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

So your complaint boils down, really, to that fact that you think Arcteryx is too pricey?

jordand wrote:

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.

Thanks for this! I’ve been seeing the new harnesses on BD athletes in various Instagram posts and videos, but this is the first actual product video I’ve seen. I saw the catalogue product page for the new Solution Guide earlier this year, it is supposed to come out this fall I believe. It is basically a redesigned Technician, which I believe is being phased out. Adjustable legs, large gear loops, rear 5th loop, really nice sewn ice clipper loops (4 of them). Same geometry as the Solution, so should fix the minor comfort issues of the current Technician. Almost a clone of the Arc’teryx AR 395.

These new Solution and Zone harnesses look dope, especially the new Solution Harness. Wide, comfortable waist and legs, big gear loops. Rear 5th loop sewn into the middle of the band so stuff you hang on it doesn’t dangle too low. Literally everything I’ve ever asked for in a rock climbing harness. I’ll keep using my current Zone and Solution and eagerly await the release of these harnesses.

with the redesigned Solution Guide coming out, the uber lightweight and sophisticated air net recco, and the redesign of the zone and Solution, I think these BD harnesses will be the best harnesses on the market period.

jordand wrote:

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.

You beat me to linking this! Shoutout to UKC for seemingly being the only media outlet who bothers bringing a camera to these trade shows and talking about upcoming gear. 

I haven't seen anybody recommend Ocun harnesses yet. I have the neon lady 3 which doesn't fit all of OPs requirements but I can confirm it is comfortable for full multi-pitch days, has large gear loops compared to competitors, and is reasonably priced (I tried multiple petzl harnesses, the Edelrid Jayne, and a wild country harness when I needed to size down and they had tiny gear loops and/or the harness was uncomfortable for hanging). Ocun also makes versions with 5 gear loops, fixed leg loops etc. as well as options geared towards different types of climbing. A quick glance at their website shows most of their harnesses are around 10-14oz and one will run you around $100 max which is reasonable in my opinion. 

It doesn't meet the OP's desire for non-adjustable leg loops, but I'd give another plug for the Edelrid Sendero II (MP review thread) as it seems to meet all of the rest of the criteria. I really love the sliding belt that allows the gear loops and belay loop to stay properly centered no matter where your waist lands in the size range. This should really be a more common feature and is a great alternative to centering via double buckles.

I use the Cadillac F which also has fixed legs as you were desiring

Adam Franco wrote:

It doesn't meet the OP's desire for non-adjustable leg loops, but I'd give another plug for the Edelrid Sendero II (MP review thread) as it seems to meet all of the rest of the criteria. I really love the sliding belt that allows the gear loops and belay loop to stay properly centered no matter where your waist lands in the size range. This should really be a more common feature and is a great alternative to centering via double buckles.

I bought it on recommendation from that thread  (non adj. leg loop version Sirana) - such a great harness- way more comfy with a double rack than my old arcteryx R300, perfect fit, and nice adjustable webbing feature.

Seeing the discontinued Skaha Womens on sale for $27 on the Arc outlet. I'm a male at 180lbs and 5'11 with a more mulscular/heavy build, wondering if this would work? For $27 I may just pull the trigger to see if this works well but curious if other males of a similar build have any experience with the women's Skaha? 

I’ve bought women’s Arc harnesses in large (male, 5’11) and they worked fine. But I notice they have the men’s Skaha for the same price in the outlet, so maybe there’s no need?

Byrnsie wrote:

Seeing the discontinued Skaha Womens on sale for $27 on the Arc outlet. I'm a male at 180lbs and 5'11 with a more mulscular/heavy build, wondering if this would work? For $27 I may just pull the trigger to see if this works well but curious if other males of a similar build have any experience with the women's Skaha? 

I don't know about that model but in prior Arcterx harnesses the women's version was the men's waistband paired with one size larger legs. So, for example, women's L was a men's M waistband with men's L leg loops. And the women's versions sometimes had pretty colors. 

