Climbing Harness Review & Comparison (& How To Choose A New Harness)
/WRITTEN by CHRIS & ANNE ENSOLL
Disclaimer: we don’t have any affiliate links with Petzl, Arc’teryx or Blue Ice, and we don’t benefit financially from this blog post.
As a professional mountaineer, climbing harnesses are an essential part of my kit. Over the years I have had many different harnesses, and I currently have three that I use all the time. All of them have come a long way since the Whillans sit harness that I had when I started climbing as a teenager.
At Swanage in 1979
So what do I look for when I’m buying a new harness?
When choosing a new harness, you’ll always have to compromise somewhere, as you’re very unlikely to find a harness that ticks all the boxes 100%.
What is the harness designed for?
Think about what you will use the harness for most of the time. If you’ll be sport climbing or at the wall, you won’t need many gear loops for a rack, and you won’t be hanging in it much. If you will be ski mountaineering, you’ll be moving about most of the time, so you’ll need something that is lightweight and comfortable to walk in, but gear loops will be unimportant.
Design & comfort
The perfect harness will be so comfortable that you’ll forget you’re wearing it. Adjustable leg loops can make a big difference if you’re not a ‘standard’ shape. Some adjustability in the waist band and leg loops is also really important if you’re going to be using the harness in different seasons when you will need different amounts of clothing. Most brands now have harnessess specificially for women. Always try on a harness before you buy it to make sure it’s a good fit for your body shape. A wide waist belt and leg loops will always be more comfortable for hanging in than a minimalist harness.
Weight
Weight will be a factor if you’re going to be wearing the harness for a long time, eg on day-long multi-pitch routes, or when ski mountaineering.
Safety
Always look for the UIAA safety symbol, and never buy a harness that doesn’t have it. If you’re interested in the science behind the testing processes, read this UIAA info.
So what am I currently using?
Blue Ice Choucas
See it on the Blue Ice website
I bought this as a replacement for my trusty Black Diamond Alpine Bod which I used for many years, and I’ve been very happy with it.
Cost: around £52
Weight: 148g
Designed for: ski touring/mountaineering. I use it for easy winter climbing and mountaineering as well as skiing.
Design & comfort: very basic, quite like the old Whillans sit harness. It is easy to put on even when using skis, and it has a great system for storing ice screws for glacial skiing. It is very comfortable - I don’t notice I’m wearing it when climbing or skiing, and it’s not too bad if I have to abseil in it.
I couldn’t find a photo of me using the Choucas, but this is what I would use it for.
Petzl Hirundos
Cost: around £75
Weight: 300g
Designed for: sport and trad rock climbing. I use it for sport climbing and at the climbing wall.
Design & comfort: It’s not as good as the first version of the Hirundos, but it has a good racking system, and I like the bright colour (but it does show the dirt). It’s quite comfortable, but not as comfortable as the Arc’teryx AR-395 (see below) to hang in, and it doesn’t move with you quite as well.
Belaying Esther Foster climbing Dreaming of Red Rocks at St Bees, Cumbria
Arc’teryx AR-395a
See it on the Arc’teryx website
This is a great all-round harness, and it is my go-to climbing harness.
Cost: around £125
Weight: 300g
Designed for: all types of climbing, including sport and trad climbing, Alpine mountaineering, mixed and ice winter climbing. I use it for everything apart from ski touring.
Design & comfort: The comfort is excellent - it has a wide waist belt and leg loops. I don’t notice it at all when I’m climbing, and it’s very comfortable to hang in, plus it has lots of gear loops.
Working in the Lake District in winter
What’s your favourite climbing harness?
Let us know what your favourite harness is, and why, in the comments below. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
