UKC

Hello, 

In the not too distant future I need a new harness, and I can't get my head around whether there is actually a difference between "harness" and "woman's harness". The harness below has a standard version and a woman's version but the descriptions for both are identical, and sizing is the same. Pricing is the same, so it isn't a gender tax. 

https://rockrun.com/collections/harnesses/products/black-diamond-air-net?va...

https://rockrun.com/collections/harnesses/products/black-diamond-air-net-wo...

Some do have a bit more info https://rockrun.com/collections/harnesses/products/petzl-luna-womens-harnes...

Is that really a thing? Dare I ask what the desirable proportion is for a woman vs man? 

Women typically have wider hips, smaller waists and larger thighs than blokes and the harnesses usually reflect that. The rise from crotch to waist is also usually longer for women which can make it more comfy.

I wear a women's one in summer. I use a blokes harness in winter as I couldn't get the ladies version in my local shops and my other half (male) wore a ladies one for ages as he won it in a competition and it fitted him.  

Longer rise in women's models

proportionally larger leg loops to waistband (good for male cyclists)

Obviously most importantly - rubbish pastel colours.

Oh and never available in anything bigger than a large, which is usually somewhat smaller than a men's medium.

Whatever fits, but as noted they are different. 

This is an important point. While as others said the sizes are different, there is obviously a lot of variation in body size and shape within the sexes as well as between them so really you are just buying whatever one feels most comfortable and ticks all the boxes for gear loops and any other particular penchants you have. I don't know what the colours are like these days, always used to be that far too many women's harnesses were pink/purple but I'd imagine they've moved away from gender stereotype colours by now.

On a personal note, I'd love to be able to get a comfortable harness in neon pink, it would go well with my tiedyed t-shirts.

I recently bought a new harness and the women’s version was the comfiest for me (a fat middle aged guy). It’s a size L but in the men’s I would have been an M, so some manufacturers do have sizing differences as well as the above mentioned proportion changes  

Always important to have the option of buying a classic harness in an abhorrent shade of purple (or not buying a harness)  

How about this one: https://rockrun.com/products/edelrid-ace-harness?variant=39605827043509

Thanks. I think because I don't fit this model I was struggling to visualise it. 

Starting to wish they did gender-specific harnesses in kids sizes.

My daughters have had an Edelrid Finn XXS and eldest is getting a bit big for it, so ordered a Finn 3 in XS and the belay loop is dragging the waist belt down at the front - she's at the bottom end of the size, but is tall and skinny, so it'll only get worse from there. Might just be bad design, but now looking for other options...

The main benefit of a woman's harness used to be they came in better colours and with fewer gear loops, presumably so the little lady didn't have to worry her pretty little head about what the half-dozen superfluous loops on a chap's harness were actually for. I guess that may have changed over the years as crass gender stereotypes went out of fashion, hopefully along with 10 loop harnesses!

Also they say the 'rise' is bigger from leg loops to waist band. Pretty subtle I suspect on many but for me it made the difference as I have a freakishly long back making me top heavy but I still tend to stay upright without effort in a female fit harness.

I suspect in otherwise like for like harnesses there's maybe a bit more spare waistband webbing so it can be pulled over hips onto a more pronounced waist than. Likewise, probably slightly bigger leg-waist ratio than for a the same male harness. And a little bit more fabric in the belay loop or the leg loop attachment.

jk

I don't think the 'rise' is a mall consideration at all, at least personally speaking.  There is a big difference, manufacturer to manufacturer, even in men's harnesses.

Definitely a case of try before you buy !

I think we've got the descriptions the wrong way around:

"blokes" harnesses have more gut room relative to leg size than womens. 

And they tend to have more faff loops to facilitate collecting and droning on about esoteric bits of gear that they never place and "looking" professional.

So much you can adjust on a climbing harness.  Try before you buy.  I think you may find 95% of them fit 95% of climbers.