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Arc'teryx AR-385a Review

Packs down small for lightweight adventures
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arc'teryx ar-385a climbing harness women review
Credit: Arc'teryx
Price:  $159 List
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Manufacturer:   Arc'teryx
By Jane Jackson & Cam McKenzie Ring  ⋅  May 11, 2020
76
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#5 of 9
  • Hanging Comfort - 30% 5.0
  • Standing Comfort - 25% 9.0
  • Features - 20% 7.0
  • Versatility - 15% 10.0
  • Adjustability - 10% 9.0

Our Verdict

The Arc'teryx AR-385a has adjustable leg loops but is otherwise very similar to the FL-355. These harnesses use the same "Warp Technology," and have very thin but wide waistbelts and leg loops, making them easy to recognize at the crag. The load feels evenly distributed over our waists, and we didn't notice the lack of padding. What was not so comfortable were the leg loops. Even though the edges can roll a bit, they still dug into the back of our legs, making this one uncomfortable to hang in. It has some great all-around features, like four ice clipper slots and it packs down small, taking up little room in your backpack.
REASONS TO BUY
Versatile
Mobile
And compact
REASONS TO AVOID
Thin leg loops dug into the back of our legs when hanging
A current colorway for the Arc'teryx AR-385a is shown above.

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arc'teryx ar-385a climbing harness women review
This Product
Arc'teryx AR-385a
Awards  Editors' Choice Award Best Buy Award Top Pick Award  
Price $159 List$99.95 at REI
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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76
Star Rating
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Pros Versatile, mobile, and compactComfortable, very durable, five gear loops, simple designComfortable, easy to clip rigid gear loops, great value, adjustable leg loop system is light and easyLightweight, breathable, comfortable, and highly mobileSliding waist belt keeps the belay loop in front as you adjust it, comfortable to hang in, durable
Cons Thin leg loops dug into the back of our legs when hangingOn the expensive side, a bit bulky, stiff leg loopsWaist belt doesn't have the best ventilationUncomfortable if leg loops don't fit youRear haul loop isn't very functional, bulky especially around leg loops
Bottom Line Packs down small for lightweight adventuresWe love this model for its emphasis on durability and comfortOne of the best and least expensive all around harnesses in this reviewA lightweight and thin harness that is comfortable to hang inThis all-around harness is a good beginner model and also good for gyms or programs
Rating Categories Arc'teryx AR-385a Black Diamond Solut... Black Diamond Momentum Black Diamond Solution Edelrid Jayne
Hanging Comfort (30%)
5.0
9.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
Standing Comfort (25%)
9.0
8.0
9.0
9.0
8.0
Features (20%)
7.0
9.0
8.0
9.0
8.0
Versatility (15%)
10.0
7.0
8.0
6.0
7.0
Adjustability (10%)
9.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
8.0
Specs Arc'teryx AR-385a Black Diamond Solut... Black Diamond Momentum Black Diamond Solution Edelrid Jayne
Designed for these Disciplines Sport, Trad, Ice Trad, Multipitch Sport, Trad Sport Sport, Trad, Ice
Weight in Ounces (Size Small) 13 oz 12.5 oz 10.3 oz 11.4 oz 15.5 oz
Gear Loops 4 (rigid with flexible attachment points) 5 (4 rigid, 1 flexible) 4 (rigid) 4 (rigid) 4 (rigid with flexible attachment points)
Haul Loop Yes (not full strength) Yes Yes Yes (not full strength) Yes (very small)
Adjustable Legs? Yes (detacheable) No Yes No Yes
Self-Locking Buckle? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Ice Tool Holder Slot Yes (4) No No No Yes (2)
Waistbelt Construction Warp Strength Technology Fusion Comfort Technology (3 strands of webbing) Dual Core (2 thin bands of webbing with foam in between) Fusion Comfort Technology (3 strands of webbing) 3D mesh padding
Special Features Colored fibers inside high wear points to indicated when it's time to retire Extra padding in waistband trakFIT leg adjusters are low profile and lightweight Leg loops have same wide construction as waistbelt Plastic protector over bottom tie-in point

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Arc'teryx AR-385a has a four-inch wide "warp technology" waistbelt. Instead of placing padding around one or two bands of webbing which carry the load, this construction distributes it across the entire harness, which has no padding at all. There are four plastic-covered rigid gear loops with flexible attachment points and a non-structural loop in the back for a haul line or extra gear. There are also four ice clipper slots sewn to the outside of the harness. Note that the AR-385a is almost the same as the Arc'teryx FL-355. The AR (all-around) has adjustable leg loops, and the FL (fast and light) has fixed leg loops.

Performance Comparison


arc'teryx ar-385a climbing harness women review - we found this model easy to climb in and we like the extra wide...
We found this model easy to climb in and we like the extra wide waist belt, but the thin leg loops dig into the back of our thighs when hanging.
Credit: Libby Sauter

Standing & Hanging Comfort


The AR-385a scored near the top of the list for standing comfort. The waist belt and leg loops are so thin that you almost forget they are on, and while the harness is an impressive four inches wide at the back, it tapers around the sides of the hips towards the front, contributing to its comfort. When it comes to hanging, however, this harness had mixed reviews from our testers. While we all found the waistbelt to be very comfortable to hang in, with no pinching or pressure points, the leg loops were a different matter.

