Climbing harness test. Jul 14, 2023 · The Hanging Strength Test.

Climbing harness test Steps for Putting on a Climbing Harness Gearhead® Experts Alli and Dylan put these Petzl, Mammut, and Ocun harnesses to the test on southern Utah’s sand and limestone walls. Safety standards for climbing equipment are created by the UIAA. And I definitely got plenty of compliments. Our team has 10 years of experience in testing helmets. Apr 29, 2020 · The price compared to the function and performance of this harness give it a great value. By far, the most important part of fitting your harness is making sure you get the right size. The Mast Pro harness is one size fits all, but the minimum waist adjustment on the one we tested was about 28 inches. Apr 25, 2024 · Like most climbing harnesses, there are four gear loops on the Cuesta. No complaints there. With its super adjustable waist and legs, combined with its large amount of gear storage potential, we think this harness is pretty great for any rock climbing, whether that means trad cragging, clipping bolts at the gym, or a long free route at Red Rocks. Again, the design of the Momentum is fairly simple, but it has everything you need to get outside to the local sport crag and test out some projects. QC LAB: OLD VS. Sean McNally. The harness has four gear loops—the two forwardmost ones are fortified with a plastic coating and the back two are not. The front two loops are slightly rigid, which makes it easier to rack and pull gear. The text below provides some general information that applies to many harnesses. (A crucial detail when you're especially pumped and need quick access to that black Totem!) The back two gear loops are soft, which is equally important if you plan to climb with a backpack on. Note: Edelrid released an updated version of this harness during our testing May 6, 2025 · Helmets and Harnesses. It has four gear loops in total—well, make that five if you count the rear haul loop. 3 pounds. We've worn these brain buckets in all manners of conditions, from multi-pitch trad to single-pitch sport. Do a more serious harness check after every couple weeks of use. For some, the harness may seem a little overkill; if you are looking for a lightweight minimalist style of harness then the Corax isn’t for you. May 9, 2024 · This harness enables you to test your limits in a variety of climbing environments. Sep 17, 2024 · Conclusion. During busy times there may be a wait for the test and a lead test may not be possible to perform. May 1, 2025 · Tester Matt Samet putting new climbing shoes, ropes, and harnesses to the test. Check with the gym what equipment you need to bring for the certification. But ever since that fall, I have wondered what forces are applied to the harness while falling inverted. The gear. I would definitely advise plenty of trial runs with it at ground level to familiarize yourself with specific adjustments and how to put it on. There is also a neat retainer located in the waistbelt in which you can One of the first skills you need to master once you start climbing is how to belay. Most climbing gyms provide the belaying equipment or offer rental for them. Whether you're climbing steep routes or hanging belays, the AR-395a knows how to keep you snug. Aug 21, 2017 · Currently the only harness (that I’m aware of) that can be put on while wearing skis but still provide regular buckles on the leg loops instead of plastic clips. We identified each feature on each harness and tested them conscientiously while out climbing. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. Value At $100, this harness is in the middle of the value range. Sep 22, 2023 · Compared to vest-type hunting harnesses and rock climbing harnesses, the Hawk Helium Saddle does have more dangling parts. This test is to determine if a harness can handle the weight of a climber’s body as they hang. . Understanding the different parts of a harness, how to measure yourself accurately, and what to look for during the hang test can go a long way in ensuring you make a well-informed choice. Nov 3, 2020 · The Black Diamond Momentum is a great harness for beginners and those looking to get into the sport on a budget. Dec 21, 2021 · Non-Certified gear. Don’t worry if you do not have your own climbing equipment. Sep 13, 2018 · While modern climbing harnesses like the Sitta are starting to look like props from the set of a sci-fi movie, the basic concept hasn’t changed since climbers first moved on from a bowline with the rope to a swami-belt webbing harness. Generally we do not list climbing gear on WeighMyRack that is used as personal protection equipment (aka PPE) not certified by CE and/or the UIAA. In many countries like the US, if you buy safety equipment like a climbing harness and return it, the company has to destroy it, so in the name of sustainability, try to pick the right one before you buy. Apr 4, 2025 · Our team of climbing experts has climbed in 86 different climbing harnesses since we started testing harnesses in 2010. Editor's Note: Our kids' harness review was updated on December 14, 2023 to remove a discontinued