The Arc’teryx Skaha Harness: A Review

When climbers think of Arc’teryx, they think of harnesses. The first products the company made way back in 1989 were harnesses. Before packs and jackets and shoes, they were a harness company. All these years later, the brand has a well-deserved reputation for building innovative, state-of-art harnesses for all types of climbing. Their new Skaha harness follows in this legacy.

Catered to single and multi-pitch climbing, the Skaha is Arc’teryx’s top-of-the-line harness, coming in at a higher price-point than their popular AR-395a. The Skaha aims to be lightweight, strong, durable, and comfortable – a tough combination for any piece of kit. The harness manages to excel at all four of these metrics, making it an excellent choice for sport and trad climbers. Over the past couple of months, I got the chance to test out the Skaha on single-pitch sport climbs and multi-pitch sport and trad routes.

The Skaha uses Arc’teryx’s Warp Strength Technology (WST), a proprietary technology they’ve used in previous harness models. The technology allows them to radically change the shape of webbing while still maintaining its full strength. This means the harness equally distributes pressure, making for very comfortable hangs and catches. It is very comfy to hang in, whether that be during long sessions dogging up a project or extended hanging belays on a multi-pitch. I experienced no hot spots or pressure points.

The harness is also constructed with 150D honeycomb mono mesh, a technology that covers the waistbelt and leg loops with tiny hexagons that add durability and flexibility. The Spacermesh liner on the inside of the belt and loops is very breathable, allowing airflow on those hot summer days outdoors or in the gym. The Skaha feels comfortable and breathable when worn directly on the skin, whether that be shirtless or climbing in shorts. The harness doesn’t feel heavy or bulky at all. With the combined WST and honeycomb mono mesh, the harness comes in the staggeringly low weight of just 298 g (10.5 oz).

I love the Skaha’s four large, rigid gear loops that can easily fit 20 (or more) quickdraws or a double or triple rack with extra room in the back for multi-pitching essentials. There’s a haul loop at the very back of the harness for bringing up a haul line or tagline or stowing extra gear. For safety, the tie-in points and belay loop feature wear safety markers so you’ll know when it’s time to retire the harness. The leg loops are not adjustable. They are wide, comfy and supportive, but potentially lack the space to accommodate bulky or insulated pants.

The Skaha doesn’t come cheap, but if you’re up for making the investment, you’ll be rewarded with a harness well-suited for any sport or single-pitch trad climbing days at the crag. Its lightweight and durable design also make it a great option for multi-pitching. If you’re more into alpine, ice, and big walling adventures, you might instead want to opt for a burlier design like the AR-395a, which comes with ice clipper slots and adjustable leg loops.

The men’s version of the Skaha is offered in sizes XS to XL. The women’s Skaha features a different design and fit, and is offered in sizes XXS to XL.