Health Canada has sounded the alarm on a series of climbing harness recalls, warning that buckle defects in several Petzl models including harnesses made for children could result in serious injury or death.
The federal health agency issued a pair of advisories on May 14, covering more than 5,000 harnesses sold across Canada and upwards of 30,000 in the United States. The affected products were manufactured in Romania and Malaysia.
The recall covers two separate categories of harnesses.
The first involves the Petzl Astro and Canyon Guide harnesses, widely used in professional and recreational climbing. According to Health Canada, a pin securing the metal D-ring on these harnesses may release unexpectedly, potentially allowing the main attachment point the very anchor connecting a climber to a safety rope to come open mid-use.
The affected models include: Astro Bod Fast (European version), Astro Bod Fast (International version), Astro Sit Fast and Canyon Guide.
The Canyon Guide harnesses were sold between March 2020 and October 2023, while the Astro line was available from March 2018 through October 2023.
The second recall targets the Petzl Simba Park, Simba Climbing, Simba Park, Swan Easyfit Steel, and Swan Easyfit Stainless harnesses two of which are specifically designed for children. These harnesses are used in both climbing gyms and adventure parks. Health Canada said a missing rivet in the Fast LT pin-lock buckle could cause the buckle to open without warning, posing an acute fall hazard.
Just over 200 units from this group were sold in Canada, available for purchase between July 2021 and November 2025.
Despite the gravity of the defect, Petzl has reported no incidents or injuries linked to these harnesses in either Canada or the United States. Still, Health Canada is urging consumers not to wait for something to go wrong.
Anyone in possession of the affected harnesses is being asked to stop using them immediately and to reach out to Petzl America, Inc., which is offering a free replacement kit complete with installation instructions for all impacted models.
Consumers can identify whether their harness is affected by checking the model number and serial number against the list published in Health Canada’s advisories.
Climbing harnesses are the last line of defense between a climber and a potentially fatal fall. A buckle failure or an opening attachment point at height isn’t just a product defect it’s a life-threatening failure. The fact that two of the recalled models are built for children adds a particular layer of urgency to the advisory.
Parents whose children use Simba harnesses in summer camps, adventure parks, or climbing programs are especially encouraged to act without delay.
