Rock and Ice

Perhaps the best news is the great price point. If the usual top consideration is simply wearing a helmet as opposed to leaving it in the trunk or your pack, even more important is having, which means affording, one at all.go to full review

This harness only comes in two sizes, 1 and 2, which may not suit all women. Furthermore, the auto-adjusting elastic leg loops only have a few inches of play, which makes the harness neat and light—and the fit good and snug—but means women with small waists and larger legs, or vice versa, may find the fit doesn’t suit them. These leg loops also won’t be ideal for mountaineering or ice/mixed climbing, where you may need to pull the harness on over boots or crampons.go to full review

I really liked the tie-in protector, a plastic mold that fits across the tie-in point—an area that is prone to sawing—on the leg loops. Overall, I appreciated the clean, light, ergonomic simplicity of the design, and the modest price tag means this harness is real value for money. I’d highly recommend the Speedfit for just about any climber and any type of climbing.go to full review

The Ellipse XT is pitched as a big-day mountaineering harness—and it ticks that box—but its light and slim-line design also make it perfect for sport climbing. If you want a simple and versatile harness you can grab for any adventure, the Ellipse XT is a great choice.go to full review

My only qualm with this harness is the fit, and that is no doubt personal. The leg loops and waist belt are quick and easy to adjust, but for me the leg loops did not cinch down very tight, while the waist belt barely fitted over my hips.go to full review

The Technician was well up to the challenge of heavy use and performed faultlessly during trad, sport, alpine and multi-pitch outings. I’d recommend this harness for climbers who dabble in multiple climbing disciplines, but want one harness with which to meet all their whimsical climbing desires.go to full review

I couldn’t find a fault with the Zone. It is comfortable, its four outward canted gear loops make snapping things on and off … a snap! Even the narrow 3/8-inch-wide belay loop is a nice touch, if for no other reason than it is narrow, and that makes me feel lighter.go to full review

In the Gorges du Verdon we spent long days on walls filled with hanging belays. Weighing a hair over 17 ounces, the Adjama is twice the weight of my sport harness, but it is four times more comfortable. As we headed north to Céüse I wondered if I would notice the weight and regret having not brought a sport-specific harness. I didn’t. In fact, the width of the harness actually made me feel secure and confident, especially when facing those old-school Céüse runouts.go to full review

The four braided gear loops are ergonomic and an excellent size, but why, Singing Rock, oh why have you not given us even a little tag loop? The Pearl is beautifully comfortable and neat, and there are few harnesses I would rather sit in at a hanging belay, but without an accessory or tag loop the four gear loops quickly become overcrowded on multi-pitch routes. This oversight makes the Pearl best suited to women who value comfort on single-pitch routes of any discipline.go to full review

The Ultralights are the only cams in this review that sport single axles. Having one axle lets the Ultralights achieve smaller sizes than dual-axle models—better for small cracks and weight savings. Of course having one axle gives the Master Cams less range per unit than dual-axle cams, meaning you need more cams to fill your rack for a given range. And so goes the decades-old debate: Is it better to carry more pieces of pro or fewer pieces that fit a wider range?go to full review