The Petzl GriGri is the best and most popular active assist braking device on the market today. If you are looking to add a little bit of security to your belaying beyond the simple tube, this is the device we would recommend before any other.go to full review
With its versatile feature set, the Aquila can be used for most styles of climbing, with trad being the one style that we would avoid due to not having enough usable racking space. It is probably most suited for alpine mixed climbing and mountaineering, provided your warm clothes don't force you to loosen the leg loops up too much. It also makes for a pretty nice sport climbing harness, and it would work well in the gym as well.go to full review
The Black Diamond Momentum is a minimally featured harness that is comfortable, has super adjustable leg loops, and is very light. It is also significantly less expensive than harnesses that perform roughly the same, inspiring us to award it our Best Bang for the Buck. It's an awesome choice for any entry-level climber or just someone who needs a comfortable new harness and doesn't want to break the bank.go to full review
The Arc'teryx FL-365 is designed to be "Fast and Light," with fixed elastic leg loops to cut down on weight and bulk. It is one of the most versatile harnesses you can buy, but comes at a pretty high price compared to the competition.go to full review
The Black Diamond Technician fills a hole in BD's harness lineup by catering to those who like to climb dry rock in the summer as well as frozen ice in the winter, without having to own multiple harnesses to do so. We are a bit disappointed that it isn't as comfortable as the Solution, one of the comfiest harnesses we have every used, but feel like its feature set and price do a good job setting up the all-arounder for success.go to full review
The Petzl Sitta is the most versatile harness that we have tested, in large part due to its extremely light weight and amazing packability. Not only do these qualities make it a great choice for alpine and mountaineering expeditions when all weight must be carried in, but they also add to its mobility. We found nothing about this harness that we didn't like, except its price tag, but sometimes you need to pay more to get the best.go to full review
The Petzl Adjama is our Top Pick for Trad Climbing and Multi-pitch adventures because it combines comfort and gear carrying capacity, the two most critical components of any long-route harness. It is easily one of the most comfortable you can buy, and comes at a relatively affordable price. We preferred to use it only for these styles due to its bulk and weight, and chose something lower profile when heading out sport climbing or for the alpine.go to full review
We like a lot of things about the Sterling Fusion Nano IX. It's lightweight, handles well, and it fared pretty well during our tests. This is a great rope for certain situations, like a hard onsighting on a long route, but it's not the best everyday cragging rope. The new DryXP treatment also makes it suitable for Alpine and Ice climbs, though the rise of the Unicore lines has us preferring them in those situations due to the extra bit of safety that they provide. The Nano is still a great..." go to full review
The Edelrid Swift Eco Dry is an 8.9mm rope that comes in lengths between 60m and 80m, and is best used for situations where weight savings is mandatory. We loved our 80m for onsight attempts on 40m pitches at Chulilla and Montsant in Spain, and also laud Edelrid for taking the steps necessary to produce the most environmentally friendly climbing rope they could. While it isn't a highly affordable choice, it is certainly one that is worth the money.go to full review
The Sterling Evolution Helix is a skinny workhorse rope that hits the perfect sweet spot between light weight and great durability. We think it is one of the best ropes we have used for almost any type of climbing.go to full review