Here is the English translation of the Chinese title: **Arc’teryx Launches the New Lithos SL Harness**

Revolutionizing the Sport Climbing Experience with an Innovative Sizing System and Rigorous Testing Design

ShanghaiMay 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As a professional outdoor brand rooted in alpine environments, Arc’teryx officially launches the all-new Lithos SL harness. A significant innovation in sport climbing harnesses, the Lithos SL features next-generation warp-knit strength technology and introduces an industry-first sizing system, achieving an ideal balance between weight, strength, and comfort to precisely meet the needs of modern sport climbers.

Founded by a group of climbers in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Arc’teryx has always focused on crafting high-performance outdoor technical gear, gradually becoming a trusted professional outdoor brand among mountain athletes worldwide. The new Lithos SL harness continues and embodies the brand’s product design philosophy—deep collaboration with athletes and rigorous real-world field testing, carrying the brand’s relentless pursuit of continuous evolution.

At its core is the latest evolution of Arc’teryx’s proprietary harness construction technology—warp-knit strength technology. Since its initial launch in 2008, this technology has continuously pushed the boundaries of lightweight design, slimness, and support in climbing harnesses. With the introduction of the 2026 all-new Lithos SL harness, the warp-knit strength technology has been upgraded: the new load-bearing structure uses warp-knit strength technology that, compared to the previous generation, delivers a thinner, lighter, and more durable construction. The redesigned structural fabric skeleton runs continuously through the waistbelt and leg loops, with precision lamination and stitching directly connecting the load-bearing warp fibers, further enhancing structural efficiency.

This load-bearing structure is only 2 millimeters thick, representing Arc’teryx’s strongest, most comfortable, and most balanced iteration of warp-knit strength technology to date: it naturally conforms to the body’s curves, provides excellent support while hanging, and moves smoothly during dynamic motion, offering climbers exceptional freedom of movement. Combined with its minimalist functional configuration, the new Lithos SL sets a performance benchmark for sport climbing harnesses.

“The design goal of the Lithos SL’s load-bearing structure was to reduce structural complexity while improving manufacturing precision, thereby further reducing weight while still maintaining the durability standards consistent with Arc’teryx harnesses,” said Mike Foley, Senior Designer of Hardware and Equipment at Arc’teryx. “This is the most thoroughly tested harness we have ever produced, undergoing not only accelerated wear tests in the lab but also real-world validation by athletes.”

The development of the Lithos SL harness was carried out in close collaboration with Arc’teryx’s athlete team, including Jonathan Siegrist and Alannah Yip. The performance observations, usage feedback, and real-world fall data provided by these athletes directly drove the upgrades and realization of the harness’s load-bearing structure, fit system, and durability standards.

Leveraging Arc’teryx’s in-house prototyping capabilities, early samples were custom-adjusted to fit different athletes’ body types. It was through this process that the development team gradually established a new digital sizing system—a first for the climbing industry.

“The current industry-standard fit and sizing systems do not adequately account for or cover the real body type differences within the climbing population. Harnesses are worn completely differently from pants, so their sizing logic naturally should not follow clothing selection standards. Fit is crucial for safety, comfort, and performance. We wanted to enable climbers to choose a fit solution that truly suits them,” said Foley. “This new system allows climbers to make more appropriate choices based on their body proportions. We have meticulously refined the fit and structural design so that it moves naturally with the body, while continuously raising performance standards in terms of durability and strength.”

The new sizing system includes six waist sizes, each with two leg loop options, allowing climbers to freely combine based on their individual body type and proportions, no longer constrained by traditional gender-based sizing systems, thereby further enhancing fit, comfort, and freedom of movement.

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