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Only a tested and high-quality harness ensures your safety during rope climbing. Climbing harnesses can be used at work, in everyday life and during sports. If you slip while climbing and fall into the depth, the climbing harness catches you.Â
It’s preventing you from inflicting bad injuries. There are special climbing harnesses from well-known manufacturers. These are subject to regulated safety standards and are therefore checked regularly and comprehensively. Remember: Climbing harnesses must be extremely stable. The harness for climbing should also be able to adapt precisely to your individual needs.Â
In principle, there are 3 different types of harnesses, which we will discuss in detail later:
Buying a harness is not too complicated. Nevertheless, you should allow yourself the necessary time to make your choice. A climbing harness should never be too tight, pinch or be uncomfortable. Since the harnesses are designed for climbing use, it is important for you to pay attention to which disciplines you are climbing. For example, different types of climbing harnesses are suitable for sport climbing, Big Wall or multi-rope climbing.
Related Article: How to Choose a Rock Climbing Harness
What Types of Harnesses are there?
Climbing is a family-friendly sport. Young and old can be equally fascinated by it. There are different types of harnesses depending on age group and sex.
A climbing harness for children* is compact and easy to put on. The belt provides a high degree of relief and a comfortable hold. The child’s upper body is held securely by a complete belt. The climbing harness for children combines the hip and chest harness.
There are also special climbing harnesses for women*. They are available either as separate chest and hip belts or as complete belts. The size of the belt can be flexibly selected so that the belt adapts individually to the woman’s body.
A men’s climbing harness* is characterized above all by its very high robustness. The hip of the men’s climbing harness is specially padded. In this way, the pressure is avoided in this area. Climbing harnesses for men can be found on the market as climbing harness sets (chest and hip harnesses) or as complete harnesses. The specially developed climbing harnesses for men are ideal for heavy and muscular men.
You will find three types of harnesses on the market:
- Chest harness
- Waist harness
- Combination or full-body harness
There are many factors to consider here. Safety is always a priority when climbing. Therefore, when you make your choice, you should rely on good workmanship and high-quality material. Some harnesses are designed so that you can use them for all types of climbing. Apart from bouldering and free solo, all types of climbing require the use of a climbing harness. Some harnesses have been specially developed for a specific climbing style. Therefore the different belts are often more suitable for certain styles than others.
Chest Harness
When climbing, you should always use a chest harness* in combination with a matching waist harness. Never climb only with a chest harness or strap, because this could have fatal consequences in case of a fall. With a chest strap you simply prevent your upper body from overturning in a fall. The chest strap always shifts the center of gravity of your upper body upwards. Chest straps are used to additionally stabilize the upper body.
Waist Harness
You can use this harness for all types of climbing. This applies to indoor and outdoor climbing, as well as fixed rope courses and ice climbing.
Combination or Full-Body Harness
The complete or full-body harnesses* optimally combine the positive characteristics of all separate harnesses. A combination harness offers you maximum safety. Fix the rope very close to the center of your body. Thus the full-body harness is fixed much higher than with a hip belt. The bottom parts of the harnesses usually consist of leg and hip loops. These are firmly connected to the chest strap by means of a connecting strap. A full-body harness prevents overturning in the event of a fall. The adjustment and the handling are problem-free with a full-body harness. If you are a beginner, you are best served with such a harness when climbing in the gym as well as on fixed rope courses.
The Choice of Harness is based on your Climbing Style
With the exception of free solo climbing and bouldering, you need a safe and stable harness for all types of climbing. Think carefully about which of the numerous types of climbing you are most interested in. Then you will also be able to choose a harness type based on it.
Sport Climbing
In sport climbing, the harnesses are quite light. They have fewer buckles around the harness and fewer material loops. With this kind of climbing, you usually don’t sit in the harness that long. This is why the leg and hip loops can be useful for sport climbing even with little padding.
Multi-Rope Climbing
Multi-rope climbing means that you are on the move much longer in the wall. These straps have good padding and many material loops. These are necessary because you need much more storage space for mobile security and material such as expresses. Always choose a harness that will allow you to carry all the equipment you need. On these routes, you should be able to carry a safety device, an additional karabiner and a jacket as well as a second rope. When choosing a suitable belt, make sure that the leg loops are adjustable. A high-quality harness that offers you support and comfort is extremely important when climbing.
Fixed Rote RoutesÂ
When it comes to fixed rope courses, you can use a sports climbing harness. In the belt you can move very well, the padding is normally not that big. But since you normally don’t sit in the harness on the fixed rope courses, the focus when choosing a harness is more on freedom of movement. The harness should also be comfortable and light for walking. It should also have adjustable leg loops.
Big Wall Climbing
Special harnesses are developed for Big Wall climbing. You can wear these very well over a longer period of time. Are you planning on climbing a big wall? Then get yourself a harness suitable for long slopes. The climbing harness should have a lot of padding and really wide straps.Â
In order to provide the necessary storage space, make sure that the harness has at least six or ten material loops. In addition, the harnesses for Big Wall climbing should have a pull-back loop on the back. This is the only way you will be able to attach the static rope (material rope) to it with which you can pull up the material.
Do you Need a Harness for Sport Climbing or Indoor Climbing?
The climbing routes for indoor and sports climbing concentrate more on athletic abilities. That’s why you don’t need any additional equipment to attach to your harness. Also, you don’t have to make too many settings when climbing sports. Most sport climbing harnesses are equipped with elastic and firm leg loops. Adjustable leg loops are advantageous for other types of climbing. When climbing indoors, however, it is important that the leg loops have a low profile and that they are light and not bulky. Any comfortable and safe harness is suitable for indoor climbing and sport climbing.
Size, Fit and Comfort of a Climbing Harness
Your climbing harness should be comfortable to wear. You should consider the size and fit of the harness when making your choice. You should always have a good feeling when wearing it. A climbing harness can be padded as well as you want, but it won’t do you much good if you choose the wrong harness size for your body. If you hang on the wall in a climbing harness, it should look comfortable. Only if the climbing harness can offer you the necessary comfort when securing and hanging, will it have the perfect fit. You should consider three comfort criteria when making your decision: securing comfort, standing comfort and hanging comfort.
Mobility and Safety with Climbing Harnesses
The difference between the different belt variants is also reflected in the quality and workmanship of the materials used. So make sure you get the harness from a reputable manufacturer. Mobility and safety result from the different parts of the harness, all of which serve a specific purpose. The anatomy of the harness for climbing consists of leg loops, a waist belt, equipment loops, safety loops, tie-in loops and drag loops. Only when all parts are perfectly coordinated will you have enough mobility during your climbing routes and you will not have to worry about the safety of the harness when using it properly.
Attention: You have to take care of your safety when climbing! The information on climbtheearth.com only helps you to learn. Before you climb, you should make sure that you have been properly instructed by an expert and that you follow all safety precautions.
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