Cuesta

I had mine for about a year and the gear loops started falling apart. It kinda scares me thinking about losing half a rack on an alpine climb. If the gear loops were plastic or something more durable I would leave a 5 star review.

Got this after the airline lost my bag with my Arc'teryx FL-365 harness, and this seemed like a good alternative since Arc'teryx doesn't make anything like that one anymore.

Though I haven't tried it, the Blue Ice Halo looks like it would be the truer replacement, but this one is a great deal and I can still fit a full rack (0.5-3 BD + several small cams) on either of the front gear loops. That being said, they are a little small, and the rear gear loops in particular are small and can be hard to reach. I have a 30-inch waist and have worn both the medium and small sizes now. The medium is a hair too big, but because I have to cinch it down, the gear loops are farther forward and easier to use. The rear gear loops on the medium are about half an inch wider than on the small, which is frustrating. With the small being less tight, the front gear loops are quite far back, and the rear loops are completely behind me and difficult to use at all. So if you're on the edge of the sizing, consider that it will affect your gear loop placement / access / comfort / sizing. I'm still a big fan of this harness and would definitely recommend as an Arc'teryx alternative. It is incredibly light, comfortable, and packable, and you learn to live with the gear loops (or add your own). Would love a 5th loop though. For sport and trad (I don't ice climb so can't speak to it), I'd say this thing should be Outdoor Gear Lab's best buy.

It’s light and surprisingly very comfortable. The self locking buckle doesn’t have any slippage creep as I’ve experienced in other similar buckles. I would recommend bigger rear gear loops as other reviews have also pointed out. Also, I find the sizing a little on the small side - definitely size up for winter use. Over good quality product at attractive price.

As Arcteryx shifted their harness line and trimmed down focus on this category over the past few years, I've been on the hunt for a harness that can compete with what I viewed as the best for many years. After a season on the Cuesta I am not disappointed. This harness has been very comfortable and svelte in multipitch and alpine rock environments. Fit seems comparable with many other brands. Looking forward to checking out the Halo soon too!

This harness fits quite well. I do think that the leg loops are a bit tight for me, but that could be just do to my body proportions.

The rear gear loops are fairly small and difficult to access when racking or grabbing gear. They are a bit too far back and small. That’s my biggest recommendation to make this harness even better — bring the rear gear loops forward and make them larger.

I do love the color, though.