The Best Climbing Harnesses: Staff Picks

The Momentum is Black Diamond's workhorse harness and a staple at most gyms and crags, for good reason. To describe this harness as basic undersells it. Beefy yet lighter than some high-end harnesses, the Momentum has everything most climbers need, at an approachable price. Arden O'Neil, a retail sales specialist at REI store in Gainesville, Florida, who has been climbing in a Momentum for three years, praised the harness's versatility. "This harness is made to accommodate a wide array of body types and proportions. That adjustability also allows a climber to add extra layers of clothing as they transition into climbing outside in colder environments, while avoiding the need to size up."

The waistbelt and adjustable leg loops are well padded for hangdogging days, and the pressure-molded gear loops stay open for easy racking and clipping. (Some reviewers complained that the gear loops felt awkward for trad climbing, though). The primary strap remains threaded through the waistbelt buckle between uses, which reduces opportunities for mistakes. Also noteworthy: The men's XXL harness accommodates waists up to 45 inches. And for climbers heading into the snow, Black Diamond offers a model—the Momentum 3S—with leg loops that can be unthreaded. (Doing so allows a climber to harness up without taking off boots or crampons, or to answer the call of nature while staying tied in). Buy here and here.

The Energy Nova (the men's is called the Energy CR-3) from Italian-designed company C.A.M.P. USA works well for climbers new to the sport. Low-profile thermoformed padding on the waistbelt and leg loops keeps things comfy without feeling bulky. Full-function buckles on the leg loops allow for a custom fit, and the harness offers everything a climber needs to transition from the gym to the crag. Both harnesses are also sold as part of packages (men's, women's) that include a locking carabiner and C.A.M.P. USA's Piu 2.0 belay device, which, unlike most belay devices included in starter sets, can be set up in an auto-block mode when belaying the second from above. Buy here and here.

A step up from Black Diamond's base model, the Solution features smooth, buckle-less leg loops tensioned by elastic bands. Inside the waistbelt and leg loops, three strands of webbing spread out the force when a climber takes a fall, or catches one. This technology is a new offering from Black Diamond, and an addition to one of its mainstay harnesses. The auto-locking waistbelt buckle remains threaded between uses, making it simple to secure the harness. The waistbelt is tailored to body types, with the women's version of the Solution shaped to ride higher on the torso than the men's. One downside for some: The leg loops aren't adjustable. Buy here and here.

The Petzl Luna (the men's is called the Petzl Adjama) is cushy enough to stay comfy during a long day at the crag and features fully adjustable leg loops that stay snug. Brittany Allman, a sales lead in REI's Boca Raton, Florida, location who is on her third Adjama, praises the cushion in the harness's waistbelt and leg loops: "It has more padding and has thicker straps on the waist and legs than most harnesses I have seen, which adds more comfort to falls and 'takes' when projecting difficult routes." Like many Petzl harnesses, these include a large, fifth gear loop at the rear of the harness that's great for lugging a cordelette, belay equipment or even shoes, keeping the easy-access loops free for draws and protection. Buy here and here.

The Petzl Corax's size range makes it extremely adaptable and well-suited to a growing climber. A double-buckle waist closure allows for an uncommonly broad range, size wise, and the leg loops are similarly adjustable. It's a particularly good choice as a loaner harness for climbers who like to introduce others to the sport. Its mix of gear loops—rigid in the front, soft in the rear—accommodates a backpack well, making it ideal for a follower on a multi-pitch route. The harness pairs well with Petzl's Caritool Evo ice screw clip for those looking to extend the climbing season. Buy here.

The Edelrid Jayne and the Jay harnesses do everything a climbing harness is supposed to do, while treating the planet a wee bit more gently. Both harnesses are constructed using bluesign-approved® materials, which have been independently assessed to use fewer harmful, environmentally hazardous chemicals in their manufacture. The certification also demonstrates, among other things, that the factories have taken significant steps toward efficiency and pollution reduction. (Read more about Edelrid's sustainability efforts). Edelrid has padded out the top of the waistbelt to eliminate that lower back harness bite. And five gear loops make this harness ideal for multi-pitch adventures, technical mountaineering and more. One selling point is the wide range of size options and adjustments you can make to the waistbelt—up to 38.6 inches for women's and 39 inches for men's—while keeping the gear loops centered on your hips. "This one is comfortable for my larger body, and super comfortable on my larger thighs as well," says one customer reviewer." Buy here and here.

This seat-style harness is built to keep smaller children secure when they're on the rock or in the gym. The Petzl Macchu is all about adjustability. It features Petzl's double-buckle waist closure, which helps keep the tie-in loops centered while allowing the waistbelt's wave to break over the hips. Allman, the sales lead from our Boca Raton store, says: "Since the waist and leg loops adjust up to four inches, I tell parents the harness will most likely last longer than their children's school shoes."

Smaller children or those with a flair for getting inverted, can couple the Macchu with matching shoulder straps made by Petzl. The straps help keep a li'l climber upright during a fall, and, along with a snug hipbelt and leg loops, prevent them from sliding out of the top of the harness. Buy here.