How tight should your harness be?

AKA, is this harness too loose? I am a waist size 30, which puts me right on the border of the BD Momentum Small and Medium sizes. The photos here have my harness cinched down all the way. I swear this isn't an attempt to show off my crotch...

Top down

Front

IMO the only way a harness could be considered too loose is if it could slide over your hip bones and come off in the event that you were flipped upside down in a fall. From the pics that harness does not look even close to too loose.

Comfortably snug above the hip bones is what I shoot for. I'm also right in between sizes (M/L) and wear the L.

Your first problem is you need to take off that belt and slide the harness down a bit. It's hard to tell for sure from the picture, but it looks like you got it wrapped around your kidneys!

when I hang on my harness I can fit a full fist in between it and my body... I could go tighter, but this is comfortable for me. I've taken awkward falls that throw me sideways and once nearly upside down and never had a problem.

A rule of thumb we use is that if you can stick your hand in between your body and the harness, make a fist, and manage to pull the fist out, then your harness is too loose. The top of your harness should also be within an inch or so of your navel.

Sidebar: your harness is probably the most important part of your climbing equipment, so go in and ask a professional/get assistance with fitting in person over using the internet (actually... do this for basically everything regarding safety in climbing). The trolls come out strong on the internet.

Grab the harness by the gear loops and try and try to pull it down off your hips. If it can't slide off, it's good to go.

Patrick Shyvers wrote:you need to take off that belt and slide the harness down a bit.

When did this become a dating site?

Here's how I tell if my harness is too loose... It falls off when I rack my gear on it.

Hand between belt and stomach but not being able to make a fist is what's recommended. And as mentioned before, the harness is pretty important. Like with the rope, it's a single point of failure so treat it as well as you treat your rope...

BD makes harnesses for fatties (at least the women's harness run huge!), if you're in doubt got with a small one. The best way to test if your harness is too big is to go and belay a major hangdog session - large harness shifts a lot and ends up digging into your cavities, really painful.

I'd get the next smaller size.

Assuming the larger isn't too big, if either size would work, go with the larger. Room for layers for cold weather.

That's a bit on the large side, but I would say it's fine.

My opinion? Too large. If it's cinched all the way tight, and there is any space at all, it's no longer adjustable. Fall off a roof doing 360's in the sky, and you don't want to have any doubts at all about whether or not you're going to fall out of it.

caribouman1052 wrote:My opinion? Too large. If it's cinched all the way tight, and there is any space at all, it's no longer adjustable. Fall off a roof doing 360's in the sky, and you don't want to have any doubts at all about whether or not you're going to fall out of it.

I agree with this. If I'm really scared about a lead, I like to be able to cinch it down really tight...so I can't breathe. Then I feel safe.

First, a harness should always be sized with no clothes on, after you have taken off any clothes that might impede the sizing process you have to do at least 10 squats in rapid succession. After you do the squats grab an apple, an orange will do too and hold it in your hand, if you can squeeze your hand with the apple, or orange between your waist and the harness it's too loose or maybe the apple or orange is too big, you might have to mess around a bit with the fruit size. You want to just be able to slide your hand and arm in between the harness and your body up to the elbow while holding the fruit. If it's too tight you need to do more squats.

Kevin Mokracek wrote:First, a harness should always be sized with no clothes on, after you have taken off any clothes that might impede the sizing process you have to do at least 10 squats in rapid succession. After you do the squats grab an apple, an orange will do too and hold it in your hand, if you can squeeze your hand with the apple, or orange between your waist and the harness it's too loose or maybe the apple or orange is too big, you might have to mess around a bit with the fruit size. You want to just be able to slide your hand and arm in between the harness and your body up to the elbow while holding the fruit. If it's too tight you need to do more squats.

Not sure how the people in the sports store will feel about someone doing squats in a harness naked while holding fruit, but guess they are use to it if that's how you properly size a harness.

pittman wrote: Not sure how the people in the sports store will feel about someone doing squats in a harness naked while holding fruit, but guess they are use to it if that's how you properly size a harness.

It's pretty much the standard throughout the industry.

Kevin Mokracek wrote:First, a harness should always be sized with no clothes on, after you have taken off any clothes that might impede the sizing process you have to do at least 10 squats in rapid succession. After you do the squats grab an apple, an orange will do too and hold it in your hand, if you can squeeze your hand with the apple, or orange between your waist and the harness it's too loose or maybe the apple or orange is too big, you might have to mess around a bit with the fruit size. You want to just be able to slide your hand and arm in between the harness and your body up to the elbow while holding the fruit. If it's too tight you need to do more squats.

Don't forget, you should also do the crucial step of coating your hips and legs vegetable oil or water mixed with dish soap to simulate sweat & sunscreen. Then hang on a pullup bar with the back of your knees. With your arm and fruit of choice inserted between your harness, try to slide the harness off with your other hand. Best done with a spotter.

Kevin Mokracek wrote: It's pretty much the standard throughout the industry.

Sure it is Kevin, wasn't doubting it, just thought it would be a funny image of a naked climber doing squats in a sport store.

Steven Lee wrote: First, a harness should always be sized with no clothes on, after you have taken off any clothes that might impede the sizing process you have to do at least 10 squats in rapid succession. After you do the squats grab an apple, an orange will do too and hold it in your hand, if you can squeeze your hand with the apple, or orange between your waist and the harness it's too loose or maybe the apple or orange is too big, you might have to mess around a bit with the fruit size. You want to just be able to slide your hand and arm in between the harness and your body up to the elbow while holding the fruit. If it's too tight you need to do more squats. Don't forget, you should also do the crucial step of coating your hips and legs vegetable oil or water mixed with dish soap to simulate sweat & sunscreen. Then hang on a pullup bar with the back of your knees. With your arm and fruit of choice inserted between your harness, try to slide the harness off with your other hand. Best done with a spotter.

I tried this — it worked great! Not only does my harness fit perfectly, they gave it to me for free!