The Finest Climbing Harnesses for Girls in 2024

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

Relaxation assured, these prime picks from our knowledgeable gear testers will show you how to really feel secure and safe whereas additionally assembly your climbing aims. We’re right here that can assist you discover one of the best 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 workforce of consultants fastidiously thought of match, options, sturdiness, and general 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 closing listing of suggestions represents a whole lot of pitches climbed, dozens of hours of hanging at multi-pitch belay stations, and numerous after-work fitness center periods.

Beneath, we define our favourite climbing harnesses for ladies in quite a lot of distinctive classes. When you want extra assist deciding, try our comparability chart and browse our purchaser’s information for a full rundown of what to contemplate when buying a harness.

Editor’s Notice: We up to date this text on December 8, 2023 to incorporate new perception into our testing course of and in-depth data on climbing harness components and options.

The Finest Girls’s Climbing Harnesses of 2024

The Finest Climbing Harnesses for Girls in 2024

How We Examined Girls’s Harnesses

Miya Tsudome is among the major gear testers of this overview. A seasoned gear reviewer, she makes use of her decade of climbing expertise and background as a climbing information for the Yosemite Mountaineering Faculty that can assist you take advantage of knowledgeable buying selections 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 proper proving floor to strive each harness in the marketplace and separate the wheat from the chaff.

She and the opposite testers on this overview spent weeks assessing the consolation, adjustability, match, weight, and options of all 11 harnesses on this overview that can assist you take advantage of knowledgeable determination on your subsequent climbing harness buy. General, we’re assured these are one of the best climbing harnesses for ladies.

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

All physique varieties are distinctive and have numerous proportions. One climber’s waist could be slim or boxy whereas the identical individual’s quads are built-out or straight. Harnesses don’t are available “one measurement 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 possibly can make sure you discover one that matches your physique sort finest.

As you select a harness, contemplate choosing one which’s absolutely adjustable just like the Black Diamond Momentum, Petzl Luna, or the Metolius Protected Tech for those who plan on climbing in varied climate situations and environments the place it’s possible you’ll need to add or subtract layers.

Adjustable leg loops might help accommodate layers for cold-weather climbing, and likewise will let you dial within the match and really feel of your harness to simply the way in which you prefer it.

Whereas some folks would possibly like comfortable leg loops, others will desire them to be looser round their thighs for consolation and mobility. Once more, that is all a matter of private choice, so attempting before you purchase turns into that rather more essential.

What Makes a Climbing Harness Girls’s-Particular?

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

Males’s fashions are typically geared towards straighter our bodies, and people harnesses will sit nearer to the hips because of this. The important thing to discovering the fitting harness for you is to guage your physique sort. When you have a extra slim, straight torso, a males’s harness would possibly 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 possibly can detach the leg loops and take a squat to make use of the toilet with out having to take off your complete harness. That is particularly good when on a multipitch climb the place taking off your harness shouldn’t be an possibility for security causes.

Girls’s waists are typically narrower than males’s, whereas their thighs are typically bigger. That is one other factor to contemplate when buying a harness, as a result of harnesses with out adjustable leg loops would possibly 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 contemplate before you purchase a brand new harness is what type of climbing you’ll principally take part in. Harnesses fluctuate broadly of their weight and options, making some extra appropriate for sure varieties of climbing than others.

Sport Climbing

In case you are primarily a sport climber, then you will have a lighter, extra minimalist harness, as you solely want sufficient area in your gear loops for fast attracts, and don’t need to be weighed down if you end up going on your laborious redpoint makes an attempt.

The lightest harnesses we examined are the Black Diamond airNET and the Petzl Sitta, that are good decisions 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 effectively.

Trad Climbing

You’ll inevitably be carrying much more gear in your harness when trad climbing versus sport climbing, and due to this fact it’s a good suggestion to get a harness with massive, sturdy gear loops, with 5 loops as a substitute 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 Protected Tech are additionally wonderful decisions 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 Protected Tech has all its parts power rated as much as 10 kN, making it the most secure harness within the lineup and due to this fact nice for large wall trad or assist climbing.

Gymnasium 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 cheaper price level, are comfy, and are well-equipped to remain within the fitness center 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, for those who desire cold-weather or massive mountain pursuits, there are harnesses on the market that could be higher suited to your specialty than others. You desire a harness that’s light-weight and packable, as you’ll already be carrying and sporting extra gear.

