The last thing we want to be doing as a climber is question the safety and quality of our harness as we set off up a route. In a previous article, we discussed some of the best climbing shoes and climbing pants for women. Today, we are going to focus primarily on the best women’s climbing harnesses in the market catered to a lady’s build as well as performance while climbing. From proportion fit to comfort to material and design, let us introduce to you some of these best women climbing harnesses.
What are the Best Trad Climbing Harness?
Below you’ll find the list of the top 5 Best Trad Climbing Harness. We compiled this list from trad climbing harnesses we have used, asked others about, and researched further to give you the best possible roundup. With many years of experience with climbing harnesses for trad climbing you can be assured that this article will give you what you’re looking for.
We also wrote a buying guide and answered some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) at the end of this article.
1. PETZL Sitta Climbing Harness
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Number of Gear Loops: 4 Adjustable leg loops: Non-Adjustable Weight of Harness: 0.7 lbs |
The PETZL Sitta has been carefully designed for maximum comfort, even while under heavy load-bearing strain. The waist belt has been carefully padded to both ensure comfort and to reduce pressure points and abbrasive seams. There are plenty of gear loops for storing enough gear for long trad and multipitch routes, although some trad climbers may find the inability to adjust the straps around their legs a minor comfort inconvenience. The harness has also been designed to distribute weight as evenly as possible through spectra strands on the leg loops and through the waistbelt.
Pros
- Comfortably padded for extended use.
- Fully adjustable wasit band.
- No through stitching to minimalise chaffing and pressure points
- Plenty of gear loops
- Made with BlueSign certified materials
Cons
- Leg bands are not adjustable
- Slightly heavier than other harnesses of a similar standard
2. Black Diamond Mens Solution Guide Climbing Harness
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Number of Gear Loops: 4 Adjustable leg loops: Non-Adjustable Weight of Harness: 0.86 lbs |
The Black Diamond Solution has been engineered to reduce all unnecessary features to minimalise weight while still providing enough to cope with trad climbing or multi-pitch routes which require a fair amount of gear. The gear loops are pressure molded to ensure that they retain a shape that allows quick and easy attachment and removal of gear and their duraility. The front loop is intuitively differently colored to help easily distinguish it from the rest of the harness. The leg loops are generously padded to maximise comfort, even when using for a long period of time.
Pros
- Extremely durable construction.
- Enough reinforced gear loops for trad climbing and long multi-pitch routes.
- Comfortable and light enough to be worn all day without problems.
Cons
- Towards the heavier end of the products on this list.
- Leg loops are fixed and cannot be adjusted
3. Metolius Women’s Safe Tech Deluxe SB Harness
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| Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Number of Gear Loops: 4 Adjustable leg loops: Adjustable Weight of Harness: 1.12 lbs |
The Metolius Safe Harness has been designed to cover every conceivably realistic misuse of the product, and to protect the climber regardless, while maintaining the ability for climbers to execute maximum mobility. It is hard on the outside but soft on the inside, and the wide design has been implemented to maximise comfort and provide excellent support. The harness may be a little counter intuituive to use, but it is unbeatable froim a safety perspective.
Pros
- Fully adjustable on the legs and wait.
- Very wide and well padded design for comfort.
- Excellent support on the lower back
Cons
- Double central loop can get confusing,
- Inconsistent gear loops can also be unintuitive
4. Mammut Men Ophir 3 Slide individuell
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Number of Gear Loops: 4 Adjustable leg loops: Adjustable Weight of Harness: 0.82 lbs |
The Mammut Ophir is another example of an all-around capable harness from a reputable name in the climbing community. While a little bulkier than other efforts, the modestly priced and lightweight harness provides everything you need from a harness for a long multi-pitch or trad climbing route. There is adequete space to store all of your gear, it is fully adjustable through three traditional buckles, and the breathable material helps to reduce sweat buildup for those long exposed granite slabs.
Pros
- Surprisingly breathable for a harness.
- Fully adjustable legs.
- Four wide gear loops.
