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CAMP Supernova Review

A great all-around model for those who like to do a bit of everything
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CAMP Supernova Review
Credit: CAMP
Price:  $90 List
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Manufacturer:   CAMP USA
By Cam McKenzie Ring ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Aug 6, 2018
88
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Hanging Comfort - 30% 9.0
  • Standing Comfort - 25% 8.0
  • Features - 20% 9.0
  • Versatility - 15% 9.0
  • Adjustability - 10% 9.0

Our Verdict

Camp lists over 16 different harnesses on their website, and the Supernova is one of the only women's specific designs among them. While our first reaction is to be a little miffed that they don't offer us ladies any other options, at least the one they do offer is, in our opinion, outstanding. Sport climbing, trad climbing, alpine climbing, and even ice, this harness can do it all. The Supernova is comfortable and lightweight, truly versatile, and delivers a new standard for an all-around harness. The waistbelt contours specifically to a woman's figure, and we even liked the colors, which are a departure from the typical purples and pinks found on other women's harnesses. We tested this harness on steep sport routes and multi-pitch trad adventures, and it excelled in all conditions.
REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Comfortable
And versatile
REASONS TO AVOID
High-rise might not fit everyone
Less durable than other harnesses

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Camp Supernova harness weighs 12.8 ounces and is constructed using a Modified Edge Load technique. The interior of the waistbelt has a split webbing design, with the upper webbing contouring around the top edge, and the lower webbing contouring through the middle (as opposed to the bottom), to prevent it from cupping or contorting. The waistbelt is 3.75 inches at its widest and has 3 mm EVA foam padding inside. It has four plastic-covered gear loops that have flexible attachment points, as well as two attachment points in the back: one for a chalk bag and a structural haul loop. It also has an ice clipper slot on each side between the gear loops and a “No-Twist” belay loop.

Performance Comparison


camp supernova - our editors' choice winner worked as well on steep sport climbs as...
Our Editors' Choice winner worked as well on steep sport climbs as long traditional routes. Here Karen Sahn moves with ease through a classic Red Rock clip-up.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Standing Comfort


The Supernova is touted as being designed “by women, for women,” and we're inclined to believe the hype. It has one of the most comfortable and body contouring waistbelts that we've ever climbed in. It contours around the waist and above the hip bones, and then widens to an impressive nearly 4 inches in the back. Our testers found this harness very comfortable to wear all day, and barely noticed it was on thanks to the narrow belt around the front.


We preferred this design much more than that of the Petzl Luna and Petzl Selena, which is actually narrower at the back and then flares out around the hip bones. While that design might work well for men, who wear their harness on their hips, through informal polling of our lady climber friends we've determined that the majority of women (75-80%) wear their harness above their hips at their waist. There were a couple of models that were slightly more comfortable to stand, hike or belay in, but none beat the Supernova for hanging comfort.

camp supernova - sleek and slim, we loved the design of the supernova. it's...
Sleek and slim, we loved the design of the Supernova. It's breathable and contours nicely around our waist.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Hanging Comfort


This harness was very comfortable to hang in, particularly considering its lightweight nature.


According to Camp, it was originally conceived as a high-end sport climbing model. Many manufacturers seem to forget that sport climbers spend a lot of time hanging in their harnesses, either working a hard project or belaying someone who is, and forgo the padding on the waistbelt. The Supernova has 3 mm of EVA foam padding in the waistbelt and leg loops, which is not super beefy, but coupled with the extra-wide band in the back, it makes this harness surprisingly comfortable to hang in.

camp supernova - the wide, padded waistbelt is comfortable to hang in on long routes...
The wide, padded waistbelt is comfortable to hang in on long routes, and its contoured shape keeps it from feeling too bulky in the front.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Discipline-Specific Features


The Supernova has quite a few unique features, most of which we liked. They designed the back of this harness for a chimneying enthusiast. The leg loops attachment point is on the legs themselves, so there is no buckle or clip digging into your back when squeezed into a chimney. This also makes it less likely to accidentally detach itself in that scenario or when wearing a pack on top of your harness.