harness from our lineup. Sign up with a Climbing membership, now just $2 a month for a limited time, and you get unlimited access to thousands of stories and articles by world-class authors on climbing. GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Apr 4, 2021 · As of this writing the Jay is the second cheapest climbing harness in our test, only slightly more expensive than the Black Diamond Momentum. A wide and thick swami belt and equally large leg loops make this one of the more comfortable free climbing harnesses we've tested. Editor's Note: Our climbing rope review was updated on April 4, 2024, to include direct quotes from our climbing test team. This harness is geared towards anything from gym climbing to trad multipitch and ice climbing, offering maximum comfort and compactness in a lightweight package. Aug 6, 2024 · This harness can be used for all kinds of climbing, making it the most versatile harness on the market. May 17, 2022 · Climbing harnesses can be divided into a few main categories: gym climbing, sport climbing, trad/traditional climbing, mountaineering or alpine. It emphasizes the importance of a well-fitting harness to ensure security during a fall and comfort while climbing. It's a great choice for single pitch cragging or using at the climbing wall due to its comfort and solid offerings of essential features, although it is Aug 7, 2024 · The Best Climbing Harness for Men. I’ve used most of these harnesses for years over my climbing and guiding career, putting them to the test on glaciers, alpine ice, desert crack climbing, overhanging limestone, and alpine granite. That’s great value. At 275 grams, the Petzl Corax is remarkably light. The torso’s dimensions have been made to EN-12277 requirements and can also be used for static as well as dynamic testing of harnesses. Aug 25, 2016 · The harness features a standard four gear loops - as is the European way - which are nice and stiff (Ed. To test these harnesses, I took them climbing. The “4 Slide” part of its name refers to the four sliding buckles that allow for the maximum adjustment, including two on the waist belt. But honestly, in my usual black shorts and black tank, the harness did make for a nice pop of color. Jul 1, 2013 · On the fall listed above, I was climbing overhanging rock so the risk of hitting a ledge was almost non-existent. Customers particularly rave about its comfort. The drop test torso has been designed to test personal protective equipment effectiveness against falls from height. If you want a lightweight harness for rock, alpine, and mixed climbing, this is the harness for you. Feb 20, 2007 · My friend just got a new rock climbing harness and he wanted to test it out. Let our staff at the front desk know that you would like to take an auto belay orientation, top rope, or lead test, as soon as you arrive at the gym. Jul 14, 2023 · The Hanging Strength Test. Like all ski / mountaineering harnesses worth their salt, the Alp Mountain harness can be put on around a pair of skis or crampons. 4 days ago · Most climbing gear has the CE because it is sold in Europe. A complete list of UIAA Standards for mountaineering and climbing equipment can be found on Figure 2 Table for water-repellency test 12 −0. Many climbing outlets and outdoor outlets have a climbing wall or rope that you can test your harness on before purchasing. We made a note of whether a whole double rack plus water, a jacket, and shoes could fit in the gear loops, how easy or hard the gear was to clip or unclip from the loops, whether the haul loop was easy to clip and unclip, how easy the buckles adjusted and stayed locked in place, and many Oct 15, 2018 · Contact with chemicals, heat, or repeated rough use can lead to changes in the soft fabrics. Feb 12, 2024 · The Petzl Corax is a high-end technical harness for professionals that gives climbers total freedom of movement. Let our team of climbing experts help you find the best climbing shoes, top climbing harnesses, and climbing ropes for your needs and budget. NEW GEAR TESTING – Black Diamond Dec 4, 2020 · They are smaller than they used to be, but for sport climbing, there is plenty of room for all of your gear. (Photo: Matt Samet) How We Test Climbing Harnesses. UIAA safety standards are regularly revised and updated by the UIAA Safety Commission to ensure they meet ever-changing nature and demands of the market and climbing and mountaineering world. Unlike other certified climbing gear that is tested with fall tests or complicated swinging devices, UIAA 105 only utilizes static pulls at very high forces. