Collecting every piece of gear takes a little time.
We think it's worth the wait.

Nice choice!
Give us a moment to collect those options for you.

Petzl Sama Harness
  • Petzl Sama Harness
  • Petzl Sama Harness
  • Petzl Sama Harness
  • Petzl Sama Harness
  • Petzl Sama Harness

Sama

Rating

My vote: None ( 4.8 avg )

Description

Climbing harness for climbing in a gym, at a crag, or on multi-pitch routes.

Designed for sport climbing, the SAMA harness is comfortable for both indoor and outdoor climbing. The elasticized leg loops remain adjusted and the waistbelt is flexible and slimmer in front to give great freedom of movement. The four equipment loops provide sufficient space for the required equipment.

Description

  • Comfortable to wear:
    - padded waistbelt and leg loops 
    - wide waistbelt provides comfortable positioning
    - ENDOFRAME Technology construction allows excellent weight distribution 
  • Great freedom of movement:
    - waistbelt is flexible and slimmer in front
    - elasticized leg loops allow the harness to remain adjusted
    - elasticized leg loop straps and flexible connection straps allow maximum mobility
  • Capacity for carrying equipment:
    - two rigid equipment loops in front for easy clipping and unclipping of quickdraws
    - two rear equipment loops are flexible, for bringing gear to the front and for comfort when carrying a backpack

Specifications

  • Material(s): nylon, polyester, EVA, polyurethane, aluminum, high-modulus polyethylene
  • Harness comes in a protective carry bag

Retail price

US$ 84.95

When you click a link below and then checkout online, no matter what you buy (climbing gear or not), we get a small commission that helps us keep this site up-to-date. Thanks!

Award Image
Weight (g)

Weight

In grams, the weight, as stated by the manufacturer/brand.

If there are differences in weight (due to multiple sizes or optional accessories) we'll list them here.

The default weight is the middle-most size, often this is size M.

415 g

S : 385 g / 13.6 oz
M : 415 g / 14.6 oz
L : 445 g / 15.7 oz
XL : 475 g / 16.8 oz
(weight converted from grams to ounces)

Fit Unisex
Sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Gear Loops

Number of Gear Loops

Gear loops are used to hold gear (quickdraws, cams, etc) onto your harness. 4 gear loops is most common.

0 - 1 Gear Loops

Most often on full body harnesses or guide/gym style harnesses.

2-3 Gear Loops

Mostly found on lighter harnesses made for [ski] mountaineering or high-end sport climbing where weight is a high priority.

4 - 5 Gear Loops

The standard/most common number for climbing harnesses. Perfect for sport and trad.

More Than 6 Gear Loops

Designed for long multi-pitch and big wall climbing, found on harnesses made to hold the maximum amount of gear.

Worth Considering

Occasionally, the number of gear loops will change on a harness model depending on the size. There could be 7 gear loops for the med/large but only 5 gear loops for the xsmall/small. In this case we list the highest number for the filters, and then write an explanation on the product page like, “Size S/XS can only fit 5 gear loops.”

4 Gear loops
Ice Clip Slots

Ice Clip Slot

Ice clipper slots are made to fit a carabiner that holds ice screws. These slots are generally only used by ice climbers but there is no disadvantage to having them on your harness.

Less than 40% of harnesses will have ice clipper slots. And those harnesses will usually have 2 or 4 slots, often located next to, or between, the gear loops.

No, 0
Belay / Tie-In One Loop
Waist Buckle Type Quick Adjust
Leg Buckle Type None (it stretches)
Drop Seat Yes
Haul Loop

Haul Loop

Trad climbers often look for a haul loop as they're intended to haul a rope (second line) or pack (while you climb the chimney).

A haul loop can also hold shoes or other accessories. Although not the intended use, it is also commonly used to hold a chalk bag.

