Petzl Sama Review: Beginners Climbing Harness

If you have developed a passion for climbing and are set to rope up, there is a set of gear critical for you before you get going. Among these gear, a climbing harness holds key importance.

What actually is a harness?

A climbing harness is equipment that secures a climber to a rope or anchor point while descending or ascending. Or in rock climbing terms, it is necessary equipment used for safety both while climbing and belaying.

Today’s market is filled with a wide range of climbing harnesses, designed by well-known manufacturers. And when we talk about these renowned manufacturers, we can’t forget about PETZL– a French manufacturer of climbing gear, caving gear, work-at-height equipment, and headlamps.

Known for its reputation for quality climbing gear manufacturing, the company put forth the new product, Petzl Sama, among climbing enthusiasts. Since its redesign in 2018, the product consistently ranked as one of the top climbing harnesses for rock climbing thanks to its sturdy design, exceptional functionality, and well-rounded features.

In this article, we are going to brief you about this single product – Petzl Sama Climbing Harness – the one that has satisfied the passionate climbers.

Petzl Sama: The Overview

This beginner’s Sama climbing harness from Petzl is a well-padded and durable mid-range harness built with the manufacturer’s reliable craftsmanship and high-quality materials. The product utilizes a combination of foam and split webbing along with the fixed leg loops and a streamlined build that is ideal for rock climbing.

Constructed using materials such as nylon, polyester, EVA, polyurethane, aluminum, and high-modulus polyethylene, this product also features an ENDOFRAME Technology construction that allows for excellent weight distribution.

Feature Highlights

• Features ENDOFRAME Technology Construction
• Includes fitted elastic leg loops for maximum freedom of movement
• Comes with the DoubleBack Light buckle on the waist belt for quick and easy adjustment
• Features tie-in-points made of high-tenacity polyethylene
• Includes rear loop for haul rope
• Comes with the detachable leg-loop keeper straps
• Features Individual Riser Attachments for maximum adjustability and comfortable hanging
• Backed with a three-year manufacturer’s warranty

Product Details

Dimensions: 13 x 7 x 4 inches
Weight: 1.5 pounds
Construction: Foam, split webbing
Gear Loops: 4
Leg Loops: Fixed
Haul Loop: Yes
Ice Clipper Slots: No
Adjustment Mechanism: Single Pull Tab
Designed For: Sport, indoor, and traditional climbing

Detailed Features

Comfort and freedom of movement are a few key positives of this handy climbing harness. Other than that, the product features tie-in-points that are incredibly durable and can withstand large amounts of rope friction.

Here are the key features of the Petzl Sama climbing harness:

Ultimate Comfort

As we have mentioned above, with the redesign, Petzl has added handy features in this Sama that make it a quality pick for overall comfort. The major addition is the inclusion of ENDOFRAME Technology. This innovative technology assists in distributing the weight optimally and offers climbers with ultimate comfort.

Whether you are hanging, standing, or belaying, you are sure to achieve maximum comfort wearing this affordable and popular harness.

Hanging Comfort

This climbing harness scores some classy points when it comes to hanging comfort due to its newly redesigned fixed leg loops. With the new feature, the majority of your bodyweight feels reasonably well distributed across your legs.

When you hang at a belay or on route or while belaying, the leg loops hold roughly half of your weight, and the remaining half rests on the lower back supported by the waist belt. The ENDOFRAME construction of the waist belt and its subsidiary strap helps with proper load distribution.

All of the straps come well padded on the inside that offers you exceptional comfort. With that, you won’t feel uncomfortable while hanging.

Standing Comfort

With the renovated fixed leg loops, you are sure to enjoy un-constricted mobility using this climbing harness. This feature also comes handy for your accommodation if you have thick thighs.

Unlike most harnesses, you never have to worry about friction, chafing, or hindered movement with this premium product. One downside of this product is that, due to its bulkier padded waist belt, it doesn’t sit as comfortably under a pack’s waist belt as those are harnesses with unpadded waist belts.

Belaying Comfort

Just like while hanging and standing, this particular climbing harness also promises belaying comfort. With its thinner and perfectly tapered leg loops, you can get the best fit with your legs, thus offering you a better belay option.

The design makes the leg loops pinch down to a thin connector and sit against the inside of the legs over the femoral artery. Despite that, the shape never allows you to feel scooped out while belaying for long periods in less comfortable options.

Additional Features

Besides its innovative design focused on maximum comfort, the climbing harness comes with tons of additional features for your convenience. The first of them is the four equipment loops, offering you both flexibility and versatility in your climb.

These handy loops are located on the front and rear that help you get the most out of this product without any undue pressure. Likewise, the DoubleBelt Light buckles help you to adjust your waist belt at any time with no issues.

Similarly, this harness features tie-in-points that are very durable and can withstand large amounts of rope friction. The haul loop is easy to clip and go, and the single auto-locking waist buckle is swift to use. Not to forget, the individual Riser Attachments are there for maximum adjustability and comfortable hanging.

Versatility

Well-suited for any style of rock climbing, the Sama’s large gear loops, an easy-to-clip haul loop, and promising comfort make this harness one of the best, and versatile options available. Moreover, this is also the reason why it is termed as the best “all-around” option.

However, the only knock against its versatility is the inclusion of fixed leg loops instead of adjustable ones. Besides, it’s new design leaves out the ice clipper slots, which are very important and handy to have when ice climbing.

Our Opinion

Overall, given the performance it offers, this climbing harness from Petzl is the most versatile product sold at a pretty reasonable price. Although the product is bulkier than some models, the extra heft aids in its durability and comfort, making the Sama a great day-in and day-out workhorse.

However, the leg loops are not adjustable despite being elasticized. This lack of adjustability limits the fit and causes discomfort. Nevertheless, you won’t be getting all these handy features from an affordable harness, would you?

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