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We tested harnesses from Yates, Black Diamond, Ocun and Metolius to figure out which ones will hold up best to the rigorous demands of big wall climbing
Are you tired of chafed hips and a sore back from hours of belaying, jugging, and climbing on big walls? We've been testing big wall harnesses for over ten years. After researching 35+ of the best, this review pits four of the best models side-by-side, all tested while multi-pitch climbing and big walling. Our expert team has spent thousands of hours climbing, camping, and living on big walls across North America. We've also put each harness to the test on one-day speed ascents. Using five main areas of criteria to rate each harness, we assigned a score to each and noted their pros and cons. After all this hard work, this write-up offers our best recommendations to keep you comfortable while you climb, aid, and work your way up your next big wall.
Affordable, super comfortable, wide range of adjustments that accommodate those with smaller waists and bigger legs or vice versa, great for free climbing, two belay loops, 7 gear loops, perforated fabric increases breathability, rated haul
5 molded ear loops, rated haul line, 2 belay loops, adjustable leg loops, waistbelt features uniform padding on waistbelt and leg loops, 2 ice clips for versatility
Burly design, construction that's built to last, comfortable, 4 gear loops provide lots of real estate for clipping gear, 3 year warranty
Comfortable, plush, 6 awesome gear loops, 2 belay loops, 6 inches of width on the waistbelt to distribute the load
Cons
Fabric gear loops subject to durability issues; soft and flexible design less comfortable when fully loaded with gear
Expensive, fit runs small, rigid design sacrifices comfort
Heavy, expensive, not suitable for fast and light ascents
Doesn't breathe well, leg loop and waist belt webbing does not tuck away cleanly, expensive
Bottom Line
This affordable harness offers exceptional comfort and breathability due to its soft and flexible perforated design and low profile gear loops that don't impede those mandatory free moves on route. Though one of our favorites when it comes to sleep comfor
This harness is perfect for those seeking a great all-around harness for big walls. The minimally padded design offers some comfort but the rigidity is somewhat limiting for free climbing and isn't that comfortable to sleep in
This incredibly bomber big wall harness offers tons of piece of mind in vertical terrain thanks to massive buckles and the webbing that runs through them. If you're interested in a big wall harness for several ascents, this one is might be a solid option
It's hard to beat the comfort of this wall harness thanks to highly adjustable and removable leg loops along with the perfect amount of padding
Our favorite overall big wall harness is the Metolius Safe Tech Waldo. Not only is this one of the most comfortable harnesses we've ever worn, but it also has our favorite gear loops. These gear loops are some the strongest and most confidence-inspiring gear loops, built sturdy enough for your heaviest big wall rack. Furthermore, they are “perky” and stick out away from the harness, thereby making them the easiest gear loops for clipping and unclipping carabiners.
The two significant downsides of the Safe Tech Waldo are that the waist belt is not very breathable, and you can't remove the leg loops for better comfort while sleeping. You either have to sleep in the entire harness or remove it completely and improvise a harness out of slings or webbing. If you go this route, we recommend bringing an extra piece of webbing to make a swami belt out of at night. Those two drawbacks aside, this is the best big wall harness we know of.
Soft and flexible design less comfortable when fully loaded with gear
Our testing team was greatly impressed by the overall performance of the Ocun Weebee Bigwall. Not only is this harness available for a more affordable price, it rivals and even surpasses some our favorite harnesses when it comes to comfort and adjustability. The two buckle design covers a range of body shapes and sizes, allowing one of our testers with a smaller waist and larger legs to adjust the harness perfectly to her body type. The perforated design is highly breathable and flexible which enhances comfort, especially while sleeping on the wall or climbing in warmer conditions. A few notable features include 7 gear loops, 2 belay loops, and a rated haul line for tagging up extra gear or your haul line.
While our testers love the Ocun Weebee Bigwall, this harness is not without a few caveats. Perhaps the greatest drawback to this design is the fabric gear loops as we've heard horror stories from friends who have had to rappel their objective due to a broken gear loop and lost gear. With all the mandatory off-width and chimney climbing you often encounter on big walls, our testers prefer a molded gear loop for easier access to gear as well as enhanced durability. All that being said, we have yet to experience a gear loop failure with this harness. The other downside is that the same design that increases comfort thanks to its flexible, perforated design also lacks some rigidity so as to absorb some of the weight from the gear loop. All the hanging belays on the Salathe drove this point home as our hips were more fatigued than when wearing a more rigid harness. Caveats aside, this is still one of our go-to harnesses when pushing a route in a day or sleeping for multiple nights on a big wall thanks to its lightweight, breathable, and highly adjustable design that's available at an affordable price.
