Quality climbing equipment is built to last and keep you safe. But with time and use, even the most bomber piece of gear can become a safety hazard. The key to getting the most out of your kit is consistent inspection. We听spoke to American Mountain Guides Association鈥揷ertified rock guide 听for his tips on knowing听when it鈥檚 time to replace your gear.
Ropes
There are a few obvious signs that your rope is unsafe to use. First, look at the sheath鈥攖he outer material. Feel for any inconsistencies, like flat sections (which signal that the core is weak), frays, discoloration, or soft spots. Ideally, you should do this scan each time you flake your rope before a climb. If these marks reveal the core, the interior听strands underneath the sheath,听then that section is no longer safe to climb on. But if these spots appear toward the ends, it鈥檚 safe to and still climb on the rest of the rope, Bradford explains. Just be sure you know how long it is for rappels and long routes.
Smaller,听superficial marks, such as tiny chafes to the sheath, can be caused by drag. A听rope听is likely safe to use unless it鈥檚 soft and can be pinched into a sharp angle (a sound rope should bend in a smooth U shape), Bradford says, which would reflect damage to the core.
Judging integrity becomes harder when there are no visible marks or signs to indicate wear. 鈥淚f a rope isn鈥檛 showing obvious signs [of wear], there are other things to look for. Consider questions like: When did you buy this rope? What has been its life span? How was it stored?鈥欌 Bradford says. 鈥淪ometimes the rope will show all other signs of being in fine condition, but that can still raise yellow flags for me.听An older rope鈥攅ven one that is stored properly鈥攊s not going to live up to all of its intended strength specifications. It鈥檚 not going to have the qualities that it originally had.鈥 This could present a safety risk, Bradford听says.
As a general rule of thumb, you should replace your rope听after a significant fall and inspect it for inconsistencies after a fall of any size. Climbers use the听 ratio to rate severity: the higher the number, the more likely there will be damage to the rope. Since every fall can vary, I asked Bradford听to get more specific. 鈥淔alls that would lead me to really inspect the rope are any kind that caused significant abrasion. If you take a fall and suddenly realize that there鈥檚 an abrasion that wasn鈥檛 there before, and you feel those soft spots, then听the fall probably did some type of internal damage, and you may want to consider chopping that rope.鈥
But a big whipper isn鈥檛 the only sign that your rope should be replaced. 鈥淚f it was a particularly hard or short fall that really rattled you, as the climber or the belayer, that鈥檚 a really good time to inspect and make sure none of that damage was incurred,鈥 he says. If the rope was damaged, Bradford then weighs whether to cut the end off or retire the whole rope.听
If you mainly use your rope in the gym, it will likely have听a longer life span. 鈥淚f all you鈥檙e doing is top roping, and it has no obvious abrasions that are starting to really wear down the sheath, there鈥檚 just no reason it can鈥檛 go all the way up to the manufacturer鈥檚 recommended timeline for moderate use,鈥 he says.听
Also consider general wear and tear: Bradford says that if you use your rope more than three to four times a week, you should retire it within a year. Replace one that鈥檚 mainly used on the weekends after one and a half to two years. If you only use it occasionally, consider getting a new one after three to five years, since the rope鈥檚 organic material can deteriorate over time.
Carabiners and Quickdraws
When I was racking up for a climb years ago, I asked my friend for an extra locking carabiner. He tossed it to me, but it soared over my head and fell to a rock ledge below us with a metallic ping. Though we couldn鈥檛 see any visible marks, we knew it was five years old听and assumed the drop could have caused interior damage.听We decided to retire it. After talking to Bradford, I learned鈥攖o my surprise鈥攖hat it听was most likely still safe to climb on.听
鈥淢icrofractures are far less of a problem, both in real research that鈥檚 been done as well as in my own professional opinion. And they鈥檙e somewhat a ghost of the past,鈥 he says.听That鈥檚 because of the difference between aluminum and steel, he explains: 鈥淎luminum is a soft metal. And almost all of the [metal] equipment that we use now that is not permanent hardware, [like bolts] on a climb or in a gym, is aluminum, because it鈥檚 easy to use and lightweight. It also accepts damage really well.听Steel doesn鈥檛 bend as much,听it doesn鈥檛 react as well to impact. When steel hits a rock, it can crack much more.鈥澨齀t鈥檚 important to remember that steel carabiners听still exist, and each drop should warrant a thorough inspection.
