Selecting The Right Climbing Gear: Harness

A climbing harness attaches you to your climbing rope, so it's important that you know what harness you will need for the type of climbing you’ll be doing. Your harness should fit your body shape for comfort and safety. There are three general styles of climbing harnesses: Alpine, Sport, and multi-purpose. Construction varies among these categories to meet your specific needs. Women's and children's harnesses, for example, have special fit characteristics. The following suggestions will help you find the right harness.

Consider Your Climbing Style

You should first decide the type of climbing that you will do the most often. Once you know your climbing style, you can select the right harness for your needs.

Multi-Purpose – Multi-purpose harnesses are known as all-around, crag or sport harnesses. Multi-purpose harnesses are ideal for beginners because they are designed for a number of climbing applications such as top-roping, sport and gym climbing. Most multi-purpose harnesses have padded leg loops and waistbelts for which provides more comfort, especially if you take a fall. Some multi-purpose harnesses have detachable leg loops which will allow you to detach your legs while remaining attached to the rope. Most climbing harnesses have gear loops for carrying your climbing hardware such as carabiners, chalk bag, quickdraws etc. Multi-purpose harnesses will usually have a front loop that allows you to attach a belay/rappel device.

Alpine – Alpine climbing harnesses are made for long mountain trips. These harnesses are pretty basic and usually have minimal padding and very few extras so that they will be light weight with low bulk. Alpine harnesses are made of non-absorbent materials so that they will withstand the rough environment of glacier and alpine climbing. The waistbelt and leg loops on alpine harnesses are very adjustable to make it easier to get in and out of when the harness is not needed. The leg loops are sometimes removable so you can take potty breaks while staying tied into the rope.

Big Wall – Big wall harnesses are for climbers doing multi-pitch, multi-day climbs like in Zion’s National Park or Yosemite Valley. Big wall harnesses will have lots of padding on the waistbelt and leg loops to relieve pressure during hanging belays or aid climbing. Big wall harnesses will also have multiple gear loops that will help put much of the wait on your harness instead of on your shoulder gear sling. They usually have a full-strength haul loop in back for towing a rope or heavy gear bag.

Competition – Competition harnesses are the best choice for climbing competitions like "On Sight Difficulty" or "Speed" events. Competition harnesses have a slim design and narrow webbing to allow a full range of motion. Most competition harnesses will typically have little padding and few, if any extras.

Compare Types of Harnesses

Leg Loop/Waistbelt -- This popular style of harness consists of a padded waist (or "swami") belt and a pair of leg loops joined together in front with a belay loop. The waistbelt buckles in front or off to the side, and the leg loops are usually held up in back of the harness with elastic straps. Leg loop size may either be fixed or adjustable..

Full Body Harness -- Full-body harnesses are designed to keep you safe in a wide range of climbing activities. The harness holds your shoulders as well as your legs, preventing you from slipping out if you rotate upside down during a fall. Since full-body harnesses have a higher tie-in point than seat harnesses, they reduce the chance of flipping over backward in the first place. Full body harnesses are often used in climbing safety courses to ensure the safety of beginners while they are learning to climb.

Chest Harness -- Chest harnesses are typically worn only on climbs where you could likely turn upside-down. Falling into a crevasse during a glacier climb or rappelling with a heavy pack are examples of such situations. The chest harness is made to be used in conjunction with a sit harness. The resulting combination is the same as the full-body harness, but with the versatility of adding or removing the chest portion, as needed.

Test Fit Your Harness

Finding a harness that fits you well is essential. If the harness is too tight it will restrict your movement. If your climbing harness is too loose, it will slip, chafe and, in an inverted fall, maybe even let go of you. Just like clothing, different harness brands fit different body shapes better than others. Be sure to find one that works well for you.

Whenever you test-fit a harness, make sure you're wearing the kinds of clothes you're likely to be climbing in. If you plan on carrying a pack with you as you climb, wear it as well so you can make sure it doesn't cause any discomfort when worn with the harness.

The Waistbelt -- Your harness waistbelt should be snug, but not too tight that it is uncomfortable. It should ride just above your hips, but it shouldn't restrict your breathing. You should not be able to pull the harness down over your hips, no matter how hard you try. Children and narrow-hipped adults -- if you can't get a harness to stay above your hip bones, use a full-body harness until your body shape works with a waistbelt-style harness. Be sure that there is at least 3 inches of webbing extending out of the waistbelt buckle once it has been properly secured and doubled back.

Leg Loops -- Your harness leg loops should also be snug, but not so tight that it causes discomfort. If they are an adjustable design, the webbing straps should be long enough for you to double them back through their buckles with at least 2 inches left over.

You should be especially careful when fitting a seat harness. If you choose one that's too small, it will squeeze your hips and legs, reducing mobility. If you choose one that's too large, the harness may slide up onto your lower ribs, restricting your breathing. You should have between 1 and 3 inches of clearance between the tie-in loops at your waist.

Buckling up and tying-in

Most harnesses use full-strength buckles to join the waistbelt. Read the manufacturer's instructions carefully and learn how to use your harness and the buckle correctly. If your harness and buckle are not secured properly, you risk injury and possibly even death.

Most harness buckles must be buckled a certain way to be secure. Be sure you follow the recommended procedure every time. In a high risk sport like climbing, you never want to take short cuts. Short cuts and carelessness will put your life at risk. Always double back all webbing straps through your harness buckles. Under the impact force of a fall, webbing straps that are not doubled-back can pull through buckles, causing you to fall out of the harness altogether.

Remember that your harness is only as reliable as the knot you use to tie yourself into it. Make sure you know how to tie into your harness correctly. Read, understand and follow the manufacturer's instructions that come with the harness. Be careful -- different styles have different tie-in procedures. It is your responsibility to know how to use your harness correctly, along with all of your other climbing gear.

Harness Care

Protect your harness from direct sunlight, heat and harsh chemicals like bleach. 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.

Remember that your harness will not last forever. If you climb every weekend, your harness should last a couple of years. The harder you climb and the more often you fall, the weaker your harness will become. Replace your harness whenever it shows signs of wear or damage.