10 Thoughts on the Dire State of the Climbing Harness Market in 2025

Yukon Cornelius wrote:

What's wrong with adjustable leg loops? the 395a is the harness you want.

The Zone is also really great, but yeah the gear loops are on the smaller side. It's not super comfy hanging, but tbh no harness is really that comfortable at a hanging belay except for big and heavy ones which you also don't want.

Yea but that puke yellow color is blah!  Bring back the good colors Arcteryx!

easy fix: leg loops don't need to be that strong. take off the buckles, overlap the webbing and run at least 4 bar tacks across, this can be done with most any modern home sewing machine. I do this to sling my hooks and to make body weight only slings, I've bounced tested the slings with two people free hanging with good results.

DMM Renegade harness checks a lot of those boxes. Has a plethora of gear loops, super comfy as well. Been using it for several years for trad climbing, no big wall’n tho

IMO edelrid do the best harness's on the market atm if they fit you you will be happy. The only real issue with them is they insist on using a lightweight face fabric on them so not great if you like wide or you shuffle on ur butt a lot. 

Otherwise, solution and sew on a 5 gear loop, avoid the load bearing structure and you're golden. 

It seems like adding a 5th gear loop is a relatively easy DIY modification, even if you cannot sew.  Connecting the two rear loops with a piece of cord or webbing should be sufficient on most harnesses.  

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, Blue Ice recently completely redesigned the Choucas Pro harness to be more of an "all-around" lightweight climbing harness.  People who were not interested in the previous version might be interested in this newer version.  

Possibly stupid question, but as leg loops aren't generally load bearing, what's to stop you from removing the buckles and having a professional bar tack your loops at the appropriate circumference for your legs? It sounds like you have some pretty acceptable options minus the non-adjustable legs issue. I hear you that the buckles can get caught on things in tight squeezes, otherwise I'd suggest having them tacked in the right spot without even removing the buckles beforehand.

I'll probably get a MM turbo with the added fifth loop when it's time to retire my solution guide harness. I do love the BD solution gear loops though.

Natalie Blackburn wrote:

Possibly stupid question, but as leg loops aren't generally load bearing, what's to stop you from removing the buckles and having a professional bar tack your loops at the appropriate circumference for your legs? It sounds like you have some pretty acceptable options minus the non-adjustable legs issue. I hear you that the buckles can get caught on things in tight squeezes, otherwise I'd suggest having them tacked in the right spot without even removing the buckles beforehand.

Adjustable leg loops are nice for times when you may need to layer for the conditions you will be climbing in. I have had one harness that had fixed leg loops and I found that in the late fall or winter, it did not fit well with additional layers.

I also only own 1 harness so I want to get as much versatility out of it as I can.

Thomas Worsham wrote:

Adjustable leg loops are nice for times when you may need to layer for the conditions you will be climbing in. I have had one harness that had fixed leg loops and I found that in the late fall or winter, it did not fit well with additional layers.

I also only own 1 harness so I want to get as much versatility out of it as I can.

For sure. But one of OP's requirements was no leg buckles. I personally like adjustable leg loops too.

Natalie Blackburn wrote:

Possibly stupid question, but as leg loops aren't generally load bearing, what's to stop you from removing the buckles and having a professional bar tack your loops at the appropriate circumference for your legs? It sounds like you have some pretty acceptable options minus the non-adjustable legs issue. I hear you that the buckles can get caught on things in tight squeezes, otherwise I'd suggest having them tacked in the right spot without even removing the buckles beforehand.

Or, one could just use their old legs loops on a new harness/swami that has the features they're looking for.

Holding my c-quence harness tightly

Natalie Blackburn wrote:

Possibly stupid question, but as leg loops aren't generally load bearing, what's to stop you from removing the buckles and having a professional bar tack your loops at the appropriate circumference for your legs? It sounds like you have some pretty acceptable options minus the non-adjustable legs issue. I hear you that the buckles can get caught on things in tight squeezes, otherwise I'd suggest having them tacked in the right spot without even removing the buckles beforehand.

I remember reading somewhere that the weight is 60/40 distributed to the legs. In an upside down fall the weigh would be on the waist 

I got a bd solution last year and it has been a disappointment. 

Here’s two things that should be “standardized” across all harness manufacturers 

1. 1. A top down view of the harness as it sits in the tight adjustment setting, middle of the range, and larger end of the range of adjustability in the waist belt - so you could visualize what it looks like on you as you climb. A few times I’ve tried on a harness and the front loops are oddly way way too far forward or conversely, one loop is forward and the other is way way far back. So dumb. Make the harness have two buckles again! Anyways - this will never happen. 

2. The useable (inner) length of all gear loops as OP wrote. I have no idea why this doesn’t happen. 

Personally I just don’t like round gear loops or else 100% Id be on a misty. Don’t like my gear all scrunched. Very much prefer squared loops. 

I went through a strugglebus trying to find a new harness. I know peeps love their Mistys but to me the are a. Kinda ugly and agree with the above poster on the gear loop shape and b. Just look sortof bulky. I opted for the 395a and am really happy with it.

To address the original issue OP brought up (are harnesses not being innovated/updated) I think BD used to have more variety/innovation back then and their current catalog is lacking.

FWIW misty does make other types of harnesses. their Bolt is a sport specific one, sonic is a bit more heavy duty. No need to get the Cadillac unless you need it.

All that under 13oz is a big ask. If you can stomach ~10oz more, the rock empire equip is what I use.

what about the ocun flit? https://www.ocun.com/product/flit3

I use their twist tech and i like it, seems more sturdy than the petzl offerings (though time will tell...)

I went through a similar long process to find what I felt was the perfect harness with big enough gear loops, that were also symmetrical on my hips. I'm between sizes on the Misty, and it just doesn't fit right. After multiple returns and even having to sell a harness used once on the used market, I settled on the Petzl Aquila. The loops are big enough and plenty enough, and it sits nearly perfectly on my hips, even though it's only one buckle. The leg loops are indeed adjustable but the buckles are really light and it's very smooth tighten and loosen.

I've been quite happy with the BD Technician for a few years, been ample gear loops for multi-pitch trad, light enough for alpine, and comfortable enough for big wall.  I have big thighs so adjustable leg loops are required, the solution squeezes my thighs too much. only annoying bit is the reverse tack on the leg loop adjustment straps occasionally catching in cam trigger wires and wire gates.

Some info about new BD harnesses: https://youtu.be/oRfu5997lg8?t=396....

Sounds like there will be a new Solution Guide later this year as well.