The following information will help you choose the right size of harness. 

Menu:

• "How to size" tips

• "How to size" kids

• BD Momentum chart

• B D Blizzard chart

• Petzl Calidris chart

• Petzl Corvus chart

• Petzl Corax chart

• Harness care

• Choosing a harness

• Contact us

• Measure your waist, just above your hip bones. 
  Take in consideration the kind of clothes you'll be climbing with. For example, if you plan to use your harness for rock and also for ice climbing, you'll have to make sure your new harness will fit whether you are wearing your summer or winter clothes. Some people prefer to use a different harness for summer and winter...It is important that your harness waist belt fits snuggly and rides just above your hip bones no matter what clothes you are wearing. 

• Measure the contour of your thigh, as close as possible to the pelvis.
  As for the waist belt, the leg loops should hug your thighs gently but snuggly enough that they don't feel like they are falling down. 

If your measurements fall within the size ranges below, the harness should fit safely and comfortably. These guidelines take into account the safety extra 3 inches of webbing extending out of the waist belt buckle once it has been properly secured and doubled back.  If your harness won't accommodate both your summer and winter clothe within the size range, for safety reasons, consider either a different (less bulky) outer layer combination or two different harnesses. 

top

Children under 10 years old usually have a very narrow waist and hips. A regular harness is often too big or won't rest securely on the child's hips. It is therefore indicated to use a children's body harness. 

Kids full body harnesses are designed for children's body shape (no pronounced waist). By holding securely the shoulders and legs, this type of harness insures that the child won't slip out in the event of a backward fall. Since Kid's body Harness have a higher tie-in point than seat harnesses, they also reduce the chance of flipping over backward or upside down.

These body harnesses are usually progressively adjustable to children from 4 to 9 years. Suitable for children under 30 kg (66 lbs) weight. Once the kid has outgrown the body harness, you can choose a regular seat harness appropriate to his/her body dimensions.

To make sure your child fit a regular harness: 

• Measure your child's back length, from base of neck to crotch. 

• Measure the contour of his/her thigh, as close as possible to the pelvis. 
  

Compare to harnesses sizing chart below. If the child's measurements fall within the size ranges below, the harness should fit safely and comfortably. If not, a body harness should work better. Unfortunately, we do not carry Children harnesses, See companies like Petzl and Black Diamond Equipment for more info on children harnesses.

top

BD Blizzard

Petzl Calidris (men):

Petzl Corax (men):

top

Care

Keep your harness clean and free of dirt, grease, etc.  If you want, you can wash it in soapy water if it is very dirty.  Rinse and dry the harness thoroughly… Don't store your harness in a humid area, or near corrosive chemicals! Do not modify your harness, as you can affect the harness' material's strength and resistance to force. If your harness' webbing is fraying, retire it.

Inspecting Your harness for Damage 
Perform Periodical damage checks on all you climbing equipment. Do the same after a significant fall.

With the evolution of synthetic fibers, manufacturers estimate that the life of unused climbing equipment made of nylon, should last for around 7 years (four years ago, they were estimating it at 4 years!).  Keep in mind that this guideline does not apply to "real life" conditions.  The life of nylon safety gear drops quickly with exposure to sun rays,  general wear and tear, and even more drastically under the force of impact. 

Check all surfaces of your harness for rips in the material or excessive wear. Check the gear loops so you know that  they won't fail and drop all you gear on that long pitch tomorrow... Check each buckles to make sure they are not corroded, cracked... If your harness doesn't pass this inspection, destroy it. 

top

A harness for each occasion...

Depending on what type of climbing activity you are getting into, you may need a different type of harness. Check our staff's gear list guide for details.

top

Contact Us