Hang In There: The Best Climbing Harnesses Of 2022

The Petzl Luna is my current favorite harness and so far I’ve owned two of these because it’s an incredibly comfortable harness to hang in for long periods of time. This harness has accompanied me in multi-pitch climbing in Colorado, Washington, California, and Alaska, but works just as well for sport climbing or single pitch trad climbing. One of my favorite features is the five gear loops for all the gear I like to carry on a gear-protected pitch — spoiler alert, it’s a lot. Plus, each gear loop is really well sized to carry everything you need.

The waist and leg loops are both adjustable, which I prefer over fixed leg loops because it allows me to wear different layers and adjust for comfort. It also includes a haul loop in the back and reinforced belay loops centered in the front. The split webbing in the waist belt adds comfort and support especially while hanging.

While this harness is probably overkill for a gym harness, it’s a great option for trad climbers or anyone planning to spend a lot of time hanging in a harness. Truly one of the best rock climbing harnesses out there. The Adjama harness is the men’s version. Read the in-depth review here.

The Black Diamond Technician became one of our editor’s go-to harnesses in 2018 when it impressed her with its impeccable weight distribution, comfort, and lightweight nature. This versatile climbing harness has been her go-to for sport, trad, and multi-pitches up to ten pitches for the last four years. She has owned three of these harnesses thus far. She needs the adjustable leg loops, as her thighs don’t fit the normal ratios seen in non-adjustable leg loop harnesses. The waist belt adjusts quickly and easily as do the leg loops.

While she’s less of an alpine and ice climber, she loves the versatility in this harness, as it sports four ice clipper slots and weighs only 13.3 ounces. The rear loop is also handy for holding your prusik and ATC when it’s time to head down at the end of a long day or even your approach shoes – she’s used it for both and to bring up extra ropes. All in all, this harness does it all, from limestone sport in Texas to slightly damp Oregon mixed climbs, High Sierra trad and multi-pitches in the North Cascades and French Alps.

There’s also a version of the Technician that includes RECCO technology for an added safety feature. The RECCO reflector includes a diode and antenna that is searchable in a rescue scenario.

Petzl’s Corax harness is a great beginner-intermediate option if you’re looking for a quality harness but you’re not sure what you want yet. It’s fully adjustable with two double-backed buckles on either side of the belay loop, which allows you to keep the belay loop centered even if you need to cinch it down tighter in the waist. The leg loops are also adjustable for the perfect fit. The FRAME technology design distributes weight across your hips for a more comfortable fit.

Four gear loops keep everything organized on your harness. The front gear loops are rigid, which makes it easier to clip and unclip climbing gear, while the rear gear loops are flexible and angled to easily access from the front which makes them more comfortable with a backpack on.

This is a good harness for everything from alpine to gym climbing. It’s not the lightest option out there, but if you don’t know what style of climbing you’re going to be doing, this is a pretty safe bet. Plus, it’s an affordable option, leaving you more budget for climbing shoes.

Our premium pick, this harness is about as high-end as you can get. If you know anything about Arc’teryx’s reputation, you’ll know something about this harness. It is made to last with a high-quality build, plus it’s known as the most comfortable harness on the market.

Arc’teryx uses Contoured Warp Strength Technology instead of webbing to create a harness that hugs your body in the right places and doesn’t ride up. For the women’s model, they have given it a longer rise (so it sits above your hips, not on your hip bones), and newly renovated leg loop geometry. It does have a slightly different sizing fit than other Arc’teryx harnesses, so make sure to consult the size guide or try it on in the store as many people have found this harness to fit larger than others.

Designed to be lightweight (12.5oz women’s and 13.1oz men’s), it’s a good all-around option for any rock climber. Lightweight and packable, it’s easy to stuff into a backpack or comfortable enough to wear while hiking. It has reinforced gear loops, ice clipper slots, and a rear haul loop for easy access to everything you need throughout the climb. The fixed leg loops are designed to be comfortable for sports climbing or trad routes.