The Ocun Webee is an affordable big wall harness that prioritizes comfort thanks to a soft and flexible perforated design.
Well R.I.P. Big Gun Harness, as the updated big wall harness from Black Diamond is now the Black Diamond Long Haul. It is a matter of personal opinion whether or not BD improved or diminished their big wall harness design as the differences appear to be subtle. After a few pushes up El Cap in a day and a few overnights on the wall, our testing team deems the Long Haul an excellent all-around harness that is rigid enough to provide support while featuring 5 large, molded gear loops making for easy access to your cams on lead. The updated version rearranged the design to include 4 larger single tier gear loops along with one larger gear along the backside. Instead of separate sections of padding, BD created one 4.5" waistbelt that is minimally padded and somewhat rigid on top of the hips. The design also features two color-coded belay loops, two ice ax loops, and a rated haul line to offer confidence for those hauling the heaviest loads.
This is not the most comfortable harness that we tested, but perhaps this is a bias opinion as male testers found the harness more comfortable than female testers due to where the harness rests along the hips. For this reason, our female tester selected the Ocun Webee for her ascent of the Salathe, knowing that she would be utilizing natural ledges with a minimal pad to protect her from the gear loops and the rock underneath. Though adjustable and removable leg loops help to customize the comfort of this harness, it leaves more to be desired and cut heavily into our side during an ascent of Lurking Fear in a day. Comfort drawbacks aside, this harness offers enough structure to support you and a heavy rack combined with plenty of room for easily accessible gear. If you're after a great all-around harness, the Long Haul is a solid choice.
The Long Haul harness is the updated version of Black Diamond's ever-popular Big Gun harness. Featuring 2 belay loops, minimal padding, and 5 molded gear loops, this harness is our favorite when it comes to a harness that can do it all.
Don't be surprised if the Yates Shield Harness lives longer than you do. Everything about this harness is beefy and bomber. The buckles are massive, as is the webbing that goes through them. The leg materials are plush and comfy. The gear loops are everywhere, and there is even a loop for your hammer.
However, all this comes with a big weight penalty as the Shield is by far the heaviest and least breathable harness that we tested. It's also the most expensive. But if you want a burly and comfortable harness, this might be a good option for you to consider.
Whether pushing a route in a day or vertical camping overnight, our testers considered every nuance and detail of the big wall harnesses in the lineup. And boy did we have fun doing it.
Credit: Sydney Taylor
Analysis and Test Results
The big decision when buying a big wall harness is how much comfort you want versus how light and streamlined you want it to be. Some people select the biggest and beefiest thing out there. However, we prefer the comfiest harness that doesn't feel like too overkill, rigid, or cumbersome while trying to free climbing. Our testing team identified 5 key testing metrics that include comfort, free climbing capabilities, sleep comfort, gear loops, and advantageous features. In the article below you'll find some key factors to consider when buying your next big wall harness.
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Selecting the appropriate big wall harness can make or break your ascent. Our climbing buddy Vinny was happy as could be after pushing the Nose-in-a-day in the Black Diamond Long Haul.
Credit: Trish Matheny
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Why Trust GearLab
The search for the best big wall climbing harness started when our testers decided to take a closer look beyond the offerings of their standard everyday sport climbing harness. Utilizing their personal experience in the field along with the opinions of other big wall experts, we narrowed down our selection to include the top performing harnesses available on the market today.
Our big wall harness testing perspectives are based on five rating metrics:
Comfort (50% of overall score weighting)
Free Climbing (15% weighting)
Sleep Comfort (15% weighting)
Gear Loops (10% weighting)
Features (10% weighting)
This review was spearheaded by Outdoor GearLab founder and Editor-in-Chief Chris McNamara, who has not only climbed El Capitan over 70 times but also holds several speed records to his name. Few humans have his unique perspective on big wall equipment as he has encountered a lot of nuances over many years and many big wall ascents. New to the category is Trish Matheny who loves pursuing adventure, especially when it comes to ascending multi-pitch rock climbs and big walls in Yosemite Valley and Zion National Park. With several years of climbing experience under her belt, she hopes you'll glean some helpful information from her detailed testing notes shared in the article below.
Our testing team weighed, measured, climbed, and slept in each big wall harness contender in order to assess each harness side by side and offer thoughtful perspectives for each harness' best application.
Climbing a big wall over multiple days is a ton of work. The last thing you want to be worried about is your essential gear. Our testers spent tons of hours wearing each harness to provide a solid analysis after executing our extensive testing plan.
Credit: Vinny Catino
What's the Best Value?
