Climbing on ropes, you’re bound to spend a lot of time in your harness. So, it’s important to get it right and find an option well-suited for your needs. Use this guide to better understand the various types of rock climbing harnesses and to assist you in finding the best rock climbing harness for your next adventure. Recommendations are unbiased, based on personal experience and community reputation. Further, buying links are affiliate links—purchases made from them support our daily content.

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About rock climbing harnesses

All roped rock climbing and rappelling requires a harness, which includes gear loops, a belay loop, leg loops, and hard points for tying into. Depending on whether you’re an all-around climber, or focused specifically on the disciplines of sport or trad climbing, a different harness will suit your needs best.

Lightweight harnesses often have less cushion and are better suited for 1 or 2-pitch sport climbs, whereas heavier harnesses generally have more padding that makes them the ideal choice for all-day epics where you may be on the wall for hours on end. Below we’ve listed our top picks for all-around, lightweight/performance, and comfort harnesses.


Best rock climbing harnesses for men (scroll down for women’s)

Best all-around: Black Diamond Momentum Speed Adjust

best all around rock climbing harness black diamond momentum speed adjust

Choosing a harness can be hard, especially if you’re a beginner or all-around climber. If that sounds like you, the Momentum Harness by Black Diamond won’t disappoint. This comfortable and versatile harness provides you with four gear loops for ample space to carry your draws or cams, a haul loop, as well as a comfortable waist belt that’ll keep you feeling limber even after a whole day on the rocks.

The trakFit adjustable leg loops make tightening and loosening your harness easy. And for an added bonus in safety, the Momentum’s Speed Adjust waistbelt buckle helps to provide quicker adjustments and offers added safety over waist belts that are not pre-threaded.

Bottom line: get the Momentum if you want an excellent all-around harness at an affordable price.

Best lightweight and performance: Petzl HirundosBest lightweight and performance rock climbing harness Petzl Hirundos

If you’re on the hunt for a performance harness that’ll keep you protected without weighing you down, then we highly recommend the Petzl Hirundos. With its skinny Fuseframe Technology design, this slim, lightweight harness serves sport and alpine climbers best. Its thermo-formed foam optimizes weight distribution to avoid the formation of pressure points, and its DoubleBack HD buckle system makes it easy and quick to adjust.

The Hirundos also features ultra-flexible leg loops, four equipment loops, and two tool holder slots to give you plenty of space to hang your ‘draws and gear. Delivering an extensive range of motion, ultralight design, quick-drying material, and ease in waistbelt adjustment, the Hirundos serves as the ideal performance harness.

Bottom line: get the Hirundos if you’re looking sport climbing harness for your hardest send.

Best trad and all-day comfort: Black Diamond Big Gun

Best rock climbing harness for all day comfort: Black Diamond Big Gun

Made specifically for long, multi-pitch days and big walls, Black Diamond’s Big Gun will deliver much-appreciated comfort when you’re most in need. Featuring seven color-coded gear loops, this harness will help you stay organized even when carrying your heaviest load.

One Backcountry.com review expresses:

Sometimes I feel like I’m sitting in a Lazy Boy and forget that I’m at a hanging belay.

Two color-coded belay loops and a full-strength haul loop further round out the full set of features offered by the Big Gun.

Bottom line: get the Big Gun if you’re trad and/or aid climbing and expect long days out on the rocks.

Best rock climbing harnesses for women

Best all-around: Black Diamond Solution Women’s

Best all around women's rock climbing harness black diamonds solution

The latest in the Black Diamond sport harness collection, the Solution is ideal for all-around sport climbing, whether at the gym or crag. With Fusion Comfort Technology, this harness is designed for all-day wear either on your project or belay. It’s so comfortable, it’s the Athlete Pick of the lineup.

Features include:

  • Four gear loops for draws or cams
  • Lightweight and packable design
  • Tailored women’s fit
  • Full-strength haul loop
  • Speed Adjust waist belt, with easy to adjust and safe auto-double backing buckles
  • EVA inner foam provides comfort and cushioning
  • Primary fabric is bluesign-certified non-toxic and eco-friendly
  • A very affordable price

Bottom line: Get the Solution if you’re new to the sport or simply want a comfortable and lightweight all-around harness without breaking the bank.

Best lightweight and performance: Petzl Selena

Best women's lightweight rock climbing harness Petzl Selena

Above all, Petzl knows how to make top-performing products specifically for sport climbers. The Selena, a sport harness designed for women, fulfills the company’s reputation: it combines a light weight and streamlined profile to deliver a simple harness for your hardest sends.

Constructed with Endoframe Technology, weight is evenly distributed throughout the harness to avoid pressure points. Elastic leg loops offer freedom of movement without the bulk of additional buckles, and the Selena’s DoubleBack waist loop offers quick speedy adjustments.

Bottom line: get the Selana if you’re seeking a top-performing sport climbing harness.

Best trad and all-day comfort: Misty Mountain Cadillac Women’s

Best women's all-day comfort rock climbing harness Misty Mountain Cadillac

When you plan to spend a full day (or more) in your harness, comfort and durability serve as the most sought after features. That’s why Misty Mountain’s Cadillac harness stands as our choice for trad climbing and all-day comfort. This harness provides a lush layer of padding and abrasion resistant material that make it superb for all of the body jamming and hanging belays you might encounter in your days.

Featuring six symmetrical gear loops and a bi-layer waist belt, you’ll be able to stay organized and comfortable, regardless of your rack’s weight. A nylon haul loop and ice clipper loops round out the features to ensure you’re prepared for any climbing endeavor.

Bottom line: get Misty Mountain’s Cadillac harness for trad climbing and all-day adventures.


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