Mammut has updated the Ophira since we updated, dropping the “a” and referring to it as the Women's Ophir harness. See below for more updates on the changes.
April 2019Mammut no longer gives this harness the feminine name “Ophira” and now refers to it as the Women's Ophir harness. Since our testing period, it has been redesigned to be half an ounce lighter and has new leg loop attachments and a haul loop. In the photos below, compare the new version on the left to the version we tested on the right.
We have yet to test the Women's Ophir harness, so the following text is in reference to the Ophira.
The Mammut Ophira has a 3-inch wide waistbelt with a perforated foam interior and open mesh overlay. It has four slightly forward-angled gear loops with only a small clip loop in the back suitable for a chalk bag. The belay loop has red indicator threads sewn into it; once it becomes worn they appear to let you know it is time to retire your harness. Additionally, the bottom leg loop attachment point is reinforced with rubber to reduce friction and wear at that spot.
Our testers found the Mammut Ophira to be pretty comfortable all around. It's a little bulkier and stiffer than the Mammut Zephir and Black Diamond Solution, so we noticed it a little more when belaying and sitting around at the crag.
The older version of this harness had an all-around design, but with the updated version, Mammut seems to have switched to a more sport-specific model. They've replaced a large integrated haul line loop with a tiny p-cord style chalk bag clip-in point. They've also replaced one of our favorite old features, the gear loops, with our new least favorite gear loops. The previous gear loops were plastic-coated and flexible at the attachment point, which easily racked both gear and quickdraws and was comfortable when donning a pack over the harness. The new gear loops are a little more rigid and angled, causing our quickdraws to sit at odd angles. They are also bright pink and not coated in plastic, creating pressure points when wearing a pack and quickly picking up dirt. We weren't sure about the pink, but we like it even less now that it's dirty! This new gear loop is similar to the front loop on the Petzl Selena and Petzl Luna, but it's somehow not as well done.
We still found this harness easy to move in and could high-step with ease thanks to the extra-long elastic on the leg loops.
The older version of this harness was more versatile than its updated sister. Now, due to its lack of haul line loop and funky gear loops, we probably wouldn't take this on a long multi-pitch trad climb and would choose the Camp Supernova or Misty Mountain Silhouette instead.
As women, finding an appropriately fitting harness can be frustrating. Ideally, a harness would not have a buckle or slider on the leg loops, as it is uncomfortable at times, it creates another point of wear on the harness, and it adds weight. However, with such variability between women's leg sizes, it can be difficult for a manufacturer to please everyone. Our testers found that the Mammut Ophira fit better than the other models with fixed leg loops that we tested (much better than the Petzl Selena) and that we could wear the harness over a variety of clothing. The loops have about a 2.4-inch range, which is still not as much as most adjustable leg loops (which tend to have about a 4-inch range) so if you have legs on the large or smaller end of the spectrum, you will probably be better off with an adjustable leg loop model.
The Mammut Ophira works well for sport and gym climbing. If you are looking for a more all-around harness, then our Editors' Choice pick, the Camp Supernova, would be a better option.
At $55, this harness is one of the least expensive models that we tested. While you could get more value out of the older model, which was a more all-around version, this newer harness is a more dedicated sport and gym harness. It even has the bonus of a reinforced tie-in point, which reduces wear on the belay and leg loops.
To be honest, we were a little disappointed to see that Mammut had changed so many of the things that we liked about this harness. While the comfort and excellent sizing remain the same, the lack of versatility propelled the Camp Supernova to the top spot instead.