When purchasing a harness for traditional climbing, always inspect the back of the harness. You'll be better off with a model that has a smooth back with no buckles or plastic clips that will dig into your back when chimneying or doing other “awkward” trad moves.

camp supernova - there's no buckle on the waist for the leg loops, which you'll...
There's no buckle on the waist for the leg loops, which you'll appreciate when chimneying or wearing a pack over this harness. There's also a haul line loop and an extra clip-in loop for your chalk bag or extra gear in the rear.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

This harness, like most of Camp's, has their patented “No-Twist” belay loop. The belay loop has a slot sewn into it for your belay carabiner to go through, which prevents it from cross-loading when catching a fall. If the anti-cross-loading carabiners out there drive you nuts, like the Magnetron Gridlock Carabiner, then you'll love this design feature. It also comes with a structurally integrated haul loop, as well as an additional clip-in point above it for a chalk bag or rappel device. The one weird aspect of the design of this harness is that it closes on the right. This takes a little getting used to when you've been closing your harness on the other side for the last 20 years! Other than that, its features make it an excellent choice for both sport and traditional climbing.

camp supernova - the "no twist" belay loop. just slide your carabiner through the...
The “No Twist” belay loop. Just slide your carabiner through the slot in the belay loop and then attach your belay device. This prevents the carabiner from cross-loading when catching a fall, and also saves you from hassling with an anti-crossloading carabiner.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Versatility



camp supernova - high stepping in our editors' choice winning harness is no problem.
High stepping in our Editors' Choice winning harness is no problem.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

This truly is a versatile all-around harness. Sometimes we feel that all-around harnesses are trad climbing harnesses that you can also wear sport climbing because there aren't too many specific features that you need for that style of climbing. But more lightweight sport-specific harnesses are now on the market, and there seems to be a demand for lighter and less constricting designs. The Supernova fits both bills equally well.


The gear loops are deep and can easily hold a double set of cams (for those who like to rack on their harness), and when sport climbing, your quickdraws will stay within easy reach even on steep terrain. There are even two ice clipper slots, though some more alpine-specific harnesses have four.

camp supernova - the deep gear loops can easily accommodate your rack and extra...
The deep gear loops can easily accommodate your rack and extra webbing for building anchors.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Adjustability


We appreciate that Camp included adjustable leg loops on the Supernova, which most sport-specific harnesses don't have to cut down on the extra weight from a buckle. This can make it hard to size a harness if the circumference of your legs in proportion to your waist doesn't meet up with whatever the manufacturer has deemed “average” (and they seem to all have different ideas of what that even is).


The leg loops on this model can adjust up to 4 inches, and there is enough room in the waistbelt for it to fit over a fleece or softshell when climbing in colder weather. Some adjustable leg loops end up being more webbing than padding, but these still offer good coverage around the back and sides of the legs.

camp supernova - the adjustable leg loops are low profile and still gave us good...
The adjustable leg loops are low profile and still gave us good padding coverage.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Value


The Supernova is on the pricier end of the spectrum. You do truly get an all-around harness that can be used for every style of climbing, so in that sense, it is a good value. The one concern we have with this harness is the durability of the material. One of our testers uses this model as her personal harness, and after a year of intense use, she noticed substantial wear on her leg loops. She did use this harness extensively in that time, and in Red Rock, which is known for being tough on soft goods. If you're mainly scraping your body up desert sandstone routes, you may want to consider another harness. However, we are not sure that any material can actually hold up to those conditions!

camp supernova - significant wear on the leg loops of one of our tester's personal...
Significant wear on the leg loops of one of our tester's personal harness after a year of daily use.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Conclusion


While other harness manufacturers have a “female” version of most harnesses in their line up, these models seem to be identical versions of the men's, only in purple. Camp went back to the drawing board with the Supernova and designed a harness that complements a woman's physique and unique proportions. They also made it comfortable, lightweight, and completely versatile, and it blew all the competition out of the water. From sport to trad, to alpine and ice, our Editors' Choice winner can do it all, and do it in style.

Cam McKenzie Ring