|
bazan
Apr 7, 2012, 7:34 AM
Post #1 of 7
(942 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 7, 2012
Posts: 4
|
I'd like to get some opinion on whether my old slings/webbing/rope are still good.
Basically they were in good condition, however, I basically stopped climbing completely for about 4 years. They've been sitting (along with the biners) in a trash bag in a closet for all that time. Not particularly humid, not exposed to light.
Do you think all those webbing/slings/rope are still good, or do I need to start over with all new gear? (anything metalic I'm not worried about)
Do slings/webbing/rope wear down from just sitting there for too long?
Thanks,
Ben
|
|
|
|
|
edge
Apr 7, 2012, 8:45 AM
Post #2 of 7
(917 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 14, 2003
Posts: 8828
|
How old we're all these items before being stored for four years? I have plenty of four year old slings, but once they hit five or six years old I generally replace them regardless of how good they look. Once you begin to question their condition it is time to update. You need to have 100% confidence in your gear, and the cost to replace is a fraction of what one trip to the doctor will run you.
|
|
|
|
|
bazan
Apr 7, 2012, 3:14 PM
Post #3 of 7
(859 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 7, 2012
Posts: 4
|
Thanks for the input. They were about 1 year  old[/:(]. So I guess they are ~5 years old now, but really with 1 year of real use.
Would the same apply with a rope? It looks really good...
Thanks again,
Ben
|
|
|
|
|
moose_droppings
Apr 7, 2012, 4:16 PM
Post #4 of 7
(843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 7, 2005
Posts: 3298
|
bazan wrote: Thanks for the input. They were about 1 year old[/:(]. So I guess they are ~5 years old now, but really with 1 year of real use. Would the same apply with a rope? It looks really good... Thanks again, Ben
A lot of the rope manufactures give a general rule of thumb for what they'd recommend, but they're very conservative recommendations since they're in the biz of selling rope. Go ahead and take a look at a few of the rope makers sites and see what they say.
Amount of use before you stored your rope would factor in. If it was used a few times a month for a year before storage and stored properly as you said it has been, then it'll be fine. You could also use for top roping for quite a few years yet.
Pull the rope through your hands and feel for bulges, flat spots or soft spots while also giving it a good visual inspection. Bottom line, if your overly concerned about it's safety, then buy a new one.
(This post was edited by moose_droppings on Apr 7, 2012, 4:21 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
knudenoggin
Apr 7, 2012, 9:10 PM
Post #5 of 7
(808 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 6, 2004
Posts: 581
|
I think that your gear is still fine.
*kN*
|
|
|
|
|
sherpa79
Apr 8, 2012, 6:38 AM
Post #6 of 7
(769 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 15, 2004
Posts: 108
|
If they were in good condition before you stored them, I'd climb on them.
|
|
|
|
|
bazan
Apr 9, 2012, 4:42 AM
Post #7 of 7
(714 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 7, 2012
Posts: 4
|
Thanks for all the replies. I guess anything that looks sketchy I'll replace and the good looking stuff I'll climb on!
I'll also take a look at the rope manufacture's website, see what they have to say.
Ben
|
|
|
|
|
|
