist padding Sport climbing, health club climbing

How We Examined Ladies’s Harnesses

Miya Tsudome is without doubt one of the main gear testers of this assessment. A seasoned gear reviewer, she makes use of her decade of climbing expertise and background as a climbing information for the Yosemite Mountaineering College that will help you take advantage of knowledgeable buying choices on your climbing harness wants.

Dwelling in Bishop, Calif., on the flanks of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Miya spends all of her free time in a harness — whether or not that be sport climbing within the Owens River Gorge, trad climbing in close by Yosemite Valley, or alpine climbing within the Excessive Sierra. Miya has world-class climbing of each stripe at her fingertips — the right proving floor to strive each harness in the marketplace and separate the wheat from the chaff.

She and the opposite testers on this assessment spent weeks assessing the consolation, adjustability, match, weight, and options of all 11 harnesses on this assessment that will help you take advantage of knowledgeable resolution on your subsequent climbing harness buy. Total, we’re assured these are the most effective climbing harnesses for girls.

Purchaser’s Information: The best way to Select a Climbing Harness

All physique varieties are distinctive and have various proportions. One climber’s waist may be slender or boxy whereas the identical individual’s quads are built-out or straight. Harnesses don’t are available “one dimension suits all,” particularly the harnesses with out adjustable leg loops. Subsequently, it’s finest to go to a retailer and check out on quite a lot of harnesses earlier than making your buy, so you may make sure to discover one that matches your physique sort finest.

As you select a harness, contemplate deciding on one which’s absolutely adjustable just like the Black Diamond Momentum, Petzl Luna, or the Metolius Secure Tech in case you plan on climbing in varied climate circumstances and environments the place you could wish to add or subtract layers.

Adjustable leg loops may also help accommodate layers for cold-weather climbing, and likewise can help you dial within the match and really feel of your harness to only the best way you prefer it.

Whereas some folks may like comfortable leg loops, others will favor them to be looser round their thighs for consolation and mobility. Once more, that is all a matter of non-public desire, so attempting before you purchase turns into that rather more necessary.

What Makes a Climbing Harness Ladies’s-Particular?

Fairly often, ladies have uniquely totally different physique shapes than males, which is why many harnesses principally are available each ladies’s and males’s variations. Ladies’s waists are usually narrower than their hips, with an extended rise between their waist and legs.

Males’s fashions are usually geared towards straighter our bodies, and people harnesses will sit nearer to the hips because of this. The important thing to discovering the suitable harness for you is to guage your physique sort. You probably have a extra slender, straight torso, a males’s harness may truly fit your needs higher. In case your physique sort is extra hourglass in form, then a ladies’s harness is designed only for you.

Different options that make a harness extra female-friendly are simply removable leg loops, as discovered within the Petzl Luna, Sitta, and Selena, in addition to the Edelrid Helia, Jayne, and Autana. With a quick-deploy buckle, you may detach the leg loops and take a squat to make use of the toilet with out having to take off your entire harness. That is particularly good when on a multipitch climb the place taking off your harness isn’t an possibility for security causes.

Ladies’s waists are usually narrower than males’s, whereas their thighs are usually bigger. That is one other factor to think about when buying a harness, as a result of harnesses with out adjustable leg loops may match nice within the waist however be too small across the thighs, relying in your physique sort. That is another excuse why it’s finest to strive before you purchase.

Totally different Harnesses for Totally different Types of Climbing

One other factor to think about before you purchase a brand new harness is what model of climbing you’ll principally take part in. Harnesses differ extensively of their weight and options, making some extra appropriate for sure sorts of climbing than others.

Sport Climbing

In case you are primarily a sport climber, then you want a lighter, extra minimalist harness, as you solely want sufficient house in your gear loops for fast attracts, and don’t wish to be weighed down if you find yourself going on your arduous redpoint makes an attempt.

The lightest harnesses we examined are the Black Diamond airNET and the Petzl Sitta, that are good selections for essentially the most critical sport climbers. However the Black Diamond Answer, Petzl Selena, and Edelrid Autana are all nice sport climbing harness choices as properly.

Trad Climbing

You’ll inevitably be carrying much more gear in your harness when trad climbing versus sport climbing, and subsequently it’s a good suggestion to get a harness with large, sturdy gear loops, with 5 loops as an alternative of 4 being preferable, and a harness that’s comfy and supportive.

The Black Diamond Momentum is a superb entry-level trad climbing harness, with its inflexible, plastic-coated gear loops which are sturdy and abrasion-resistant. The Edelrid Helia and the Metolius Secure Tech are additionally glorious selections for the psyched multipitch trad climber, with the Helia having 5 gear loops for final gear racking and a pouch for storing necessities in your waist.

The Secure Tech has all its elements power rated as much as 10 kN, making it the most secure harness within the lineup and subsequently nice for large wall trad or support climbing.

Health club Climbing

If you end up extra of an indoor plastic grabber, a newbie climber, or a prime rope hero, then it’s finest to purchase a harness that’s cheap and simple to make use of. You gained’t want the frills of ice screw attachments, haul loops, or double belay loops. As an alternative, search for a cushty, purposeful harness just like the Black Diamond Momentum, Petzl Luna or Selena, or Edelrid Jayne.

These harnesses come at a lower cost level, are comfy, and are well-equipped to remain within the health club or go to the crag. Till you want a extra specialised harness, any of the above choices will do exactly the trick.

Ice Climbing or Mountaineering

Lastly, in case you favor cold-weather or large mountain pursuits, there are harnesses on the market that may be higher suited to your specialty than others. You need a harness that’s light-weight and packable, as you’ll already be carrying and sporting extra gear.

