Review: Edelrid Tree Core Arborist Harness Review

After the best part of 20 years using sturdy Weaver leather harnesses I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Edelrid Treecore being an altogether different construction and material. However straight out of the box it seemed very well made, despite being a lot lighter than i’m used to.

Trying it on for the first time 

In comparison to harnesses I have used it is very easy to adjust and felt comfortable from the offset.  The buckles for the leg loops aren’t too fiddly and overall it was possible to get the harness dialled in to my satisfaction very quickly.

First climb

On my initial climb I was quite impressed with the bridge.  The d-rings sit on separate parts of the webbing, the top one connects by the side d s and is adjustable, so can transfer more of your weight from legs to waist, on long ascents it really makes a difference. It generally gave quite a stable feeling when suspended.

The down side of that is it can feel a bit ‘busy’ with the main waist strap which has an SRT/chest attachment point also.

Behind the side d-rings it has purpose made caritool attachment points and two tool loops on each side, I would have preferred the one nearest the side d s to be slightly further back.

Comfort

In terms of overall comfort the Edelrid Treecore excels. The width and thickness of the waist padding is just right as are the leg loops, offering just the right amount of support when in awkward positions.

Once correctly fitted and adjusted the harness stays where it’s supposed to most of the time, although using bigger chainsaws does tend to drag it down more than I’d like.  The optional chest harness would eliminate this if necessary.

The one negative I found was the side d-rings sit too far forward for my liking. When dangling from my lanyard under a branch I found the way they pulled uncomfortable. No doubt someone with a different body shape would have a completely different experience however.

In conclusion

Moving from 20 years of thick leather to the lightweight Edelrid was quite a shock to the system, and I was quite skeptical of the change.  To my surprise overall I really like the tree core but realise it’s very much to peoples personal taste when it comes to harnesses. As always, if you can try before you buy then all the better.  In terms of build quality, ergonomics and adjustability it gets a thumbs up.