- Synthetic abrasion protection on the tie-in loop
Cons
- Monochromatic design makes it hard to distinguish features easily. Relatively bulky in comparison to other products on this list
5. Black Diamond Mens Technician Harness
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| Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Number of Gear Loops: 4 Adjustable leg loops: Adjustable Weight of Harness: 0.84 lbs |
The Black Diamond Technician Harness is a fantastic addition to the list. Manufactured with a plethora of storage options for a wide array of gear, including specialised ports for ice climbing equipment, the lightweight and sleek harness both excels in safety and performance for even the most flexible of climbers. It is fully adjustable through specially designed speed-buckles on the legs, and the quick-drying, well fitted waist is comfortable to climb hard in all day long.
Pros
- Complete with four ice clipper slots.
- Lightweight, sleek design.
- Fully adjustable legs.
- Four wide, pressure-molded gear loops
Cons
- A little expensive for those who are trying to budget.
- Extra loop on the back may get in the way
Verdict
Based on all of our experience with climbing harnesses for trad climbing, we found that PETZL Sitta Climbing Harness is the best trad climbing harness available today.
Our Premium Option is PETZL Sitta Climbing Harness with all the best features and high-quality materials, but that’s only if you have more money to spend.
However, if you are on a slightly tighter budget, you can also consider the Mammut Men Ophir 3 Slide individuell as an affordable alternative.
Our other reviews you may find useful in your research:
What You Should Know Before Buying trad climbing harnesses
Trad climbing vs sport climbing whats the difference
The main difference between sports climbing and trad climbing is the placing of protective equipment. On a sports route, you can expect to find secure bolts every couple of meters, into which you can place quick-draws and then follow with the rope. In trad climbing, these bolts are few and far between, if they exist at all, and climbers are expected to place their own protective gear, such as cams and slings, to ensure that they survive the climb.
Trad Climbing Gear Loops
As a result of requiring extra protective gear, the harness that you use for trad climbing should have generous options for storing equipment on. You should search for a climbing harness with multiple large gear loops to ensure that all of your cams, nuts, bolts, monkey fists, slings, and whatever else. These should be somewhere on the harness that, when climbing, your equipment should hang to your side or behind you and not hinder your performance.
Weight of Harness for Trad
The weight of your harness for trad climbing largely depends on the route that you intend to tackle. If the climnb is well documented, you should be able to meticulously plan what equipment you need on your rack and to tactifully reduce it as much as possible while still having enough to ensure your safety. If you are unsure, always take a few extra pieces of equipment, as a heavy rack is better than death.
Importance of Leg Loops Fit for Trad Climbing
Well fitting leg loops will help to evenly distribute the force created by a fall around your entire harness, which reduces pressure on pressure points and helps the harness to live longer and you to fall or absorb a partners fall more comfortably. Furthermore, well fitted leg loops will help you to stay safely upright when you weight the rope during the fall, although the presence of any leg loop should do this sufficiently. It also makes the harness more comfortable for longer periods of climbing.
Comfort and Pricing of Trad Harnesses
Trad harnesses, much like any other harness, are constructed with comfort in mind. As you are going to be wearing it for long periods of time, specialised trad harnesses come with extra thick padding, a lack of prominent seams that can cause discomfort, multiple adjustment points, and a wide design to maximise your comfort. You can usually find a specialised trad climbing harness in the range of 60$ to 140$ if purchasing online. This may be a little higher if buying in store, however, it allows you to try it on before you buy it.
Questions and Answers About trad climbing harnesses
What gear do you need for trad climbing?
As well as a harness, climbing shoes, quick draws, and a rope, you should also bring any additional safety equipment that the route requires. This can include slings, cams, nuts, monkey fists, and extra clips and carabiners.
Do you need quickdraws for trad climbing?
Most trad routes have at least one solid bolt, which can be loaded with a quick draw. They can also be very helpful for creating protection using slings. Ultimately, it depends on the route, and what protection already exists, what regulations are in place, and what protection is required of you to safely climb.
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