You additionally need a harness that has attachments for ice screws or loops for ice instruments, haul loop for additional gear or a tagline, and a harness that’s versatile sufficient to maneuver properly together with your physique if you find yourself sporting cumbersome layers.

The Petzl Sitta is our best choice on this class, because it meets all of the above necessities, plus it’s mild sufficient to additionally perform as a fantastic sport climbing harness, justifying its excessive price ticket.

Elements of a Climbing Harness

The fundamental components of each climbing harness are the waist loop, leg loops, belay loop, and kit loops. Each harness on our record consists of these basic options, irrespective of which climbing self-discipline it’s designed for. Past the necessities, harnesses may additionally have extra options equivalent to a haul loop and ice clipper slots.

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 may be adjusted utilizing a system of webbing and buckles. Many harnesses include an identical buckle adjustment system on every leg loop.

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

Belay Loop

The belay loop is product of 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 can have thinner belay loops, whereas all-around and trad climbing harnesses can have thicker loops. Many big-wall harnesses, just like the Metolius Secure Tech, embody two belay loops for additional versatility. As a result of your belay loop is a key a part of the climbing system, you must verify it usually for put on.

Gear Loops

Each harness will embody no less than two gear loops the place you may conveniently cling 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 a lot of gear, and plenty 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 isn’t vital for health club climbing or single-pitch climbing.

For multipitch or big-wall climbing, search for a haul loop rated to full power so you should utilize it to haul heavy hundreds. Whereas actively climbing, a haul loop generally is 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 main sorts of harness development: foam and cut up webbing.

Foam Harnesses

Foam harnesses are constructed on a single piece of high-strength webbing embedded in layers of soft foam. Whereas the webbing offers this sort of harness its load-bearing capability, the froth supplies 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 record, the Petzl Selena is a superb foam harness.

Nevertheless, foam and webbing development does have some disadvantages. Foam is an insulator and doesn’t breathe properly. In heat climate, these harnesses can really feel sizzling and sweaty.

Foam additionally wears out over time, and the extra you climb in it, the much less comfy it should grow to be. For knowledgeable sport and trad climbers, foam harnesses are not the best choice in the marketplace.

Cut up Webbing Harnesses

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

As an alternative 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 strain extra evenly.

On cut up webbing harnesses, little or no padding is required to create a cushty match. Cut up webbing harnesses are inclined to last more than foam choices, and plenty of climbers discover they provide a consolation benefit too.

The tradeoff is cut up webbing harnesses are significantly costlier. Nevertheless, cut up webbing is clearly the way forward for harness know-how, and plenty of of our favourite harnesses match into this class. The Black Diamond airNET is a high-quality cut up webbing harness.

Harness Sizing

It’s crucial that your climbing harness is correctly fitted. In the end, one of the best ways to discover a good match is to strive a harness on earlier than buying. Each harness and each individual has a singular form and dimensions, and the method of figuring out the right match can contain some trial and error.

A correctly fitted harness will really feel comfortable and sit simply above the hips. The harness ought 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 take care of somewhat wiggle room in your leg loops, as they’ll lower off circulation if they’re too tight. Whereas all harnesses embody adjustable waist loops, not all embody adjustable leg loops.

In case you plan to climb in alpine circumstances the place you’ll want to vary your decrease physique layers typically, 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 straightforward rest room breaks.

Sturdiness

Relying on what sort of climbing you do — and the way typically 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 may be comparatively skinny.

Trad and support climbing contain methods equivalent to offwidth and chimneying, which require direct contact between your physique and the rock. Most trad and support harnesses are constructed from burly supplies. For instance, the Black Diamond airNET 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 usually include a lower in sturdiness. In case you select to purchase a brilliant low-profile mannequin, you also needs to remember it in all probability gained’t final so long as extra strong choices.

When to Retire Your Harness

Similar to a climbing rope, a harness ought to be usually 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 often the primary components of a harness to wear down.

In case you’re unsure whether or not your harness must be retired, lookup the producer’s directions for care and upkeep. Usually, we advise conservative choices concerning whether or not a harness remains to be protected to make use of. You probably have doubts concerning the situation of your harness, buy a substitute.

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 isn’t as necessary as consolation. Nevertheless, for climbers working to push themselves and enhance — particularly within the sport climbing self-discipline — minimal weight is most well-liked.

Although light-weight harnesses work nice for sport climbing and mountaineering, different disciplines name for one thing somewhat heavier. Massive 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 Black Diamond airNET, which weighs 9.2 ounces. On the opposite finish of the spectrum, we additionally advocate the thick and burly Metolius Secure Tech Deluxe, which weighs properly over a pound.

Worth

Climbing harnesses differ considerably in value, and it’s a good suggestion to find out your price range as you store round. Usually, entry-level and all-around harnesses are essentially the most reasonably priced, and good choices can be found for round $80-100.

The costliest fashions, just like the Petzl Sitta ($175) and the Arc’teryx Skaha ($180), provide load-distributing know-how and are exceptionally light-weight. If weight and packability are necessary to you and also you don’t wish to compromise consolation or options, these premium harnesses are a sensible choice.

Within the center value vary sits our total favourite harness, the Black Diamond Answer. If you may get match from the Answer, we predict it’s one of the best ways to go. It’s a sturdy, no-frills mannequin with simply clippable pressure-molded gear loops. At $80, it’s additionally a discount. We’ve shimmied up chimneys on El cap and clipped loads of bolts whereas the answer simply retains on keepin’ on.

In case you’re quick on money otherwise you solely sometimes get out climbing, the most effective price range harness we’ve examined is the Black Diamond Momentum ($65). It’s not absolutely the most comfy harness or the lightest, nevertheless it has adjustable leg loops, and it’s definitely not going to cease you from sending your challenge. The excellent news is that each one the harnesses in our information are rated protected whatever the value level.

Often Requested Questions