10 year old harness still good?

I have a 10 year old Slinging Rock harness that was probably used 25 or fewer times and took no significant falls. It has spent the last 7 years or so stored away in a cool and dry basement. Visually it looks like an almost new harness, no fraying, tears, etc.

I haven't climbed for a few years but will be going out with a buddy this year, any reason why this harness should be replaced? Granted $50 bucks for a new harness isn't a big deal, but if this one has no problems I might as well keep it and save the $$

I personally wouldn't worry about it. If you you get psyched about climbing again after going with your friend, then pick up a new one. You will probably have to pay more than $50 for a nice new one.

Oh god stay back! I give it a 99% chance of spontaneously combusting as soon as you touch it.

If you get it from your friend's dad it's ok.

I toss all nylon and sutch stuff ... when it gets about 5 years old.

Falling and decking is the same outside or inside...

Guy Keesee wrote:I toss all nylon and sutch stuff ... when it gets about 5 years old. Falling and decking is the same outside or inside...

Does this include re-slinging cams?

I really trust the BD QC lab guys they have put out some good solid testing and research over the years.

blackdiamondequipment.com/e…

They mention storage is critical that it must be cool and dry but I will point out that even with ideal storage they call out 10 years as the line where a harness should be retired.

I say toss. People have died climbing on harness that were old and worn(yours doesn't sound worn but the fabric could still have lost strength)

Guy Keesee wrote: Falling and decking is the same outside or inside...

I agree that you either trust it or you don't, and if you don't you shouldn't be climbing on it at all. But to say that decking is the same outdoors or indoors is just silly. If you had to deck today from 20 feet up, but you got to choose whether it was outside landing on dirt and rocks, or inside landing on a foam gym floor, it seems to me there is an obvious choice.

Guy Keesee wrote:I toss all nylon and sutch stuff ... when it gets about 5 years old. Falling and decking is the same outside or inside...

5 years is really short if it's stored cool and dry. If it's used every weekend that's another story.

Locker wrote:Summation: ALL gear is good, so long as you get it from a friends dad.

Does it count if I give it to my son and he gives it back???

The BD testing was interesting that even with the belay loop cut 90% through it held over 700 lbs.

One would think the available research would have settled this question a while ago: nylon things do not weaken significantly with age. What weakens them is wear (broken fibers), UV light and exposure to acids, solvents and suchlike. A harness (or rope or runner) that has been sitting around in a dry dark place, not exposed to nasty chemicals, is about as good as it was when it started sitting there.

I would pay $50 for piece of mind over asking jerks on MP for advice.

By the way, longer falls=more rope=more stretch=softer fall. That is unless of course your also leading on your friends dads goldline.

Locker wrote:Summation: ALL gear is good, so long as you get it from a friends dad.

What if I give good gear to my dad's friend?

Or if my dad's good friend gives me gear?

Plz help.

Tronald Dump wrote: By the way, longer falls=more rope=more stretch=softer fall.

It amazes me that this is still an open book.

That relation does not include a ratio of rope out to length of the fall which is still the ONLY important aspect of a fall.

You can fall five feet or 400 feet, and if it's a factor two (5 fall/2.5 out, or 400 fall/200 out) it's the same. A longer fall has nothing to do with fall factor unless it also happens to be the case that there is much more rope out.

As for your harness, many companies reccomend replacing soft goods after 5-10 years, EVEN IF properly stored. Is it fine for now? Probably. Is it worth finding out? Well that's up to you.

The UIAA found that even the absolute oldest ropes they could possibly get their hands on still passed at least 1 UIAA fall in accordance with UIAA testing requriements.

theuiaa.org/upload_area/fil…

FYI... dynamic ropes are made out of the same material as harnesses.

Here is my fav quote out of the article:

"Ageing caused only by storage can
almost be neglected compared with
ageing during use. This also holds for
ageing by the influence of ultraviolet
radiation; ropes may lose their colour
with time, but virtually no loss of
strength (more precisely, no loss of en-
ergy absorption capacity over an edge),
because since the beginning of the
1960’s all perlon and nylon (poly-
amide) has been UV-stabilised"

and

"...And in the free rope length a rope
will not break in any case.
These facts also hold for 10- or even
15-year-old ropes. This has been
proved by many tests of such old ropes
(not even 25-year-old ropes and one
30-year-old rope broke in tests in accor-
dance with the standard; they still held
at least one drop; this means that they
will not break in practice, unless loaded
over a sharp edge, in which case they
may break)."

Ever notice you never have to replace the seat belt in your car?

Well the 1st few times out will just be top roping so I'm not going to worry about it for now. If I start getting out frequently I'll replace it.

Just throwing this out there for discussion, but Signing rock harnesses are stated as good for 10 years from date of production (copied below from their harness instruction packet). Some companies only list 5 years and many people use them well past that mark....

http://www.singingrock.com/data/downloads/pdf1/SINGING_Uni_sport_2014_09.pdf
LIFETIME AND INSPECTION.
Lifetime of this product depends on the frequency and the environment (salt, sand,
moisture, chemicals, etc.) in which it is used. Without taking wear or mechanical damage
into account and on conditions specified in this instructions for use this product may be
used 10 years since the date of production. However mechanical damage can occur
during the fist use, which can limit the lifetime of this products only to this fist use.
The user shall check the product:
1. before and after each use
2. during use (condition of particular elements of safety chain and their proper
connection)
3. complete inspection every 3 months.
Check for:
The fabric: Cuts, tears, abrasion and damage caused by use, heat or chemicals and so
on.
The stitching: Cut, torn, worn or loose threads.
The metal components: Proper function of the buckles and other metal components.
The marking: Readability of the product labels.
To prolong the life of this product, care in use is necessary. Avoid rubbing against
abrasive surfaces or sharp edges.

Of course, climbing gear manufacturers recommend replacing soft goods when they are old. That is prudent and makes sense for them as companies.

That said, there is precious little evidence to indicate that nylon degrades significantly with the mere passage of time: rather, it degrades with *use.*

So the manufacturer knows best, BUT, they have precious little *evidence* to back them up...

Précis: Your harness is probably fine. If by some incredibly unlikely turn of events it is not, you will probably die.

That's really all there is to be said: you have to decide given the above statements.

Please, just read what 20kn posted. That is independent information. Manufacturers want you to buy new crap because of liability concerns, but also because they want to sell you new crap.

Why all this defense for old stuff?

backcountry.com/black-diamo…

If this situation was reversed and this guy decked on a ten year old harness because the belay loop frayed or something everyone would be saying "It say's 5-10 years TOPS...dude shouldn't have been climbing on that thing (no brainer)"

If you have to ask, just buy a new one...end rant.