Rock climbing harnesses are one of the least sustainable pieces of outdoor gear. But they’re also a pretty necessary one, for climbers, mountaineers, and canyoneers alike.  

Unfortunately, they’re also something you can’t really buy used gear considering there’s no safe way of assessing the condition of a harness.  It may look like new, but you just never know what’s going on with the inner materials and considering it’s an essential piece of safety gear, the price of not knowing can be pretty high.

Harnesses are not eco friendly generally speaking because they consist of a whole hodgepodge of materials generally included (but not limited to) nylon, polyester, EVA foam, polyurethane, high-modulus polyethylene (aka thermoplastic), and aluminum.

Other than aluminum, none of these components are readily recyclable and they all come from petroleum-based oil products. While certain components could easily be made from recyclables synthetic fibers, for some reason, the outdoor industry has snagged that idea yet.

So how do we find eco friendly rock climbing harnesses? 

First, we look to ethical outdoor gear brands that are aware of the impact of their products and are at least making an effort to minimize it by starting to make eco friendly climbing gear.

We opt to do what we can and choose the most sustainable climbing harness options that exist, even “most” still has a long way to go to improve. Currently, the best eco rock climbing harnesses are made with bluesign® fabrics.

*This post contains affiliate links.

Before we climb, we have to do our cross-checks and let’s explain some things first. Namely, what’s the bluesign® system is. Essentially, this fabric and fiber certification system aims to create more eco friendly textile production criteria by implementing more sustainable “input-stream management” practices.

Through third-party on-site audits, it assesses a material’s impact on five major environmental areas: resource productivity, consumer safety, water emissions, air emissions, and occupational health and safety.  It factors into account any chemicals used in fabric processing and categorizes them by toxicity: blue (safe), gray (special handling required), and black (no no). To achieve the bluesign® seal of approval, all chemicals must fall into the blue category.

There’s a difference between a bluesign® product and a product using bluesign® approved materials. Except for the Edelrid Huascarian, all climbing harnesses fall into the later category meaning they don’t fully use bluesign® fabrics. 

Because the bluesign® product certification allows for such a small margin of non-bluesign® fabrics, harnesses are perhaps the most difficult piece of climbing gear to earn a bluesign® certification because they bare metal and foam components, which inherently cannot be bluesign® certified. 

Of over 300 harnesses on the market, less than 10 bear the official bluesign® mark.

Eco friendly outdoor clothing and eco friendly climbing ropes, on the other hand, are much easier to certify because they bear very few non-fiber components. 

Why choose bluesign®?

bluesign® harnesses (and bluesign® products in general) are a no-brainer because, well, why wouldn’t we want to see fewer toxic chemicals used to make our products before being dumped into the environment (whether via air pollution, water leaching, and/or eventual degradation in a landfill).  

Using bluesign® fabrics to a harness results in a the following manufacturing decreases:

• 62% CO reduction

• 89% decrease in water consumption

• 63% decrease in energy usage

• 63% reduction in chemical usage

Ethically, it means the factory workers won’t be exposed to so many toxic chemicals, and as consumers, we won’t be wearing them and exposing ourselves to them.

Now that we’ve checked in with these important things, the belay is ready and it’s time to climb on in the following environmentally friendly climbing harnesses.

Navigation For Eco Friendly Rock Climbing Harnesses

OFFICIAL BLUESIGN APPROVED HARNESSES

Edelrid Huascaran
Edelrid Jay / Jayne III
Edelrid Sendero
Edelrid Sirana
Edelrid Loopo Lite
Edelrid Finn III (kid’s)
Edelrid Fraggle III (kid’s)

UNOFFICIAL BLUESIGN APPROVED HARNESSES

Black Diamond Solution
Petzl Hirundos
Petzl Aquila
Petzl Sitta

RECYCLING A RETRIED CLIMBING HARNESS

OFFICIALLY BLUESIGN APPROVED HARNESSES

Edelrid Huascaran

Edelrid is one of our favorite eco friendly outdoor gear brands, for both their harnesses and recycled eco rock climbing ropes.

This is the first and only bluesign® PRODUCT. That means every single component of this harness meets bluesign® standards. Upon its release in 2015, it was so revolutionary that it earned the design an Outdoor Industry award. Five years later and still nothing has managed to equal it, sustainability speaking.

It’s not totally fair to criticize other harnesses for being unable to reach the Huascaran’s standard. Its minimal alpine design and ultralite build mean it doesn’t incorporate things like padding (which thus far doesn’t have a truly sustainable solution) in the waist belt and leg loops. It’s not built for comfort; it’s built for fast and light ascents. For mountaineering and glacier travel, this featherweight harness will layer seamlessly over even the most bulky of outer layers. 

