I have used a petzl sit harness since the early nineties and it was always stored correctly when in frequent use. Since 1997 its use has been somewhat sporadic, but it continues to be stored in a cool, dry, and dark closet.

What is its shelf life?? Do harnesses deteriorate over time?? How can I be sure it is still safe to use on a big arse pitch??

Cumbrian Neil.

Hmmm

of course, all equipment deteriorates. And Im sure the manufactures would advise you to buy a new one (naturally, its in their intrest to).

The only ting is, it aint the size of the pitch thats important, dats all in da head.

Its what may happen whist your on any pitch. Will it still be up to high factor fall, say a block of limestone that the rebelay is attached to parts company with the rest of the cave and drops you 2 meters (on say a 5m pitch). with a large lump (say half a ton) of limestone hanging from your cows tail. Maybe your cows tail will snap before your harness. Who knows.

like I said. its all in your head. If you think its a bit beyond it, splash the cash, if it looks fine, feels fine and your confidant in it, well live with it.

Cumbrian Neil said:

What is its shelf life?? Do harnesses deteriorate over time?? How can I be sure it is still safe to use on a big arse pitch??

Cumbrian Neil.

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Shelf life for ropes and webbing harnesses is now 10 years from date of manufacture. Yes, harnesses are made from nylon (as are srt ropes) and deteriorate over time from UV light contamination, friction (from rubbing on an external source or internally from the ingress of grit), possible chemical contamination, and flexion (shearing of the nylon strands due to repeated bending of the webbing.

The best you can do to check that it is safe is to manually inspect the harness. Chack all the webbing for obvious signs of wear (abrasions, furring, etc.) Check all the stitching and check the buckles. This, however, does not take into account damage you cannot see, such as chemical damage or damage from grit on the fibres.

The very fact you are asking this question indicates you are concerned about the condition of you harness. In my opinion this is a good enough reason alone to buy a new one. Harnesses are not particularly expensive (they can be bought for £30) and given what is at stake in the event of a failure, it seems a small price to pay. Peace of mind does wonders for your confidence!

Cave Ferret

I think that shelf life is always a tricky one, my first harness only lasted just over a year! But please bear in mind that it was getting used three times a week and i was a novice caver.

I think this makes a big differance as when you are new to the sport everything seems to take more hammer.

Its a bit like your stop how many of us use a petzel stop when in fact its a petzel go? just because its only a year old ?

Hey your life depends on this kit my veiw is put your hand in ya pocket and splash out SRT KIT is cheaper than your funeral! :shock:

well said

it's an important thing that we all take for granted...i think a lot of people should probably replace that type of thing more often than they do...caving IS a dangerous sport!

by the wayhow long do people keep their cows tails? replce them once a year? or is that excessive?

:?

After just over 7 years of reasonably active caving I'm only on my second harness and it's still in reasonable condition.
I guess if your harness looks ok and you know how it's been treated then it's upto you to decide whether or not to trust your life to it.. For the sake of peace of mind £30-40 is money well spent and that could possibly last you quite a few years again..

by the wayhow long do people keep their cows tails? replce them once a year? or is that excessive?

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I usually go for every few years or when it starts to fray near the knots. Once a year isn't excessive (depends how much caving you do etc) it is the safe option though and to be honest it doesn't cost much to replace them!

Another good tip, for cowstails is to wrap insulation tape around the knots and around the loop This does two jobs 1 protects your cows tails and 2 it holds the crab so its just in the right place for clipping in. I find this a better method than the rubber clips.

Oh and dunc have you got the scuba gear ready for storrs :wink:

Anyone interested in buying a used harness??

I suppose I need to just go for it and buy a new one... although my gut tells me my trusty old one is fine... I'd probably have more faith if I used it all the time.

The teeth on my hand jammer are getting worn too!! I guess my next trip to the UK will be an expensive one.

Cumbrian Neil.

can you not get gear cheaper in the states then.

Cumbrian Neil said:

Anyone interested in buying a used harness??


The teeth on my hand jammer are getting worn too!! I guess my next trip to the UK will be an expensive one.

Cumbrian Neil.

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Not interested in selling the two combined? :wink:

I looked at Swindlesport's (Oppps... Fruedian slip... I meant Inglesports) and they are selling the Petzl Super Avanti for 45 sterling ($82.80 at the current exchange rate). A company in the USA is selling the same harness for $62.86... so with the current exchange rate it is cheaper to buy it here. So how much do you want to buy the combination for??

I suppose I need to get involved with some vertical caving on this side of the pond... but the problem is the locality of caves and the "clique" nature of American caving... it's worse than the UK.

By the way... I was was pissed driving to work this morning and saw petrol at $2.14/gallon (3.94 sterling). Can someone make me feel better??

Cumbrian Neil