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. Most current climbing harnesses essentially consist of a loop of webbing around the waist that’s connected May 13, 2010 · We did not test any dedicated climbing harnesses, but several less-expensive harnesses from major climbing equipment companies like Petzl and Black Diamond closely resemble the Spinlock harness. If it's on the market, we've most surely gotten our mitts on it. Aug 17, 2021 · Read More: Blue Ice Choucas Light Harness Review. Just like climbing ropes, your harness should be inspected before each climb, looking for obvious fraying. The main downsides are the high price tag and the lack of hanging comfort compared to some other contenders. Climbing rope – supplied by gym; Belay device – sometimes supplied by gym Apr 25, 2024 · The Blue Ice Addax is the perfect harness for fast-and-light alpine climbs where weight savings are key. The belay loops – front and back – enable you to secure yourself to a wide range of objects such as climbing bolts, anchors, trees, rocks, or anything Nov 12, 2019 · Petzl says that it is designed for rock climbing, mountaineering, or via ferrata. Despite the minimalist design, it is impressively durable, which might be surprising considering that ultralight gear often falls apart more quickly than its beefier counterparts. Climbing is a dangerous activity and you undertake it at your own risk. For ice and alpine harnesses, ice clipper slots are also helpful. Last autumn I toured a climbing gear factory and testing facility. There are also some categories worth mentioning that fall in-between: full-body harnesses, caving and canyoneering, and of course industrial-work harnesses. How to Fit and Test a Climbing Harness. First, the Wild Country Mosquito Harness comes in at a mind-blowingly light 220 grams (claimed for size XS). Once you find a harness that fits your body shape and experience level, test it out by putting all of your weight on it for several minutes. *Disclaimer: This does not constitute formal instruction in climbing. Apr 30, 2019 · It's one of the few harnesses on this test to offer only two proper gear loops, and at 340g it's certainly a light harness by most standards, although not one of the lightest in this review. However, they do not create the standards. If possible Hanging in the harness is a great way to see if you have the right fit, the right padding and if you can reach all of the gear you need on the loops. That said, it is possible to find non-certified climbing gear available that is worth comparing. Still, the UIAA logo implies a much higher level of safety testing. Nov 6, 2024 · The Solution ($80) is Black Diamond’s bestselling harness, and for good reason. Dec 14, 2023 · Our team of experts has covered the best climbing harness for men and top-rated women's climbing harnesses, as well as the best climbing rope and belay devices to get the whole family out and up on the wall. The fitting process includes selecting the right harness, putting it on, adjusting the waist belt and leg loops, and testing the fit by hanging in the harness. It does everything the others do, and much more in many cases. ) Color change Jan 16, 2020 · If lead climbing is available at your gym, be sure to ask if you’ll need to know how to catch a lead fall as a part of the belay certification test. Belay certified patrons will receive a belay tag to wear on their harness. The Commission constantly reviews mountaineering and climbing accidents to determine if the standards are at a high enough level. The forces Aug 24, 2021 · The back gear loops are bigger and have less structure. It features nice cushy foam padding on both the waist belt and the leg loops, and the TrakFit adjusters on the leg loops are far and away the easiest to use and adjust on the fly of any harness we have ever tested. To compare, that is lighter than every other high-end lightweight sport Jun 9, 2022 · Sizing a Climbing Harness. In this REI Expert Advice video, we show you how to prepare to belay, per May 9, 2015 · The Black Diamond Aspect is a comfortable, four-season, all-purpose climbing harness designed to tackle everything from tough bolted lines to tricky pin-scarred routes, and even winter ice. Gear loops aren’t included on all climbing harnesses but are a must-have for any outdoor lead harness. Feb 5, 2022 · When you’re ready to shop for a climbing harness, we recommend doing it in person, so you can try on multiple models and sizes. Even as a budget or beginner climbing harness, the Jay II can keep up outdoors and across disciplines. 3 days ago · The best way to test these harnesses and get a picture of the overall user experience is to just go climbing. The mesh waistband and leg loops move freely with the user and are barely noticeable while standing, walking, or climbi Mar 22, 2024 · Related: How Strong Is a 20-Year-Old Climbing Rope? Harness. Feb 6, 2023 · Features. Finding the perfect climbing harness is a mix of art and science, combining technical measurements with personal comfort and style. . As far as climbing gear standards go, the CE certifies products that meet their standards. Sleek, simple, and remarkably comfortable, this harness has some of the widest leg loops of any we tested. com plus a print subscription to Climbing and our annual coffee-table edition of Ascent. Our test results came after dozens of days of field testing on desert towers, limestone sport climbs, long alpine routes, and freezing through cold belay sessions while ice climbing plus hours in the garage hanging in harnesses, trying out buckles and clipping and unclipping gear. If done right the climbing harness is a comfortable, functional and durable piece of equipment that literally provides the center piece for you and your climbing partner’s safety needs. For this review, we purchased 15 of today's top harnesses to test side-by-side, rating them for comfort while hanging, standing, and belaying, and evaluating their features and versatility. Are they worth hangin’ Aug 7, 2024 · The Blue Ice Choucas Pro is a minimalist harness for technical climbing that performs well across the board, easily earning it a spot as our favorite lightweight harness. However, it's important to always follow the manufacturer's instructions for your specific harness model. 