You additionally desire a harness that has attachments for ice screws or loops for ice instruments, a very good haul loop for additional gear or a tagline, and a harness that’s versatile sufficient to maneuver effectively along with your physique if you end up sporting cumbersome layers.

The Petzl Sitta is our best choice on this class, because it meets all of the above necessities, plus it’s gentle sufficient to additionally perform as an excellent 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 listing contains these elementary options, irrespective of which climbing self-discipline it’s designed for. Past the necessities, harnesses may additionally have further options similar 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 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 attempting a harness on earlier than buying.

Belay Loop

The belay loop is manufactured from 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 may have thinner belay loops, whereas all-around and trad climbing harnesses may have thicker loops. Many big-wall harnesses, just like the Metolius Protected Tech, embody two belay loops for additional versatility. As a result of your belay loop is a key a part of the climbing system, it is best to verify it repeatedly for put on.

Gear Loops

Each harness will embody not less than two gear loops the place you possibly can conveniently dangle 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 fitness center climbing and single-pitch climbing.

For multipitch climbing, the addition of a fifth gear loop or haul loop is commonly helpful. Huge-wall climbing requires plenty 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 function shouldn’t be crucial for fitness center climbing or single-pitch climbing.

For multipitch or big-wall climbing, search for a haul loop rated to full power so you need to use 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 mountaineering. They’re primarily used to hold ice screws.

Supplies and Development

As of 2024, climbing harnesses have developed into light-weight, comfy, and exceptionally sturdy items of drugs. Nonetheless, as new supplies and expertise come to the forefront, harnesses proceed to enhance. In as we speak’s market, there are two major varieties 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 type of harness its load-bearing means, the froth supplies help 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 listing, the Petzl Selena is a superb foam harness.

Nonetheless, 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 sizzling and sweaty.

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

Break up Webbing Harnesses

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

As an alternative of a single piece of webbing coated by foam, cut up webbing harnesses function a web-like matrix of high-strength supplies. By spreading out the load-bearing supplies, these harnesses are capable of distribute strain extra evenly.

On cut up webbing harnesses, little or no padding is required to create a cushty match. Break 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. Nonetheless, cut up webbing is clearly the way forward for harness expertise, 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 essential that your climbing harness is correctly fitted. In the end, one of the simplest ways to discover a good match is to strive a harness on earlier than buying. Each harness and each individual has a novel 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 comfortable 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 take care of just a little wiggle room in your leg loops, as they will lower off circulation if they’re too tight. Whereas all harnesses embody adjustable waist loops, not all embody adjustable leg loops.

When you plan to climb in alpine situations the place you’ll want to alter 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 lavatory breaks.

Sturdiness

Relying on what sort of climbing you do — and the way typically you do it — a harness can final wherever from a number of 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 assist climbing contain strategies similar to offwidth and chimneying, which require direct contact between your physique and the rock. Most trad and assist harnesses are created 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 essential to recollect lighter supplies do typically include a lower in sturdiness. When you select to purchase a brilliant low-profile mannequin, you must also remember it most likely gained’t final so long as extra sturdy choices.

When to Retire Your Harness

Identical to a climbing rope, a harness needs to be repeatedly inspected for indicators of damage. Pay additional consideration to the weight-bearing parts, together with the tie-in factors, belay loop, waist loop, and leg loops. Look fastidiously for fraying, fuzziness, or any indicators of abrasions. The belay loop or tie-in factors are normally the primary components 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. Usually, we advise conservative selections concerning whether or not a harness remains to be secure to make use of. When you 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 typically related to elevated efficiency.

For entry-level climbers, weight shouldn’t be as essential as consolation. Nonetheless, 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 just a little heavier. Huge wall harnesses with their quite a few gear loops and maximal consolation are rightfully heavy.

On this listing, we’ve included extremely gentle 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 Protected Tech Deluxe, which weighs effectively over a pound.

Value

Climbing harnesses fluctuate considerably in worth, 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 $60.

Mountaineering harnesses are typically on the cheaper facet too, as they’re minimal and don’t boast fancy options or elaborate development. On the costlier finish of the spectrum, top-of-the-line sport climbing harnesses can value effectively over $150.

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