Outdoor Gear Lab
With all the similar options available for kids sit harnesses, there are a couple of nice things that set this harness apart from the crowd. For one, the buckles slide and release super smoothly for use by even the smallest hands. And two, for hanging it is one of the two most comfortable available. However, a couple of things keep it from being a top performer. The craftsmanship doesn't meet the same standard as the others, and its stiff padding leaves kids wishing for a softer feel.go to full review
Petzl knows how to make a great harness and this little harness checks all the boxes. Comfort should always be a major consideration, and this is comfortable both on and off the wall. It features everything they'll need for any type of climbing activity, including large color-coded belay loop and tie in points, to the largest available pair of gear loops in a youth harness. If you are looking for a kids harness that can do just about anything the child will ask of it, the Petzl Macchu should..." go to full review
Black Diamond did a great job designing this harness. Not only does the harness look quality and high tech, but the padded shoulder harness and leg loops do an excellent job of supporting the climber's weight. Any kid who has a brand new passion for climbing often will love this comfortable, sporty harness.go to full review
On first impression, the Ophir didn't blow us away. It seemed basic and like nothing special, but after digging in a little, we started to appreciate everything it offers. It has tons of useful features that make it the best overall sit harness in our test, perfect for any kid regardless of how experienced they are or what their goals may be. Not only does it have features that the climber can appreciate, but it also has safety features that give peace of mind to the adults in the room (or..." go to full review
This harness won't ever be a limiting factor for kids who use it. It could very well be more harness than most kids would ever need, but with the great price, comfort, and security, it would work well for almost every kid who needs a full body harness. For extra adjustability or kids over 65 pounds, we would recommend the Petzl Simba but at the cost of comfort and bonus features.go to full review
If you can pony up the extra dough for a rack of ultralights, do it! These Black Diamond C4 Ultralight are everything we love about the C4s, at 75% of the weight, bringing big smiles to our faces everytime we rack the #4. The price may shy away some, but we so many shiny racks of brand new Camalot Ultralights at Indian Creek this fall. The people have spoken, and the future is looking lighter.go to full review
The La Sportiva Spantik is a fantastic high altitude alpine climbing boot. It is warm, lightweight, and dexterous, and climbs snow, ice, and rock with relative ease. This is an excellent choice for your 6000m peaks and can be extended to higher and colder objectives with neoprene overboots.go to full review
The La Sportiva Nepal Cube is the best of a long line of mountain boots. Our testing team thinks of this boot like the Toyota Tacoma of mountain boots; it's not the fastest or lightest or the highest tech, but it will get you there. If it fits your foot, this is a good quiver-of-one boot. For those of you who can't wait for summer to be over, and find yourselves watching Steve House solo Repentance and Remission on YouTube over and over, this is your boot.go to full review
The Scarpa Mont Blanc Pro is a classic single leather boot that gets the job done. Newer boot designs are warmer, lighter, and faster to lace up. If this boot is a great fit for your foot, you may like its climbing performance better than we did. Our testers felt that this boot fit lower volume feet better than the Nepal Evo. While it's not outstanding in any department, we think its all around performance is good.go to full review
The lightweight mountaineering boot can be an incredibly useful tool for mountaineers who like to enjoy all four seasons and for climbers who's main focus is the rock climbing but like to get out in the mountains occasionally. Both of those groups will be rewarded by this boot's low weight and comfortable hiking performance. It also climbs reasonably well overall, with an above average showing at mixed climbing and dry tooling and on rock without crampons. In many ways, this boot reminds us..." go to full review