How to put on a harness

Climbing / Popular

Fit and wear a climbing harness correctly before you tie in.

What coaches agree on

  • Position the waist belt above your hip bones and pull it snug - that keeps you in the harness if you end up upside down.
  • Before stepping in, lay the harness flat or hold it up and clear any twists from the waist belt and leg loops so it goes on the right way round.
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  • Check the waist belt's fit by sliding a flat hand or a couple of fingers underneath it - snug enough that you can't close a fist and pull free.
  • Once everything is tightened, tuck the loose tail of webbing away into the elastic keepers so nothing dangles loose while you climb.

Common mistakes

  • Threading the waist strap only partway through the buckle instead of doubling it all the way back through both bars, which can let the buckle work loose or the harness come undone under load.
Arc'teryx | Harness Fit Guide
Beginner

Arc'teryx | Harness Fit Guide

Coach's take: Concise and genuinely thorough - the rise check and wear-indicator tip are a cut above the basic version.

3.6
Wearing a Climbing Harness
Beginner

Wearing a Climbing Harness

Coach's take: Clear, correct, in the right order - good first lesson on putting on a harness.

3.6
How to put on a Harness
Beginner

How to put on a Harness

Coach's take: Clear, accurate, and hits the safety details that matter - a genuinely good how-to.

3.5
How To Fit A Climbing Harness
Beginner

How To Fit A Climbing Harness

Coach's take: Solid technique, including the fit-check most other videos skip — minor shop-visit plug at the end.

2.9
How to put a harness on
Beginner

How to put a harness on

Coach's take: Gets the steps right but skips the safety checks that actually matter -- pair it with a video that covers fit testing.

2.9
Putting on a Harness
Beginner

Putting on a Harness

Coach's take: Fine as a quick refresher, too thin to actually learn from cold.

2.4