The Wild Country Flow 2.0 is a great all-around harness, well-suited for any roped climbing endeavor. It’s breathable, lightweight (11.8oz for Mens Large), and has all the features you need for basic cragging. Thin and streamlined, you can stuff it in your gym bag, slip it on and off easily for long days at the sport crag, or stay comfy during long, hot days on multi-pitch routes.
Depending on the retailer, the Wild Country Flow 2.0 goes for $80-$90. It’s a nice step up from basic beginner harnesses in terms of quality, versatility, and mobility without a major price increase.
Main Takeaways
If you’re a moderate climber looking to purchase one harness for all your adventures on a rope, the Flow 2.0 from Wild Country is a reliable choice.
Summary
The big draw for the Flow 2.0 is its versatility. This is a harness that does a lot of things well. There are harnesses out there that are a bit more feature-heavy for big walls, a bit more ultrathin and mobile for gymnastic bolted routes, or beefier and better padded for longer days, but the Flow 2.0 is an everything burrito. It also receives a bump for breathability. I found it particularly good on hot days.
PROS
- Extremely breathable
- Lightweight
- Versatile
- Easy to adjust
CONS
- Mediocre hanging comfort
Detailed Review
Our Methods and Tester
My name is Owen Clarke. I’ve been rock climbing for 15 years, and reviewing climbing gear for six. I’ve written gear reviews for industry-leading climbing publications, including Rock and Ice, Climbing, Gym Climber, and Outside, in addition to FlashPumped. My writing appears in over 50 international magazines, including other climbing publications like Alpinist, Gripped, Climax, and HowNot2.
I received the Wild Country Flow 2.0 for testing late last year and have been regularly wearing it to the gym and sport crag since mid-November. The comments and opinions expressed here are honest and my own, and neither I (nor FlashPumped) was compensated by Wild Country for this review. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me via my website, and stay tuned here for more gear reviews!
Mobility
The Flow 2.0 is streamlined, contoured, and feather-thin, offering a high level of mobility. I could high-step, drop-knee, stem, and do all sorts of funky movements in this harness without feeling constricted. This is a major selling point. It’s perhaps the most mobile harness I’ve worn that retains the features of a trad harness.
Adjustability
The leg loops are fixed (elastic) and the waistbelt is pre-threaded, so there’s a limited amount of adjustability here, but the Flow 2.0 comes in four sizes, so just size properly when you purchase and you shouldn’t have any issues. The waist belt, in particular, is easy to adjust quickly and holds tension well. I never felt it loosening, even during long hanging sessions or big falls. This harness comes in
Versatility
The Flow 2.0 is very versatile. I appreciated the haul loop, dual screw/tool loops, and four gear loops, which made me feel comfortable taking this harness on longer routes, coupled with the streamlined design, which—as noted above—kept mobility high.
Hanging Comfort
The Flow 2.0 is a comfortable harness. That said, I think hanging comfort is probably its weakest attribute. The leg loops and waist belt feel thinner and less-padded than other harnesses in a similar price bracket, like the Black Diamond Solution, and I felt like the load distribution could be better. I noticed some pressure points and sensitivity on a few occasions when my partner was hangdogging top rope and I was on belay.
As mentioned above, this is definitely a great do-it-all harness, but it leans more towards the sport cragger or gym climber demographic than the all-day big waller.
Standing Comfort
Standing comfort is excellent in the Flow 2.0. It doesn’t ride up the crotch the way some harnesses do after getting off the wall, and the inner mesh fabric lining breathes very well. In fact, I’d say that aside from its versatility, breathability is a key selling point. You get a lot of airflow here. (No pun intended.)
Features
The Flow 2.0 has all the features you need for basic climbing of all disciplines. There are four 3D molded gear loops, a haul loop, a traditional belay loop, and two ice screw slots. The single steel pre-threaded buckle streamlines the on-off process, and the reinforced fabric on the lower tie-in point with a wear indicator is another nice bonus. A small storage bag is also included (though this is pretty much standard with any climbing harness).
Value for Money
The Flow 2.0 runs around $80-$90 depending on where you find it. This feels slightly high for a do-it-all model, but I’d still say it’s a fair price point, competitive with similar offerings from Black Diamond, Petzl, Edelrid, and other leading harness brands. I’ve also always been impressed by Wild Country’s customer service, so I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend their products in a general sense.
The Flow 2.0 is certainly a step up from the entry-level harness price range ($50-$60) but the versatility and mobility you get here makes it worth it, particularly for climbers looking to bump their sport grade up a notch.
Technical Details
- Gear Loops: 4
- Ice Screw Slots: 2
- Haul Loop: Yes
- Belay Loop: Yes
- Waist Belt: Padded, Pre-Threaded Adjustable
- Leg Loops: Padded, Fixed
- PFC-Free
| Fit/Size | XS | S | M | L | XL |
| Waist – Mens (in) | 27.9-31.1 | 31.1-34.6 | 34.2-37.4 | 37.4-41.3 | |
| Waist – Womens (in) | 25.1-27.9 | 27.9-30.7 | 30.7-33.4 | 31.8-34.6 | |
| Leg – Mens (in) | 19.6-23.3 | 21.6-25.1 | 23.6-27.1 | 24.8-27.9 | |
| Leg – Womens (in) | 18.8-20.8 | 20-22 | 22-24 | 23.3-27.1 | |
| Weight – Mens (g) | 305 | 322 | 335 | 350 | |
| Weight – Womens (g) | 290 | 305 | 325 | 345 |
