Review: Mad Rock Mountain Mama Maternity Climbing Harness (UPDATED)

This is a throwback review from 2014, originally from our old blog. It was well-received, so we’re keeping it here. This post contains affiliate links — if you buy through them, we earn a small commission that helps fund our work.

UPDATE: A lot has changed since this first aired in 2014. Skip to the end for the newest info on this (and another) maternity climbing harness.

The Arkansas Climbing Coalition holds a bouldering competition at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, near Ponca, Arkansas, every year. Great turnout, beautiful weather, and tasty BBQ — you just can’t lose. It was the perfect chance to put the new Mad Rock Mountain Mama maternity harness to the test and usher in the third trimester with a little top-rope climbing.

At 28 weeks pregnant, and knowing a little harness adaptation would help everyone involved, I was ready to go. Holding the webbing up by the shoulders, the shape made sense and it was easy to see how it’s worn — leg, leg, arm, arm, done. The women in our group were enthusiastic; the men were encouraging but a little leery (“why not just take a few months off?”).

The price point of about $120 is very reasonable given the specialty design and extra material. The webbing is wide and comfortable, with no cutting in. My biggest tip: take plenty of time to adjust the straps — it’s going to feel different. Make the obvious adjustments, then fine-tune, because half an inch makes a real difference. Being anchored from the chest is a very different sensation than from the pelvis, so I spent time hanging on belay to get used to it and dial in the fit. (A DIY belt-style chalk bag works just fine.)

At roughly six months, I climbed up to a 5.8. Everything stayed in place, felt secure, and the materials and seams are high quality. Coming down, there was a moment where my belly felt ever so slightly pinched between the two side webs — and “pinched” is too strong a word; more fine-tuning would likely fix it. After a while I stopped noticing the chest tie-in entirely. It just felt good to climb.

The bottom line: the Mountain Mama is big on adjustability and simple on features — but what more do you need to get on a wall and feel good doing it? I’m secure, mobile, and Kiddo isn’t being smashed by a belt. For pregnant climbers who want to keep up their chalky pursuits, I definitely recommend giving it a try.

UPDATE (2021): The Mad Rock Maternity Harness isn’t available right now — a huge bummer, but, well, pandemic. A great and very similar alternative is the Petzl full-body harness, which has excellent reviews. I’d actually love to try it with the disabled community in mind, too: for some folks, a full-body harness can feel more secure and comfortable than a traditional belt-style one.

Please note: while we love adventure, climbing while pregnant may not be for everyone. Talk with your doctor before taking on any activity during pregnancy. You do this at your own risk, and our review isn’t responsible for your decisions. Thank you for understanding.