Built for the most safety-conscious climber, this harness puts safety over all else. It’s a lot heavier than some of the options on this list, but it’s designed to put comfort and safety first. The unique part of this harness is that literally every part of the harness is fully rated to withstand 10kn of force. On most harnesses, only the belay loops and tie-in points are fully rated to hold force. This means that if you needed to you could clip in to an anchor or gear with any part of the harness (leg risers, gear and haul loops, leg loops, belay loops).

As far as comfort goes, this Metolius Safe Tech harness uses foam lined with fleece for a cushy, comfy fit on the waist and leg loops. The waist belt and leg loops are both adjustable with double-passed webbing. You can also adjust the leg risers to give more rise between the legs and waistband which can help if you prefer your harness to sit at your waist instead of your hips. This harness includes four reinforced gear loops, a haul loop, and two belay loops. Having two belay loops can help you reduce clutter on your harness by providing an additional, fully-rated attachment point for a belay device or anchor.

For more must-have products for climbers, check out these reliable climbing helmets.

Get everything you need to head to the gym (or crag) to start rock climbing with this convenient package from Black Diamond. When I started climbing, I bought one of these types of packages and it was the easiest (and cheapest) way to get started. This package comes with a chalk bag, belay device, locking carabiner, and chalk. All you need are some climbing shoes and you’re ready to climb.

This harness is basic but ticks all the necessary boxes for gym and sport climbers. It’s probably not the best option for longer trad routes, but it definitely can do the trick if you’re just getting started. Four separated gear loops are stiff and easy to clip but are not the biggest. If you’re looking for a harness that can hold all your climbing equipment, check out some of the trad climbing harnesses on this list.

The Black Diamond Momentum features adjustable leg loops with Trakfit buckles, a pre-threaded quick adjust waist belt and a haul loop. Plus, Dual Core Construction in the waist belt uses split webbing for more comfort and support while weighting the harness.

Based in the Southeast, Misty Mountain has a bit of a cult following — for a reason. The company makes some of the most comfortable harnesses out there. Designed for long ice and rock climbing routes, this particular harness has 6 reinforced gear loops — enough to carry at least a double rack plus anything else you need to carry up a multi-pitch.

A unique feature of this Misty Mountain Cadilac harness is the fully rated leg loops that allow you to clip your third hand onto your leg loops for security and safety while rappelling. Dual ice clipper slots for ice climbing and a reinforced rear haul loop give you even more gear storage options.

The waist belt and leg loops on this harness are fully adjustable with dual quick-adjust buckles. The two waist buckles allow you to keep your belay loop in the optimal position for your belay device instead of it starting to wander sideways once you tighten the waist. The abrasion-resistant Cordura fabric on the waist and leg loops prevents wear from rubbing against the rough rock in an offwidth or chimney. Overall, one of the most, if not the most comfortable climbing harness out there!

To complete your climbing equipment shopping, check our guide to the best climbing ropes.

Designed to be a good all-around harness, the Black Diamond Solution is a simple, lightweight design that excels at sport and gym climbing. Weighing only 11.6oz for a men’s medium, the Black Diamond Solution is one of the lightest climbing harness models on this list. It has fixed leg loops that are comfortable for many but non-adjustable leg loops don’t work for everyone. The company uses Fusion Comfort Construction for its Black Diamond Solution: three strips of webbing reduce pressure points and distribute the load on the waist and leg loops. The harness is also contoured to give you more comfort and range of motion. The four gear loops are rigid and rectangular, which makes them easy to clip, but they’re not huge, which makes this harness better suited for sport climbing than for trad.

Personally, I think this harness looks really good — it’s sleek and stylish — but it didn’t feel very comfortable for me. That’s not to say that someone who really values the lightweight, sleek style for sport or alpine rock climbing wouldn’t love this harness. The Black Diamond Solution is one of the top climbing harnesses on the market for sport climbers and those who like lightweight climbing gear.