Find it here: Backcountry  / Amazon

Edelrid Jay / Jayne III

The Edelrid Jay III and Jayne III, men’s and women harnesses, respectively, is a versatile, all-around harness that’s suitable for summer sport and trad and winter ice and alpine. Its 3D mesh hip padding cushions hard falls and makes long hanging belays downright comfortable (okay maybe not exactly comfortable but you get the idea). 

It also features Edelrid’s usual Dyneema reinforced tie-in points and belay loop for added durability. More safety and a longer master harness!

Find the Men’s Jay here: Backcountry  / REI / Amazon

Find the Women’s Jayne here: Backcountry  / REI / Amazon

Edelrid Sendero

Edelrid’s latest harnesses release!  The Sendero is a light alpine harness “made for climbing multi-pitches like Portrero”. It’s not only made of Edlerid’s ultra comfortable 3D mesh passing, but all the soft webbing edges are fully bluesign® approved fabrics.  This all comes in the form of a wide waistband that optimally distributed force while allowing for a lower bulk in the straps (thus making it easier to pack).

This harness is suitable for light sport and trad, too, as well as mountaineering and alpine pursuits. This is mainly due to the Slide Block buckles that fully open and allow the harness to go on over skis and crampons.  The hardpoints come with built-in Dyneema wear indicator to help you know when it’s time to retire your harness.

Find it here:  Backcountry / REI / Amazon / Moosejaw

Edelrid Sirana

Edelrid’s OTHER 2020 release, an all-around alpine harness designed specifically for multi-pitch and long haul climbs. For the most part, it features the same specs as the Sendero but it just a touch bulkier in the fabric in some places.

Find it here:  Backcountry / Amazon / Moosejaw

Edelrid Loopo Lite

Another ultralight and minimalist harness designed for alpine touring and ski mountaineering, the Loopo Lite not only layers easily over any amount of winter layers, but also fits easily into a pack already crammed with winter gear and avalanche safety equiptment.  With completely flexible straps, it folds up into barely more than a palm-sized package that can actually fit in your pants pocket.

Despite its small size, it’s still made of durable Dyneema with load-bearing edge bindings so you aren’t making any safety or security compromises.   The second tie-in loop adds stability and centeredness on precarious rappels with skis. It also features four gear loops, and detachable elastic leg loops for easy in/off if you’re wearing crampons

Find it here: Backcountry  / Amazon   / Moosejaw

Edelrid Finn III

A kid’s sit harness, the Finn III features a moveable foam waistband that creates plants of comfort and cushioning for developing little bodies. The 3D mesh padding also features a soft edge design to ensure it won’t cut into skin when fully sitting in the harness. Lastly, it even has two gear loops so your kiddo can store all their climbing basics.

Find it here: REI / Amazon / Moosejaw

Edelrid Fraggle III

This eco friendly full-body child’s harness is made of 3D mesh padding and soft webbing edges for optimum comfort for fussy kids. It’s dimensionally stable and even weight distribution design ensures maximum project for younger children just learning ropes. Despite the full body enclosure, the double hard point tie-in points which also serve as the closure mechanism enable it to be slipped on and off with ease and without adult assistance. 

Not only is this harness good for climbing, but it’s dual attachment points make it good for other outdoor activities as well. Clip into the back point for activities like skiing or hiking on steep terrain.

It’s also built with “growing construction” which ensures a secure fit and lots of adjustability even as kids grow (as they rapidly do at that age). One harness (almost) fits all for the whole time your child will need a full body.

Find it here: Backcountry / Amazon / Moosejaw

UNOFFICIALLY / FORMERLY BLUESIGN APPROVED HARNESSES

Some ethical outdoor brands, like Black Diamond and Petzl, once held a bluesign® partnership but now no longer do for whatever reason.  However, just because a company is no longer listed as a bluesign® doesn’t mean they don’t use bluesign® practice (for the same reason that organic food and personal care products may still contain only organically grown ingredients).  

Certifications are largely a financial matter and more often than not, a company elects to simply forgo the official seal while still using the same practices. While certification provide a nice reassurance to conscious consumers, they aren’t the end-all-be-all.   It’s highly unlikely that former bluesign® partners change the manufacturing processes of their products, especially those designed and perfected during the certification period.  Because they are no longer an official partner, the harnesses cannot bear the official bluesign® even if their manufacturing still adheres to the same processes.

For that reason, we’ve included these harnesses that are made using bluesign®  standards… unofficially.

Black Diamond Solution

One of the all-time best-selling all-around harnesses, Black Diamond’s Solution Harness is aptly named. Its comfortable design and wide hip straps are especially ideal for sport climbers who spend long hours on a rope repeatedly taking falls while projecting.  Featuring load distributing Fusion Comfort Technology, this harness is designed to take pressure away form more sensitive areas like the crotch by fusing together three strands of 4-way stretch nylon and 3D air mesh.