Selecting the right harness for your next big wall adventure can make or break your ascent. The most valuable big wall harness is going to be appropriately sized for your body type, comfortable both on lead, during long hanging belays, and at night when you're trying to recharge after a long day on the sharp end. The harness should also be durable enough to withstand the abuse involved in big wall ascents as it often involves mandatory free climbing on everything from off-widths to abrasive chimneys. It is important to invest wisely, selecting a harness that will keep you safe without shredding on your first ascent. Over our years of testing, we found that harnesses like the Ocun Webee Bigwall not only provide the comfort you're after during a big wall ascent but also offers a huge return on your investment due to its ability to combine high performance with an affordable pricetag. That being said, this harness does feature fabric gear loops which are a huge concern when it comes to safety and durability as losing an entire gear loop of cams could mean the difference between sending and being forced to bail. Other harnesses like the Metolius Safe Tech Waldo are much more expensive yet supply a much more durable design in return. Ultimately there are pluses and minuses to every big wall harness design and it's your preference whether you want to save a little cash since you don't plan on pursuing more than a few big walls or you want to invest in a harness that will last for many big wall ascents.
Trish Matheny was stoked to have her Ocun Webee along for a 3 day ascent of the Salathe. This harness is one of the least expensive that we tested and offers a ton of value combined with high performance in our comfort metrics.
Credit: Vinny Catino
Comfort
Many harnesses start out comfortable but start to chafe your hips on day 3 of a big wall. The most comfortable harnesses offer a wide waistbelt as well as hip belts, and some are even lined with soft material. These harnesses are designed to protect your hips from the impact of your heavy load. In general, the wider the padding, the more comfortable the harness. However, if a harness does not fit correctly, it will ride up at awkward angles and cut into your side. Try and hang in the harness in the store. You will know right away if it fits right or not. Keep in mind there are tradeoffs for comfort: the most comfortable harnesses don't breathe well and are clunky to free climb in.
Adjustability also plays a large role in whether or not a harness is considered comfortable and this comes down to personal preference. We prefer just one buckle on the waist, but many people like having two buckles so that the belay loop can always be perfectly centered. Also, two buckles give you a wider range of sizing options. Most big wall harnesses now feature adjustable leg loops, if possible, get a harness where the extra leg loop and waist belt material tucks away cleanly. Models like the Ocun Webee offered a ton of comfort due to a perforated, soft and flexible fabric, that allowed for extra breathability along with a super adjustable fit thanks to the two buckle design.
Harnesses that come in only two sizes (XS-M and XL-L) like the Ocun Webee offer a ton of adjustability in both the waistbelt and leg loops which allows for a more customizable fit for a variety of body types.
Credit: Trish Matheny
We love speed adjust buckles, but some people, especially in the big wall environment where you don't adjust your harness very much, prefer the standard buckles. While the Yates was very adjustable. The Metolius Waldo had the most adjustable leg loops in some ways due to its 3-d system design. But it also was one of the few harnesses where the extra leg loop material just wouldn't stay tucked away. The Long Haul offers less adjustability than the other harness models but features a uniformly padded waistbelt and leg loop that most climbers prefer to its separately-padded Big Gun predecessor.
The Long Haul (size small) offers a 4.5 inch waistbelt at its widest point along with 10 inches of adjustability for additional comfort.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Free Climbing
On some walls, you might free climb just a handful of pitches. In this case, how a harness lets you free climb doesn't matter. However, on many walls like the Freerider or The Nose, there are stacks of handjams and free climbing pitches to be climbed. Remember, free climbing pitches on a big wall always feel harder: 5.9 feels like 5.10. This is partly due to fatigue and exposure. But it is also because you are more weighed down. You will already have a haul line and ascenders clipped to your harness as well as a big rack. Adding a bulky and heavy harness to the equation makes free climbing even harder. So here you have to make a tradeoff. For a route like The Nose, we almost always climb with a normal free climbing harness. Sure, our hips will hurt a little, but we'd rather make that tradeoff than worry about whipping out of the Stovelegs pitches. On a multi-day hard aid route, we want a super comfy harness, damn the free climbing consequences.
For a wall like The Nose or Half Dome, a big harness like the Yates Shield or Waldo can be heavy and cumbersome. The Black Diamond Long Haul is a relatively light, and right at the border of being a harness we would consider taking on a Nose-in-a-Day push (we'd generally recommend a normal free climbing harness for this). The Yates Shield and Waldo are great serious aid route harnesses, but not the best for climbs that involve lots of free climbing.
No complaints from one of our testers after wearing the Long Haul on his 8 hour Nose-in-a-day ascent where there was plenty of time to pose for photos on the summit.
