How to Put On and Wear a Climbing Harness

The only way a climbing harness will fail is if you put it on wrong, so take the extra time and effort to do it right.

Things You'll Need

  • Athletic Tapes
  • Climbing Gear
  • Climbing Harnesses
  • Climbing Helmets
  • Climbing Ropes
  • Climbing Shoes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Read and understand the harness manufacturer's instructions.

    • 2

      Untangle the harness and hold it up in front of you.

    • 3

      Identify the front and back of the harness and the left and right leg loops.

    • 4

      Make sure there are no twists in the harness, then step through the leg loops.

    • 5

      Pull the harness up your legs until the leg loops are at the top of your thighs.

    • 6

      Wrap around the waist belt above your hips, and feed the nylon strap through the belt buckle.

    • 7

      Snug the waist belt tightly so you won't fall out of your harness if you flip upside down.

    • 8

      Back-feed the buckle (meaning refeed the belt back in through the buckle) so the waist belt cannot slip. This is a crucial step, so check twice to make sure you did it correctly.