Blog

Comfortable Harness for Women

• January 2015
• Hi Steph Climb

Hello Steph,
I really enjoy reading your blog and your books (I seriously hope more books will come…). My fiancé and I started outdoor climbing a little more than a year ago and we are know starting to do multi-pitches. We did our first multi-pitch at Crazy Horse in Thailand, an easy and fun 2 pitches. The point was to see how we work as a team and it turned out to be a successful, exciting and fun experience!

We do everything we can to be as safe as possible triple checking each other, educating ourselves and taking the maximum precautions. But… once on the wall I had serious concerns about my harness. It was very uncomfortable (too tight around my legs) and it made me feel quite nervous to have to deal with that when my mind should be busy focusing on what I was doing. I asked more experienced people around me about what type of harness is the best for multi-pitch but did not find a good answer. Also, I am a small sized girl and it’s a problem when I am looking for a harness (they are all too big at the waist). I was told it is not a problem if your harness is a little loose at the waist but that makes me feel nervous.

I am now looking for a new harness that is comfortable for hanging belays on multi-pitch climbs and if you have any recommendations on what to look for when buying a harness that would be great!

I would absolutely love to do the women’s clinic with you one day; you are a great inspiration and I like to spread the word about your writing. I wish you the best for 2015!
Thank you:)
Une Québécoise living in Australia,
Marianne

Salut Marianne,
I would suggest that you try a women’s specific harness, and depending on how important weight is to you, there are two (well, sort of 3) I would recommend. The first is the Mammut Ophira. Many women find this one really comfortable, it’s not very expensive, and it’s solid. Because you’ve had a problem with the leg/waist sizing, if the regular Ophira doesn’t fit you, you should check out the Ophira Slide. This one has adjustable leg buckles, and you can get a truly custom fit on the leg loop sizing. I would try them both on: if the regular Ophira fit is good, then you are all set, but the Slide will solve your problems if the legloops aren’t coexisting with the waist measurement.

If weight, and breathability, are super important to you, you could check out the Mammut Zephira, which is also sized specifically for women. Personally I don’t care too much about breathability (though weight is always a concern), and I would choose the Ophira because I like the feel of the material on the legs and waist. But if you’ll be in Thailand or something, you might want to have more mesh in the harness. The only thing I care a lot about with a harness (aside from liking how it feels, and what color it is naturally 😉 is the Slide-bloc buckle, which all Mammut harnesses have. With this buckle, you can never forget to double it back, so it’s just a little extra safety feature that I really like. I’m also very partial to the tie-in protector that Mammut adds to the harnesses, and the material they are using for the gear loops.

I hope one of these fits you and solves your problem!
Steph