This is the harness that you see in all of the pro climbing videos, as it is likely the best sport climbing harness on the market. However, for the price, we could not name it the best sport climbing harness of 2021. It is lightweight, has slots for an ice screw clipper, and comes in a very attractive bright orange. If you have been climbing for a long time and want a harness that can keep up with your 14a climbing project, the Sitta is the harness for you. It is easily one of the highest performing harnesses on the market, but the price tag kept it from the top of our list.

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See Our Best Climbing Harness Review 2021

Petzl is a very big player in the climbing and professional rope access world. With the slogan “Access the Inaccessible,” it makes sense that they design gear for all the hard to reach places of the world.

The Sitta is Petzl’s high-end climbing harness that works very well in the alpine as well as a climbing gym. It comes in a very flashy orange, and from the outset, it looks very good. While being on the higher end of the price bracket at $200, this is a harness that is versatile and is excellent for climbers who are looking to tackle multiple pursuits in terms of climbing style and who want something lightweight but extremely durable.

Design

The Sitta uses Petzl’s WIREFRAME technology that runs through the leg loops and waist belt to keep the harness very light and flexible but strong. This technology removed the need for foam in the waist belt and leg loops, making it a good harness for ice climbing as there is less material for water to soak into and freeze. The WIREFRAME can be seen from the outside along the back of the harness through the white detailing fabric.

The leg loops are fixed, so ensuring that you buy the right sizing for your legs is important or hanging and trying to walk around in the harness will be uncomfortable. There is elasticity in the front of the leg loop to allow for adjustment on the wall or during a climb to help improve mobility.

Comfort

The Petzl Sitta WIREFRAME technology takes away the use of foam for comfort and relies on evenly spread Spectra strands for weight distribution. The WIREFRAME technology also makes the harness extremely light, which in some worlds means a negative correlation with comfort. However, with the Sitta, your weight is distributed well and there are no obvious pressure points that will lead to discomfort. All in all, this is a very comfortable harness, and at only 300g, it is impressively lightweight.

Gear Loops

The Petzl Sitta has great gear organization. There are four gear loops along the waist belt; the two front loops are rigid and include a sliding “divider” to help keep your gear organized on the wall. The two rear gear loops are flexible so that they will sit comfortably under a backpack on longer multi-pitch climbs. There is a haul loop at the back of the harness for your chalk bag or the haul line as well.  

Petzl also included two Caritool compatible loops near the front of the harness, which when the Caritool (sold separately) is attached is where ice screws would go to keep them away from your legs—those things are sharp.

We are impressed with the gear loop set up on the Sitta, not only is it extremely versatile but it is so easy to keep organized and that can be crucial while climbing hard and staying on the move.

The Bottom Line

At $200, the Petzl Sitta is expensive, but it is a jack of all trades kind of harness. Capable of hitting the alpine or the local crag, the Sitta will get you into the “inaccessible,” like Petzl promises. With the WIREFRAME technology keeping the harness light, flexible, and quite comfortable, it’s a great harness. The gear loops keep everything organized and easy to reach, so there isn’t anything else you could ask for. Again, maybe a lower price tag would be nice, but that’s life sometimes. You need to splash out to get the good stuff, and for a piece of gear that will literally hold your life in its metaphorical hands, why not splash out on this?

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