Credit: Gus Landefeld
We tested the Ocun Webee on both a Nose-in-a-day and a Half Dome-in-a-day push as well as a three day ascent of the Salathe. We easily weaved in a out of chimneys and found that the low profile design and flexibility within the harness allowed for pretty freedom of motion, even if we were weighed down by some extra gear.
Free climbing the chimney and off-width pitch above the alcove was no problem thanks to encouragement from friends on Golden Gate and our low profile and flexible Ocun Webee.
Credit: Scott Bennett
Comfort Sleeping
The most comfortable harnesses to sleep in allow you to remove the leg loops without leaving too much excess material hanging out either side. That being said, Chris prefers to take the harness off completely when sleeping and use a two-inch swami belt (or thinner), so it all comes down to your sleeping style.
The Ocun Webee was one of the most comfortable harnesses that we slept in. Offering completely removable leg loops in addition to tons of adjustability, so that you can comfortably keep the waistbelt on and remain attached to the mountain.
Highly adjustable leg loops or better yet removable leg loops, like the ones pictured here for the Ocun Webee make for a very comfortable night's sleep while vertical camping on a big wall.
Credit: Trish Matheny
The Yates Shield also received high marks when it came to comfort during big wall overnights thanks to a design that features removable leg loops and a 5 inch waistbelt. The Waldo and Long Haul received lower marks but you could find that they fit your body type better and supply more comfort in the portaledge or natural ledge.
Most big wall harness designs will feature removable leg loops like the Long Haul pictured here. Simply remove the buckle on the back and move the leg loops to the side for a more comfortable night's sleep.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Gear loops
The best gear loops are easy to clip and durable. On a big wall, not only do you have a lot clipped to the side of your harness, it is often crucial to not drop that stuff. For example, you may need to clip the portaledge to your harness while transferring it from under the haul bag to the anchor. Or you might have your ascenders clipped to your harness, and you don't want them coming off in a squeeze chimney. Some big wall harnesses have tons of gear loops at two separate heights. We prefer just one set of gear loops. If you have two tiers, the bottom tier can be hard to access if you have lots of stuff clipped to the top tier. We also prefer gear loops with some structure, so they stick out from the harness. If the gear loops lay flat against the harness, it is harder to clip and unclip your gear.
The Metolius Waldo was the only harness with super-strong gear loops (rated to 2250lb). We also like how the loops are super perky and stick straight out. They are easy to clip and don't get pulled down flat when weighted. We have never broken a gear loop on another harness, but that is because we're afraid to hang something heavy and important. Most other gear loops were adequate. The Long Haul features 5 large gear loops and the Shield has 4 gear loops that allow you to clip and organize the essentials. Some people will love this. We find that having too many gear loops is redundant and leads to clutter. If you clip stuff to every gear loop, it's hard to get to the ones that overlap each other. Fabric gear loops like the ones features on the Ocun Webee sure make us nervous as they are the least durable and cause become easily impacted when navigating abrasive chimneys and off-widths. This is a major flaw to an otherwise incredible design.
The Ocun Webee gear loops are the least durable of all the harnesses that we tested. If you're looking for a more burly design, check out the Metolius Waldo for a confidence-inspiring construction.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Features
The Waldo, Ocun Webee and Long Haul harnesses all feature two belay loops. We used to think this was overkill, but now we're pretty sold on it. Two belay loops give you more options with daisy chain configurations and are great for any time your harness is loaded in two directions. For example, if you are ascending a rope, you can have your top ascender attached to one belay loop and your backup knots attached to the other belay loop. Or, when you are rappeling the East Ledges descent on El Capitan, you can have the haul bag into one belay loop and your rappel device into the other.
Another nice feature is a hammer holster, though we're the first to admit that nailing is becoming more and more obsolete. However, if you climb tons of hard aid, the Yates Shield is the only harness with a useful built-in hammer holster. The Metolius Waldo has gear loops that can be used as hammer holsters if you find yourself in need. While the updated big wall harness from Ocun and Black Diamond no longer feature hammer holsters in favor of a much lighter weight design. Both harnesses also feature two ice clips and rated haul lines for those hauling up heavy loads.
Features like multiple belay loops help to keep you organized when multiple ropes and tactics are in play. Each harness we tested (besides the Yates Shield) offer this feature.
Credit: Vinny Catino
Conclusion
When it comes to wearing a harness on a big wall, the most significant factor is almost always its comfort around your waist and legs. However, depending on your personal preferences and climbing needs, other factors can vary in importance. Hopefully, this review will assist you in the marketplace of harnesses.
Ammon McNeely making the first move on a 23+ hour single push ascent of Rodeo Queen. A supportive approach shoe is key if you'll be spending the day in your aiders.
