Service life (manufactures recommendations)

evo

evo

Been here much more than a while
Location
My Island, WA
So I thought I’d put up a thread in a general unspecific manner about manufacturers maximum service life of gear.

This just popped into my head when I came across some conflicting information. I just put a new treemotion light into service with a manufacturing date of 11/16. The manual it came with notes a 5 year maximum lifespan from the date of manufacturing. With no mention of when the saddle is put into service or not. The linked online manual states a maximum life span of 5 years after first put into use, or a maximum 8 years of manufacturing.
This is a manual with an 2016 ansi stamp on the cover. The manual which came with my saddle has a 2012.


Petzl boasts a 10 year, for textiles and plastics (helmets).

So if this thread stays on track perhaps it could be a sticky for those of us who play by the rules
 
The biggest enemy of all this gear (aside from outright abuse) is ultraviolet energy and exposure to oxidizers. Keep it out of the sun, keep it dry, and keep it clean. It will all last for decades with enough care. The real problem is that few people really go to a lot of trouble to keep up on this.

Having said that, the nature of the work is such that it will get used in less than ideal conditions, and production climbers usually have to work hard and often. It's hard to keep up on good maintenance, cleaning and proper storage when it's go-go-go day after day. You either treat it all as disposable goods and retire it when it starts looking too scary, or you teach yourself to enjoy the work of taking care of it. It's a mindset thing. Once you start doing it, that time spent starts being a routine that isn't so awful. Gives you a chance to think and plan for what you need next, how you can make the maintenance and storage easier... even think up improvements to your overall methods and gear.

I actually enjoy that time... but then, I'm pretty close to bat shit crazy. You might not feel the same way. For me, if I have to retire a piece of gear that has served me well, it's almost like having to bury a dog your really liked, that has died.
 
JeffGu said:
The biggest enemy of all this gear (aside from outright abuse) is ultraviolet energy and exposure to oxidizers. Keep it out of the sun, keep it dry, and keep it clean. It will all last for decades with enough care. The real problem is that few people really go to a lot of trouble to keep up on this.

Having said that, the nature of the work is such that it will get used in less than ideal conditions, and production climbers usually have to work hard and often. It's hard to keep up on good maintenance, cleaning and proper storage when it's go-go-go day after day. You either treat it all as disposable goods and retire it when it starts looking too scary, or you teach yourself to enjoy the work of taking care of it. It's a mindset thing. Once you start doing it, that time spent starts being a routine that isn't so awful. Gives you a chance to think and plan for what you need next, how you can make the maintenance and storage easier... even think up improvements to your overall methods and gear.

I actually enjoy that time... but then, I'm pretty close to bat shit crazy. You might not feel the same way. For me, if I have to retire a piece of gear that has served me well, it's almost like having to bury a dog your really liked, that has died.
Click to expand...
I agree with every thing you said. Dude I use to work for ran the same harness for 30 years, simply and only replacing the critical parts. He used throwline to hold up the leg loops in the rear, bulletproof simple design not unlike the Cornell other than it used nybuck belting. 100% safe but UGLY as a half rotted dead dog.
This rabbit hole lead me to retire my treemotion and put the back up into service. The old one is just fine, a slightly frayed lower leg loop where it goes through the lower DEE. It's safe, but the abrasion is getting worse. I could replace the leg loop and it would be bomber for many more years, but it's past the 5 year service life specs from the date it was made.. The new replacement is a treemotion light made in late 2016, same service life specs. BUTTTT they posted a technical notice that as of 2017 the up'ed the total life span to 8 years with a max in service of 5. Be it nearly 2020, I'd be pissed if the older standards of 5 years still holds true for this ride, only getting 1 year of use outta it?
 
I think your good for the full 8 and more. I believe that's why they sell those replaceable parts for the tree mo.
Most guys I know around here use their saddles much longer than the manufacturer recommends. Much cheaper brands and most just hang em up ina tool box on a truck. Lots of those trucks parked outside too.
 
Mowerr said:
I think your good for the full 8 and more. I believe that's why they sell those replaceable parts for the tree mo.
...
Click to expand...
So, I wonder if replacing life support pieces "officially" extends or resets the deadline? Probably not...but good point on that.
 
“You either treat it all as disposable goods and retire it when it starts looking too scary, or you teach yourself to enjoy the work of taking care of it. It's a mindset thing.”
-JeffGu

Truer words were never typed. (Applies to other things too, especially cars, guns and women);)
 
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