Byrnsie wrote:

Seeing the discontinued Skaha Womens on sale for $27 on the Arc outlet. I'm a male at 180lbs and 5'11 with a more mulscular/heavy build, wondering if this would work? For $27 I may just pull the trigger to see if this works well but curious if other males of a similar build have any experience with the women's Skaha? 

I just bought a Men's Skaha in Medium for $33 Canadian. The Medium fits perfectly even though I wear 30" waist size pants.

After reading this thread I decided to check out the Skaha just to see what it looks like. Spot the problem(s) with this rappel !

B G wrote:

After reading this thread I decided to check out the Skaha just to see what it looks like. Spot the problem(s) with this rappel !

Shoe laces tied while rappelling. Gotta let the piggies breathe.

JW wrote:

I’ve bought women’s Arc harnesses in large (male, 5’11) and they worked fine. But I notice they have the men’s Skaha for the same price in the outlet, so maybe there’s no need?

Ha, I noticed that there was something strange going on with the pricing of the men's harnesses yesterday when I posted my question - the men's was priced at $72 while the women's was priced as $27, they seem to have corrected it. I already grabbed the women's, it arrives tomorrow and if it's no good I'll just grab a men's and keep the women's for a backup/friend/partner. 

I was really tempted to buy the Skaha for $27 just based on price alone but after looking into it, passed, based on comfort. It seems (according to GearLab, whom I trust) to have significantly less hanging comfort than a BD Solution. If anybody has a different experience, please let me know. I don't care if it's free, after a certain age.....

Heyzeus wrote:

I was really tempted to buy the Skaha for $27 just based on price alone but after looking into it, passed, based on comfort. It seems (according to GearLab, whom I trust) to have significantly less hanging comfort than a BD Solution. If anybody has a different experience, please let me know. I don't care if it's free, after a certain age.....

Gear lab is right. The Skaha's comfortability is a considerable step down from other arc'teryx harness and even the BD solution imo

Andrew Rice wrote:

I don't know about that model but in prior Arcterx harnesses the women's version was the men's waistband paired with one size larger legs. So, for example, women's L was a men's M waistband with men's L leg loops. And the women's versions sometimes had pretty colors. 

That's funny, I actually bought a women's L 395a cuz I have thunder thighs and it fits perfect. Same with rain pants... 

But finding a new trad harness recently was a pain in the butt with my requirements. Coming from an old BD Momentum DS but hoping for more gear loop real estate.

I needed: Adjustable leg loops, 2-buckle waist so I can center my gear loops (or the slidey thing edelrid does), stiff square gear loops (at least in the front, so misty mountain is out, also not angled like the 395a as that squishes all my cams together), ideally 5th gear loop (but basically none have 5th and square fronts), and comfy enough for hanging belays. If possible also not much over a pound. 

I went through every manufacturer's site and found like 4 options, which felt surprisingly low. Ended up with a Mammut Ophir 4 Slide, better than the BD Momentum but not by much. Am I too picky? 

B G wrote:

After reading this thread I decided to check out the Skaha just to see what it looks like. Spot the problem(s) with this rappel !

3rd hand is handless....and jammed into the device.
Excellent form.

Nkane 1 wrote:

Thanks--it looks like a decent option though it's missing a haul loop/5th gear loop. It looks like there's a little tab that you could hang a shoe carabiner through; is that burly enough to trust?

Also, it looks like Blue Ice is discontinuing the version with non-adjustable leg loops!

Stitching there is just as solid (or janky) as the gear loops. You can’t trust it, but you won’t die if it fails. Same as most other harnesses.

https://us.blueice.com/products/ms-cuesta-harness

that looks to be non adjustable and still available?

Mr Rogers wrote:

3rd hand is handless....and jammed into the device.
Excellent form.

Perfect form for a photo shoot, though, where the model had to hang there for a long time.