The material is so thin that it cut into the backs of our thighs, creating a painful spot. While other light sport-specific harnesses made our legs go numb after about 10 minutes of hanging, this one actually hurt! Arc'teryx says that they used softer edges on these redesigned harnesses "to eliminate cutting and binding," and you can see where there is a 1/4 inch edge all around the waistbelt and leg loops, but in practice, this didn't seem to make much of a difference. If you plan on doing lots of long routes with hanging belays, or hang-dogging a lot while sport climbing, you'd be better off with a harness that provides more padding.

arc'teryx ar-385a climbing harness women review - while the 1/4 seam around the leg loops and waistbelt softens the...
While the 1/4 seam around the leg loops and waistbelt softens the edge a little by rolling when you weight this harness, the thin material still dug into the back of our thighs and was very uncomfortable to hang in.
Credit: Dolev Schreiber

Discipline-Specific Features


The AR-385a has many features that we like for an all-around harness, and a few that we don't. The gear loops are large enough to hold many quickdraws or lots of gear if you prefer to rack on your harness. Because they lie flat, it is more comfortable to wear a pack over this model than the Black Diamond Momentum or Solution models. The leg loops are easy to drop if need be on a long route and the hook attachment has a slim profile that won't create a pressure point when pressing your back against the rock.

However, the rear gear loops are pretty far towards the back of the harness, and they might get in the way if you're doing some serious chimneying. The rear haul line loop has a tag that says 0 kN, which is probably a good way of letting you know not to use it as a clip-in point. This is not much of a deal-breaker — we can think of virtually no times that we've actually used a rear point to secure ourselves — but it is nice to know that the loop that you've attached your tag line to is strong enough to take that weight. We are assuming that this small loop is still engineered to carry the weight of a rope.

arc'teryx ar-385a climbing harness women review - the rear haul loop is rated to 0 kn. hopefully it can carry the...
The rear haul loop is rated to 0 kN. Hopefully it can carry the weight of a rope. While we loved the 4 inch wide waist belt, the rear gear loops are positioned a little far back and are hard to access.
Credit: Libby Sauter

This harness comes with four ice clipper slots that are sewn onto the outside of it. The slots are not as tight and secure as we would have liked. Depending on which style of ice tool carabiner you use, you might have a lot of extra movement with these slots. This harness weighs 13 ounces in a size small. It's extremely compact, and though it takes a bit of finagling to actually get the harness in the tiny carry bag, it will save a lot of room in your pack once you do, making this harness a good choice for light and fast missions.

arc'teryx ar-385a climbing harness women review - the arc'teryx models pack down much more compactly than most other...
The Arc'teryx models pack down much more compactly than most other models. This saves some room in your pack for other gear.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Versatility


We ranked this model very high for versatility as well. If you are looking for a harness that can easily transition from sport to trad to ice, this is a great choice. Even if you mostly sport climb, you never know when the opportunity to try something new might arise. The adjustable leg loops and ice clipper slots give you the option to use one harness for everything.

arc'teryx ar-385a climbing harness women review - the ar-385a ranked high for mobility; we were able to heel hook our...
The AR-385a ranked high for mobility; we were able to heel hook our way around this roof with ease.
Credit: Libby Sauter

Adjustability


The AR-385a is very adjustable. The pre-threaded waist buckle cinches down with ease and stays there, and the adjustable leg loops give about four inches of play, so you can layer this harness over leggings one day, and long underwear and softshell pants the next.

arc'teryx ar-385a climbing harness women review - the adjustable leg loops allow this harness to fit women of...
The adjustable leg loops allow this harness to fit women of different proportions, and it also allows us to wear it over layers.
Credit: Libby Sauter

Value


The AR-385a is one of the most expensive harnesses in our review, costing three times as much as some of the budget models we reviewed. While we don't disparage spending more money for a quality piece of gear, in this case, we are not sure it's worth it, considering you can buy a more comfortable harness with all the same features for half the price.

arc'teryx ar-385a climbing harness women review - cleaning a sport route on rappel. we like this harness for moderate...
Cleaning a sport route on rappel. We like this harness for moderate sport climbing where you won't be hanging in your harness for too long, or fast and light missions in the mountains.
Credit: Dolev Schreiber

Conclusion


The Arc'teryx AR-385a is an impressive piece of engineering, and you're sure to get many compliments and questions about its design when wearing it. While we liked many aspects of this harness, it didn't quite measure up to some of the other models that we tested. It's designed to be an all-around do-it-all harness, and while it does have all the necessary components to fit that slot, we couldn't get past how uncomfortable the leg loops were while hanging. If you're looking for a compact option for alpine missions, then this harness is still a good choice.

Jane Jackson & Cam McKenzie Ring
 

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