How to Size a Rock Climbing Harness

When you fall while rock climbing, tremendous forces are exerted on your body through the climbing rope tied to your harness. A properly fitted harness will help dissipate these forces in a way that avoids injury. A well-fitted climbing harness also must allow your legs complete freedom of movement. It's also important to have the right fit for hanging belays, where you are sitting in your harness while anchored to the rock. A harness that is too tight can cut off circulation and become extremely uncomfortable. Fitting your harness is not difficult.

Things You'll Need

  • Climbing clothes
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Instructions

    • 1

      When trying on harnesses, wear the types of clothes you would have on while climbing. If you are getting a harness for ice climbing or mountaineering have on all the layers that you would wear to keep warm. If you are buying a harness for sport climbing or summer rock climbing, wear climbing shorts, pants or tights.

    • 2

      Step into the leg loops of the harness and pull them up to the tops of your legs. The loops should be snug so that they don't fall down, but not so tight that they constrict the blood flow in your legs.

    • 3

      Buckle the waist belt of your harness above your hip bones. You should have at least 2 inches of webbing at the waist belt after doubling it back through the buckle. Again the fit should be snug enough so that the waist belt can't slide down past your hip bones, but not so tight that you have trouble expanding your lower diaphragm when you breathe.

    • 4

      Check the length of the leg risers from the leg loops to the waist belt. The risers should keep the leg loops in place at the top of your legs without restricting the movement of your legs. High-step onto a bench or chair in the store to see if the harness hinders your movement. Some stores even have small climbing walls you can move around on to get a feel for the harness. Ideally, it should feel as if it weren't even there.