The Crag Sender is a lightweight, low-profile and well-ventilated helmet that's ideal for year-round use. It uses an EPS foam inner and an external polycarbonate shell to provide affordable protection with some added durability in the form of kevlar reinforcments in key areas. Offering a nice stable fit on the head, it's a comfortable and well-balanced helmet that comes in at a competitive weight - and at £70 it feels light on the wallet too.

In Use

I've really enjoyed using the Crag Sender across a range of climbing days - whether sport climbing, mountain trad, scrambling, or even some early-season winter routes.

Its lightweight design and excellent ventilation, which extends to the front of the helmet, provide a barely-there feel, making it particularly well-suited to sunny sport climbing and long days on multipitch rock. While the same lightness also makes it appealing for winter where minimizing weight is a priority, its slightly lower durability compared to competitors means I'd likely reserve it for less rugged days out. Environments with frequent knocks against rock features or cramming it into a bag after a long climb could take a toll on the Polycarbonate outer and EPS inner, so for more rough-and-tumble uses you'll want to keep an eye on it. 

Weight and construction

The polycarbonate shell wraps the entire helmet, and together with the EPS foam provides excellent lightweight protection; I make it a round 200g, within a margin of error of Mammut's quoted 199g. Often in climbing gear, lighter materials can mean less durability. For climbing helmets this isn't the case when it comes to the shock absorbing foam most commonly used, EPP, which is both lighter and more durable, and can keep taking significant impacts without shattering. In contrast, the main benefit of the EPS used in the Crag Sender is the cost saving you will see compared to EPP helmets. 

Fit

The Crag Sender is a unisex helmet available in two sizes: 52-57cm and 56-61cm. I opted for the 52-57cm size, which fits me well. As with any helmet, it's best to try it on before buying if possible, since everyone's head is a different shape.

Once on, the helmet sits securely and doesn't shift, even when I shake my head or pull a hood on and off over it. I can comfortably fit a thin fleece hood underneath, though anything thicker might require sizing up.

The helmet provides full head coverage, wrapping around the front, sides, and back - an essential feature for protection during bad lead falls where you could swing into the wall or, in the worst case, flip upside down. While the coverage is generally good, I'd personally prefer a bit more drop at the back of the head for an added sense of protection from all angles. That said, I'm satisfied with the coverage, as it contributes to the helmet's lightweight, breathable feel and low-profile design.

Features

The harness system inside the Crag Sender offers good adjustability, with a simple pull-adjust chin strap and an easy-to-use dial at the back. The dial stays securely in place during use and has a minimalist design, though it can be tricky to operate with thick gloves. Adjustments around the ears, however, are more challenging to tweak while wearing the helmet - I need to take it off to make changes. On the plus side, once adjusted, these straps stay securely in place and typically don't require further adjustment beyond the initial setup. For those with long hair who like to wear it in a ponytail, there is space for this at the back, although it's not as accommodating as many other competitor models.

The helmet features minimal padding to prevent excessive sweating, but it's thoughtfully positioned at the top, front, and around the forehead to provide all-day comfort.

For headlamp attachment, the Crag Sender includes two standard plastic pull tabs at the front and an elastic cord at the back. This system is straightforward to use, securely holds the headtorch in place, and feels solid once set up.

Verdict

The Crag Sender is a lightweight and affordable helmet that performs equally well for sport climbing, mountain routes, winter climbing and scrambling. Its secure fit is for the most part easy to adjust and offers barely-there-feel comfort. While it may not match the durability of pricier EPP models, it offers solid protection and looks like good value at this price.