Yes  (0kN)
Certification CE, EN, UIAA
Size Chart

S (will fit the upper range of XS)
Waist : 71-77 cm / 28-30.3 in
Legs : 48-53 cm / 18.9-20.9 in
M
Waist : 77-84 cm / 30.3-33.1 in
Legs : 52-57 cm / 20.5-22.4 in
L
Waist : 84-92 cm / 33.1-36.2 in
Legs : 55-60 cm / 21.7-23.6 in
XL (will fit the lower range of XXL)
Waist : 92-100 cm / 36.2-39.4 in
Legs : 57-62 cm / 22.4-24.4 in
(we converted centimeters to inches)

AVG RATING
5.680002
( 5.7 avg )
Rating
5.04
( 5 avg )

Comfortable to sit in all day

Pros
Very comfortable for belaying or weighing the rope to take a break
No excessive straps for adjustments dangling around like a rental harness
Cons
Thigh size could use some adjustability
Familiarity
I’ve used it a ton

Very comfortable and lots of room to clip all kinds of gear.  Wish the thighs offered a bit of adjustment.  It's a bit thick in the fabric and heavy but it's also what makes it very comfortable to wear and sit in.

Very comfortable and lots of room to clip all kinds of gear.  Wish the thighs offered a bit of adjustment.  It's a bit thick in the fabric and heavy but it's also what makes it very comfortable to wear and sit in.

Rating
6
( 6 avg )

A Great Sport Harness

Pros
So Comfortable
Stylish
Good Gear Loops
Familiarity
I’ve used it a ton

I switched to this harness after the BD solution redesign, and it's definitely one of my best decisions yet. This thing is so comfortable, I've hung in it for 8 hour days setting, and it really only started to hurt during the last few hours.

The gear loops are great, and I can carry my full rack on it if I rack carefully. This is what sets it far above the solution, whose gear loops can only hold about 7 or 8 carabiners. I would recommend this harness to anyone, basically

Rating
6
( 6 avg )

motoxnate

Pros
Comfortable
Lightweight
Versatile
Did I say comfortable?
Cons
Wish there were color choices
Familiarity
I’ve used it a bunch

I bought this harness after trying a few and reading extensive reviews about different harnesses. The sama was an awesome choice, it is extremely comfortable, very lightweight, and versatile enough to use for top roping and sport climbing indoors and outdoors.

I can't speak for trad climbing as I am not experienced. 
After using the harness the first time it honestly disappeared from my waist. I completely forgot I was wearing it until I was asked to belay and discovered I already was harnessed up. 
The leg loops are not adjustable but have elastic and fit my legs perfectly. I have zero complaints about that aspect either. Hanging comfort and belaying are 10/10. Sometimes I wish it came in color options, but the light gray has grown on me as well!

Next Adventure Gear Review rating 8/10

This is probably the most loved/top rated harness on the market right now. No matter what your climbing style is, it's going to work for you, and you're going to love this thing!

Outdoor Gear Lab Gear Review rating 5/5

The Petzl Sama is the highest rated harness in this review, leading us to award it our Top Overall Award. It is the most versatile climbing harness for rock climbing, and is being sold at a pretty reasonable price considering the performance. The new improvements will be appreciated by both longtime users and those climbers new to this harness, and we had a nearly impossible time finding anything that could be improved upon while testing it.

If you know of a good product video that should be here, let us know, and we'll put it up.

If you're looking for gear videos in general, check out our Vimeo and YouTube channels to see the newest gear.

The UIAA equipment standard provides a baseline for equipment performance in a test lab under controlled conditions on new equipment. Although these test conditions are relevant to the conditions encountered climbing, conditions encountered at the crags and the condition of the equipment are equally important. This recommendation from the UIAA member federation The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) provides vital equipment information that is NOT explicitly addressed in the standard, particularly failure modes of the equipment and recommendations for the use, inspection, maintenance, and retirement of equipment.

A checklist helping you monitor your harness health, helping to know when to retire your personal protection equipment.