9 Best Climbing Harnesses in 2022 – Ultimate Buying Guide

If you love climbing, then you know how important it is to have the right gear. While free climbing a rock face may look cool, the fact is that you want to be more safe than sorry. That’s why it’s important that you use ropes and harnesses to protect yourself against a fall.

Climbing harnesses come in all shapes and sizes, and it’s imperative that you find one that fits your needs. Some are designed for use in the gym on a rock wall, while others are for the real thing.

We’ll be showing you some of the best climbing harnesses out there, as well as show you the difference between the various styles and what you should look out for to ensure that you’re getting one suited to your needs.

9 Best Climbing Harness - Comparisons

It comes with “warp strength technology,” which means that it should hold up no matter how you twist and turn as you climb. The harness is also double-weaved to make it more rugged and dependable outdoors.

Best of all, the edges of the waist and leg loops are rounder and softer so that they don’t cut into your skin. They also have padding to give you a bit of extra comfort while doing your climb. This harness comes with four reversible gear loops and a rear haul loop for your convenience.

The gear loops on this harness are also remarkable as they are encased in an abrasion-resistant shell so that they won’t tear off or get damaged after repeated use. You get four of them with the front two being slightly larger so that you can accommodate all of your equipment.

Best of all, this harness has fast and easy adjustment buckles that allow you to get in and out quickly. Also, the whole thing weighs less than thirteen ounces, making it an ideal choice for most outings.

The Corax is amazing because of the proprietary UNIVERSO belay system, which is compatible with all ropes. That means that you can use this harness almost anywhere, whether you’re practicing in the gym or scaling your next mountain. Best of all, it includes a carabiner and sliding connection piece for your convenience.

The waist strap is thin and padded for extra comfort, and the sides are rounded, so they don’t dig into your sides. You also get four gear loops and a haul loop in the back.

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The Sama comes with a proprietary EndoFrame system which is built to distribute weight as evenly as possible. It also has high-quality stitching to help reduce rubbing and chafing while climbing. With this harness, you get four gear loops, Dyneema tie-in points to reduce friction on your belay loop, and detachable leg loops for better adjustment.

What’s nice about this harness, though, is that it is designed to work with anyone, regardless of size or gender. It comes with a proprietary rise 3D system to help you adjust and distribute weight evenly, and an ergonomic shape means that you don’t have to worry about pinching or pain.

Overall, if you want something that will feel great as you climb, regardless of the weather, then the Orion is a fantastic choice. In addition to the excellent material, you get four symmetrically placed gear loops and an abrasion protector on the tie-in point for extra strength. Best of all, you can get in and out of this harness quickly and with minimal effort, meaning that it’s perfect for the gym or the mountain.

The Fusion is built with durable and flexible materials that conform to the shape of your body. It also has high-strength buckles to keep you secure as you go, and two gear loops for any extra accessories. Overall, this harness is ideal for bungees and trampolines.

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This system is a full-body harness, with a chest piece and two leg straps to keep you from getting cut in half at the waist. Having a chest harness is ideal because it will distribute the weight more evenly if you fall, and it gives you more pockets and loops in which to put your gear. This harness comes with six pockets and two loops, one of which is designed for your binoculars.

Overall, this is a great piece of safety equipment to have if you spend time in a tree. If you want to take it out climbing, however, we don’t recommend it as it will be too bulky and heavy for that purpose.

What makes this harness unique is that it comes with proprietary Load Spread Technology to distribute your weight more evenly. Because women usually have wider hips, this is important so that you don’t experience pinching or pressure as you climb.

This particular model is ideal for sports climbing or the gym because it doesn’t include a haul loop, but there are four gear loops, so you can use it on the mountain if you want. Best of all, this harness is super lightweight, so it won’t be too bulky.

How to Choose the Best Climbing Harness

As you have seen, there are a lot of different types of harnesses from which you can choose. If you’re still new to climbing, don’t worry, we’ll help you figure out the right one that will both be safe and comfortable.