For practical purposes, it features 4 specious pressure-molded gear loops, and auto-locking waistbelt buckle and releasable butt risers for easy bathroom breaks without having to take off your harness.  

Note that Black Diamond hasn’t been an official bluesign® partner since 2018 for whatever reason.  However, this harness originally bore the bluesign® seal of approval and the design hasn’t really changed.

Don’t forget to check out their selection of vegan rock climbing shoes to eco-fy your whole climbing getup.

Find the Men’s Solution here: Black Diamond / Backcountry  / REI / Amazon  / EMS / Outland USA / Moosejaw

Find the Women’s Solution here: Black Diamond / Backcountry  / REI /  Amazon  / EMS / Outland USA / Moosejaw

Petzl Hirundos

This technical sport and alpine harness features a unisex design and a lightweight, low bulk profile, among the lightest of Petzl’s eco friendly climbing harness fleet.  It features the least amount if padding so it’s designed for confident red point attempts and leading ice where the rule of thumb is already, “don’t fall”. It’s definitely not a harness you’ll want to be fall hard into, but it’s thermo-molded padding and pressure-point eliminating FuseForm design is still capable of cushioning accidental falls. 

Find it here: Backcountry  / Amazon  / EMS / Moosejaw

Petzl Aquila

Petzl’s Aquila harness is a specifically designed to be their top-performing all-around harness.  Use it for sport cragging, trad multi-pitch, or technical ice and alpine climbs. Again, with FuseForm technology, it’s light and extremely packable while the thermo-molded padding in the waist belt makes it surprisingly cushioning and comfortable.  You would never believe such a thin harness could be so comfortable to sit in!

Find it here: Backcountry  / Amazon  / EMS / Moosejaw

Petzl Sitta

Be warned: Petzl’s Sitta harness doesn’t run cheap.  At $200, it’s by far the most expensive harness on this list, especially given it’s one of the most minimal.  However, for a lightweight climbing and mountaineering harness, it’s a great product (and in the outdoor world, less weight generaly means more money!).  

Featuring WireFrame technology, Spectra stranding, and honeycomb mesh straps, this is one of the lightest, most compact, yet sturdiest harnesses of its class on the market.  For serious mountaineers and alpinists, it’s a worthwhile investment.  

Find it here: Backcountry  / Amazon / Outland USA / Moosejaw

How to Recycle a Retired Climbing Harness

The single most sustainable action you can take with your climbing harness is by trying to make it last as long as possible.  All climbing gear becomes eco friendly climbing gear when well taken care of and made to last.

While manufacturers generally recommend a lifespan of about 5 years, that’s most for liability purposes and harness, if correctly cared for, can last much longer.  Personally, I know tons of people (myself included) that get by just fine extending that. That said, I make no official claims so don’t sue me if anything happens. 

Keep your harness clean and stored away from materials that might harm it. In other words, don’t toss it the floorboard of your car after a longer day at the crag. 

Signs you know it’s actually time to retire a harness include any red showing through on the straps (for models with built-in Dyneema wear indicators, like Edelrid) or visible wear to the tie in points or belay loop. See Backcountry’s guide on knowing when to replace your harness.

When that happens, how do you responsibly dispose of a retired climbing harness?

Again, manufacturers take the least sustainable route here by recommending you cut them to prevent anyone from accidentally reusing them.  From a sustainability standpoint, that sucks, but from a safety one…. we get it. Even nice looking harness might have degrading webbing or unseen flaws at the core.

Here are some more eco friendly options for recycling old climbing harnesses: 

• Downgrade older harnesses to gym or toprope harnesses, where it won’t be absorbing as much fall impact. It may be old enough that you don’t want to whip on it, but fine for easier gym climbing.

• Use it as a skijouring harness: Wear it to have your dog tow you on skis in the winter.  Perfectly safe and saves you a ton of money on trdaitionally expensive skijour specific harnesses.

• Turn it into a belt: Climbing crafts are great, especially if it yields something practical and useful.  See this blog post for a tutorial on how to turn your old harness into a belt.

• Make the leg loops into a yoga matt carrier: A super simple one!  Just detach the leg loops and slip them around your yoga mat for a ready-made carrier.  

• Climber Halloween costume, anyone?

• Get creative!  Nylon webbing it useful for all kinds of things, so just think twice before throwing your harness away. You might even come up with a great gift for rock climbers with your creation.

**This post contains affiliate links to support the continued creation of these van life guides. This just means that if you purchase something from one of the links above, I get a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Read more here or reach out with more questions.