ProView – Edelrid Sendero Review

As a competition climber, guide, and setter I am always looking for different climbing gear, particularly harnesses, to help me send harder and maximize comfort while working, thus when Edelrid needed a review I jumped at the opportunity since I had never tried their harnesses before. Over the past month I have been testing out the Sendero climbing harness from Edelrid.

My initial thought as I took it out of the packaging was “well that’s a pretty color” and hmm this seems very stiff. I am typically in between a medium and small in most harnesses in the sense that I can typically fit pretty comfortably in both. My current go to harness is the session harness from Wild Country which I do really like, but I find the sizing kind of weird since I have a medium and a small in the session and feel that they fit exactly the same. The Sendero, however, feels like a true medium since I had a ton of extra room and it seems like it would be a very size inclusive harness. I probably could have gone with a small (for reference I have an athletic build and wear a size 28/29 jean) but the medium fits comfortably, I just have it on the tightest setting. Elderid’s signature Center Fit Technology makes it possible fo the tie in point and gear loops to be aligned for all waist sizes, so even though I was wearing it on the tightest setting, it did not feel like I was lopsided when tying in and belaying. 

Comfort

The first time I tried it out was at USA Climbing Collegiate National Qualifiers. I fell in love with this harness the second I put it on. It was not stiff like I thought it would be, and it sat on my waist/lower back very comfortably. The leg loops felt like they were not even there and for the first time I did not think about my harness on a climb nor feel like I needed to adjust it at all throughout this session. It was so comfortable that I even started walking to my car for lunch with the harness still on. Additionally, as a competition climber I was wearing very short competition shorts and the leg loops were still comfortable on my bare skin. 

Next, I put this harness to the ultimate test, setting in it, and honestly I was super surprised. My legs did not go numb once, which they do even in our setting harnesses. I set numerous top ropes and performed many ascents up the wall, finding only occasional discomfort towards the end, mainly concentrated on the outside of my quad rather than my hamstring, making it considerably more bearable. The gear loops proved to be extremely sturdy which I tested by hanging my drill off of them and even hung my hold bucket off of them for one route to really test them out. 

Features

Finally, I brought the Sendero outside to do some lead climbing at Rogers canyon. I had hoped to do some off-width climbing at Vedauwoo, but it has been exceptionally wet and snowy here in Wyoming, so we went to Rogers canyon which was fully dry. Once again this harness was extremely comfortable to wear the whole day, even whilst projecting. After a full day outdoors, I can attest that this harness is the most comfortable harness I have climbed in, mostly likely due to the Center Fit Technology which is unique to Edelrid. The construction combines strong, load-bearing webbing with 3D mesh padding to increase the comfort level, and it serves the same purpose of a 4 buckle harness without the extra weight. Additionally, I really liked the gear loops and found their construction to be durable and easy to clip gear on and off of. 

The Final Word

Overall, I have extensively tested the Sendero climbing harness from Edelrid, and was very impressed with both its comfort and durability. As someone who typically floats between sizes, the Sendero’s true to size fit felt spacious and inclusive, enhanced by Edelrid’s Center Fit Technology aligning the tie-in point and gear loops for all waist sizes. This harness would be a great fit for anyone from a beginner climber just learning to an avid sport climber, as It is comfortable, but also lightweight and durable, with sleek gear loops tie in loops. Additionally, Edelrid is a company you can feel good about shopping from as they continue to take steps to become more sustainable including their ClimbGreen collection. 

---

Shop the Edelrid Sendero on Outdoor Prolink. Not a member? Apply today!
See other Edelrid reviews!

All photos taken by Matty Pru @mattyjpru