No matter the material, look for any visible cracks or deformities in the shape of the carabiner. If the gate cannot open and close correctly, or if it appears to be bent or damaged, do not use it. The same applies to locking versions: if the mechanism can鈥檛 function correctly, then put the carabiner out of commission.听
What about that old box of 鈥檅iners听that鈥檚 been sitting in your basement? 鈥淐arabiners and metal objects like buckles have no set life span in an environment they are recommended for, where they鈥檙e just sitting. Theoretically, you could use a Chouinard听piece听that鈥檚 40 years old, if it鈥檚 been sitting in a duffel听bag in a dry environment out of the sun,鈥 he explains.听
When inspecting your quickdraws, take a look at the dogbones鈥攖he webbing that connects the two carabiners. Check them like you would a rope or harness, since the material is similar (nylon or polyethylene). The life of this connector is largely dependent on the elements it鈥檚 exposed to: rock abrasion, precipitation or moisture, and the sun, Bradford says. Watch for fraying听or cuts that would weaken the strength of the draw. Some companies 听to signal when it鈥檚 time for a replacement.听
Harnesses
Much like climbing rope,听harnesses should be examined frequently. Check for frays in the fabric or tears in the stitching, especially if you spot these signs on the belay loop. Are there any cuts or rips in the general construction, such as in the waist belt or leg loops? Do any buckles appear to be damaged or cracked? If yes, then it鈥檚 time to replace it.听
If there are no visible signs of wear, take into account how often you use your harness. If you climb in it every day, consider retiring it after a year to two years. 鈥淭he longest I鈥檝e ever kept a harness is two years,鈥 Bradford says. He rotates through a quiver听both at the gym and while guiding to spread out their life spans.听
Less frequent usage, such as on most weekends, means it should last about five years, Bradford听says. Like the nylon in ropes, the fabric can deteriorate with time and exposure to the elements. A harness that is听stored properly (away from the sun, in a cool, dry environment) will have a longer life span.
Helmets
Helmets generally last longer than ropes and harnesses. You should retire yours听if it suffers any severe damage, such as a big impact on the wall or听significant rockfall that compromises its integrity. Most will collect small dings and scratches from general use. But big depressions or dents in the shell mean it鈥檚 time to get a new one. If it hasn鈥檛 been majorly damaged, consider replacing it after听five to听eight years, Bradford says, depending on how often you use it.听
When Bradford inspects his clients鈥 headgear, he asks himself: Does the buckle function properly? Is the webbing inside the helmet visible and able to be inspected for inconsistencies?听If a client has an older model,听and he鈥檚 taking them into the mountains where rockfall, gear fall, and personal danger听is more likely, then he will have them use a different helmet鈥攈e鈥檚 not willing to risk their safety when he can provide them with a newer model that has likely taken less impact.听
Shoes
Compared to the rest of the gear on this list,听climbing shoes are the least crucial to your safety on the rock. But with frequent use, the rubber soles will wear out and become ineffective. Look at the rubber鈥檚 edge: Is it round, smooth, or dull? Is the sole slippery as a whole? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, it鈥檚 likely time to replace them. The good thing about climbing shoes is they can often be resoled for a fee by sending them back to the manufacturer or to an independent resoler. 鈥淚t鈥檚 way better to spend 60 bucks on a resole than another $180 on a new pair of TC Pros,鈥 Bradford says.