3 +0 13 −0. Examples include: micro nuts and ice screws under 12cm. Climbing wall staff will administer the test and ensure that all certified individuals are safe, confident belayers. It's around the same price as the other sit harnesses in the test, many of which have some significant shortcomings, but it is hard to find an area in which this harness suffers or performs poorly. Check for any fraying or tears along all of the webbing straps, waist belt, and leg loops. 2 +0 The European standard for all types of climbing harnesses is EN 12277. Curious about the best climbing harness? Our team has climbed in 46 different models over the past 12 years. Mar 28, 2025 · This article provides a detailed guide on how to properly fit a climbing harness for comfort and safety. This article is free. As a harness, this is one of the heavier ones I tested at 4. Shop kid's harnesses. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. Beck-Doss spent hours in each model while working sport routes at Wild Iris and Sinks Jun 24, 2024 · The author climbed and performed crevasse rescue training in the best climbing harnesses. To take the test, ask a climbing wall staff member at the beginning of your reservation! You should bring a friend to act as your climber. The article Oct 28, 2017 · That said, Chris vows to take a more comfortable harness on future big wall routes, a harness with more padding such as the Petzl Sama. The gear loops can carry a double rack, but, an FYI for ice climbers: The harness does not have built-in ice clipper slots. Feb 12, 2018 · From my experience being tested at various climbing gyms, here’s what you can expect from a belay test. It specifies suitable materials for use in harnesses and defines methods of test and performance criteria. These pulls are conducted using a test dummy with specific size Features. Oct 28, 2021 · I’m not a fan of “Euro-style,” if you know what I mean. If you do not have any, confirm that you can rent them from the gym. Make a fist and see if you can slide it through the waistband - I can do this, so that's not fine? This is not a good test— as a guy with fairly large hands, getting my fist through a harness (at least without contorting my torso) would absolutely mean it’s too big, but a woman with small hands will have a much smaller fist circumference, even proportionate to waist/hip measurements. Jun 18, 2024 · The PETZL Corax harness is a fully adjustable, all seasons harness that is suitable for all climbing activities from indoor climbing to icefall climbing. Here’s a list of the equipment you may need: Climbing rope Mar 15, 2023 · The hang test is the final rite of passage that every climbing harness goes through before purchase. nobody likes a saggy gear loop) and space for ice clippers, making it - alongside the adjustable leg-loops mentioned earlier - suitable for winter and alpine climbing. We recently purchased 15 of today's top harnesses to test side-by-side. Number of testers: 15; Number of products tested: 21; Number of pitches climbed and belayed: 500; Longest single period on the wall: 4 hours Jul 5, 2023 · A gear loop is a small, non-load-bearing loop used to carry climbing gear such as carabiners, quickdraws, cams, nuts, cordelette, and slings. Nov 12, 2019 · The Mammut Ophir 4 Slide harness is a comfortable and heavily featured choice that is versatile for all styles of climbing while also having an affordable price tag. The Sama is $35 less and has many more uses. Like men’s pants, climbing companies generally size harnesses according Be mindful that the top rope belay test must be taken immediately upon entry to the facility. Along the rear of the harness is a small loop made for hanging your climbing bag. (Visit Black Diamond’s Electric Harness Acid Test for a case study about a mysterious harness failure. The main requirement is a strength test designed to simulate the load placed on a harness in the event of a fall. A Black Diamond Stories Apr 4, 2025 · We've accumulated hundreds of days bouldering, hanging off ropes, and even spent rainy days in the gym testing out everything from men's climbing shoes to climbing harnesses, belay devices, and more. No one tests climbing gear as extensively and thoughtfully as we do, and our review ratings make it easy for you to make smarter, more informed, purchase decisions every time. Harnesses can melt, act oddly in extreme cold (avoid temps of -80 F or below), and swell. 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