how to DIY gear loops on a harness?

How would I go about adding extra gear loops?

My new harness (Edelrid Sendero) fit is great, feel is great. But the gear loops are too far back and seem slightly small. I was thinking of adding additional "middle" loops like on some wall/ice harnesses.

  edelrid.de/en/sports/sit-ha…

By "middle" loops do you mean loops between the existing ones?

Something that will help you get the advice you're looking for is to tell us what stuff you want to be carrying which the harness is currently incapable of holding. 

I added an additional front loop on a harness with some 3 mm cord inside Tygon tubing. Use something strong enough that it's not going to break and dump your gear. The tubing both added rigidity and made the diameter large enough so carabiner noses wouldn't snag. To attach, I just tied the cord around the main weight-bearing webbing piece of the belt. That wasn't ideal if I tried to load the loop with much weight -- the two ends could pull together and whole loop would sag -- but it was at the front, so I kept small nuts and microcams there. I've also used ice clippers on a trad harness as a place to rack draws.

Just a bit of paracord

Try a cobbler. I’ve had great success with repairs, alterations, etc. It may be difficult to find one in your neighborhood though.

Yoda Great idea with the paracord. 

I added one to the front and a couple to the back of my harness with 3mm cord inside clear vinyl tubing, sewn with waxed dental floss.  Needed pliers to get the needle through the waist belt, and it looks a little ghetto, but works great and is super strong.  Also added a clip in loop on the back with 1" tubular for trailing an extra rope, again sewn with floss.  I wouldn't trust my life to it, but many years ago I did some experimenting with making my own screamers sewn with floss, it didn't actually take too many stitches for them not to rip at all with some pretty legit test falls.

I have the sendaro as well, so I feel you 

Since you mentioned ice harness, maybe add ice screw biners on the attachment point and call it a day? Or put in some cord wrapped with plastic tubing to give it structure? I tried adding ice screw binders when I first got the harness, but didn't like it since the rear gear loop is pretty far back already and the binder would block my view, so I couldn't see what I'm reaching for. I suppose its not a problem if you put quick draws on the ice screw biner and anchor material on the back, so you don't have to use the back loop mid climb, but then it just seems so extra lol

FWIW I'm now used to it and can fit a double rack + 12 draws and whatever anchor material I need no problem

I was having the same problem where the first loop was too far back on my harness. They also weren't very big and would weigh down with gear so that I couldn't add things to them easily. 

I DIYed these with a Speedy Sticher awl, 1" Climbspec Bluewater webbing and some coat hangers. I doubled over the webbing, sewed it down with a regular sewing machine and then threaded the coat hanger through. You could skip the coat hangers but I wanted to be able to bend the loops to stick out. Then I stitched the whole thing onto the harness with the awl and the thread that came with that. Theres a strap of really thick webbing in the harness that is what actually holds you so I just made sure I sewed this on below, not into, that strap. I've been hanging gear on it for a year and it has held up perfectly. I actually had a BD rep take pictures of it at the gym one time so maybe they'll take note on the loop placements! 

Those are sweet mods, guys 

Margaret U wrote:

I was having the same problem where the first loop was too far back on my harness. They also weren't very big and would weigh down with gear so that I couldn't add things to them easily. 

I DIYed these with a Speedy Sticher awl, 1" Climbspec Bluewater webbing and some coat hangers. I doubled over the webbing, sewed it down with a regular sewing machine and then threaded the coat hanger through. You could skip the coat hangers but I wanted to be able to bend the loops to stick out. Then I stitched the whole thing onto the harness with the awl and the thread that came with that. Theres a strap of really thick webbing in the harness that is what actually holds you so I just made sure I sewed this on below, not into, that strap. I've been hanging gear on it for a year and it has held up perfectly. I actually had a BD rep take pictures of it at the gym one time so maybe they'll take note on the loop placements! 

Dang couldn't tell that was a mod until I saw what the bluewater webbing looks like

Looks very official, might give it a try!

Justin S wrote:

FWIW I'm now used to it and can fit a double rack + 12 draws and whatever anchor material I need no problem

Do you put all the extra junk on the rear loop? Maybe I just have to get used to it, and slim down the extra junk I carry.

Margaret U wrote:

That's awesome!

John M wrote:

Do you put all the extra junk on the rear loop? Maybe I just have to get used to it, and slim down the extra junk I carry.

Yeah, definitely have to be more conscious about how you carry gear, but I like the harness enough to make it work

I actually like how the gear loops are positioned now, because I like to climb slab and its easier to see my feet

Here's my setup:

Front gear loops: 

- Doubles .3 to 3, same size cams clipped together, instead of one rack on each side

- Alpine draws x8, four on each side, also clipped together

- Reg draws if there are bolts, equally distributed on each side, also clipped together

Back gear loops:

- Left: ATC, rappel ext and prusik, water, other junk that I won't need until end of pitch, I found this loop to be the hardest to access

- Right: Strictly anchor material and master point biner

- Middle: Nothing, very hard to access and don't want anything to hit my spine if I fall backwards

As long as you rack everything in the rear in the same order everytime, you should be able to grab whatever you want without looking

Hope this helps!

Justin S wrote:

Here's my setup:

Back gear loops:

- Middle: Nothing, very hard to access and don't want anything to hit my spine if I fall backwards

?? Is this a concern? I've never head that before. And I would much rather put all the belaying and anchor stuff on the middle rear loop so I can space the other gear out more. I have no problem grabbing draws from the left or right rear loops without looking.

Yoda Jedi Knight wrote:

?? Is this a concern? I've never head that before. And I would much rather put all the belaying and anchor stuff on the middle rear loop so I can space the other gear out more. I have no problem grabbing draws from the left or right rear loops without looking.

I fall backwards more than I fall face on (slabs yum), there are a few times where I'm sure I'd hurt my back if I clipped stuff on the rear-middle loop. Of course its just my personal experience, maybe I suck at falling?

Another problem is I have a small waist and have the smallest size of this hardness. On the smallest size, the rear-middle loop overlaps with (and sits under) the rear-side loops, so its a pain in the ass to grab stuff from the rear-middle loop, always have to faffle with the gear on the rear-side loops...

Draws on the rear-side loops would work too, I just like to peak over and check the amount of draws left on longer climbs, and redistribute them if necessary

I used 2mm cord and 3mm ID PVC tubing. I put a taut line hitch around the existing loop and tightened it at the top where it tapers before entering the harness so it doesn't slide down. I added a dab of adhesive (eg seam grip) to keep the hitch locked once I liked its position. And wrapped a little self amalgamating tape at the joint to smooth things out. 

Justin S wrote:

- Doubles .3 to 3, same size cams clipped together, instead of one rack on each side

- Alpine draws x8, four on each side, also clipped together

- Reg draws if there are bolts, equally distributed on each side, also clipped together

Wait, what do you mean... you clip all four alpine draws together, then clip just one to the gear loop?

John M wrote:

Wait, what do you mean... you clip all four alpine draws together, then clip just one to the gear loop?

Y....yeah? Clip three to one, then clip the one to the harness, like how you'd rack cams

Is that uncommon? I can't be the only one lol

Some cool solutions for folks on here.  But for the extremely lazy/busy climber, mine took 3 min to make and has lasted through two harnesses: two zip ties and a length of the plastic tubing.