Style

Before you can choose the best harness for yourself, you first have to understand what kind of climbing you’ll be doing. If you are doing all of your vertical work in the gym in a controlled environment, then you won’t need a harness that has extra gear loops or can withstand extreme weather.

Conversely, you don’t want to try and scale a mountain face with a gym harness either, so let’s look at the difference between these various styles.

Sport

This kind of harness is designed to be as lightweight and maneuverable as possible. There are usually only two gear loops on this model because you don’t need a ton of accessories when doing a quick climb.

Other features of a sports harness include a lighter belay loop, automatic buckles for quick in and out, and minimal leg adjustments. The goal is to keep you secure without requiring a lot of extra weight or customization.

Traditional

These harnesses can be used in a lot of different situations, so they have much more to offer than a sports model.

Typically speaking, these harnesses have extra padding for longer climbs, more gear loops (usually four) to hold more accessories, and adjustable leg straps so that you can fix any problems on the fly. Trad harnesses will also usually have a haul loop to carry a second rope as well. The goal of this harness is to be lightweight and comfortable, while still giving you all of the amenities you need for an intense climb.

Ice

Usually, these harnesses are similar to trad models, although they are meant to withstand colder temperatures. They also have a haul loop, multiple gear loops, and extra padding to stay comfortable as you go. The biggest change between these and trad harnesses is that they come with thicker material and components that won’t freeze up as you climb.

Mountaineering

These models are designed for all-weather climbing and can be used for a wide variety of environments. The goal of a mountaineering (alpine) harness is to be lightweight and comfortable, as well as work with a pack.

One of the more notable features of these units is that they come with fully adjustable leg straps to allow you to take them off if need be (when nature calls). Also, they are usually thinner to allow for more clothing or a pack, and they may have a lighter belay loop or require that you thread your rope through the waist.

Hunting

When talking about climbing harnesses, they are mostly designed to keep you stable as you ascend or descend a rock face. Hunting harnesses, however, are made to protect you in case you fall out of a tree hide. The goal of a hunting harness is to catch you so that you don’t have a hard landing on the ground.

Typically speaking, these models are camouflaged and have a full body design so that if you do fall you won’t get cut in half by the waist belt. These are also heavier and have more accessory pockets so that you can stay organized while in the hide.

One important thing to remember is that a hunting harness is not designed for rock climbing, so don’t use it for that purpose.

Comfort

Once you have determined the right kind of climbing harness for your needs, then it’s imperative that you find one that is the most comfortable. Even if you’re planning to climb for short periods, you don’t want to get something that is tight and unmanageable.

To test the comfort level of a harness, you have to try it on and see how it feels in action. Walking around and climbing are two different things, and they will put pressure on various parts of your body. That means that if it feels comfortable while walking, it could be painful while climbing, and vice versa.

If you’re planning to buy one over the internet, we recommend that you first check it out at a climbing and outdoor store so you can test it first. Ultimately, you don’t want the first time you try it out to be when you’re ready to scale the mountain (or the rock wall)

Size

Although size is an integral part of your overall comfort level, it’s important that you understand that you will need to get one that can fit both your waist and your legs. For some climbers, this could mean that you have to get a size up regarding either section. For example, if your legs are big and burly, then you might have to get a bigger model and then tighten it more around the waist.

Usually, the biggest problem that people have with harnesses is that they don’t fit right in all areas, so this will be something that you have to address when you try out any new models. To prepare yourself ahead of time, measure your waist dimensions as well as the widest part of your leg so that you know exactly how big it has to be.

Also, be sure that you plan for some extra room to accommodate thick clothing if you intend on climbing outdoors.

Final Verdict

Because these harnesses have different styles and purposes, it’s impossible to pick one that is better than the rest. However, we’re going to narrow it down to two different models that will work for the gym or the mountain. With that in mind, our top pick would have to be Edelrid Orion Climbing Harness and Arc'teryx AR-395a harness Men's.

Both of these have the strength and versatility to work both indoors and out. While they don’t have the full capability of a mountaineering harness, they should get the job done well regardless.

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