UKH

Not been  out climbing for 10 years. Having just done the bad step on Crinkle Crags I'm now feeling like Messner and looking to get back out as there are a whole load of easy mountain routes I never got around to - I'm thinking that I'll never want to do anything harder than Severe .

Question is how much of my old rack / gear should I throw away - all been stored in the dark and in the dry. I am guessing ropes should be ditched (they were newish when last out) and likewise slings and extenders I used a BD Bod harness - will that be ok? Wires and hardware look ok and were in good order when put away but some Friends have sewn slings. Also quickdraws. Wiregate crabs? Is that was most people use for easy trad routes now. Alot lighter and some of my crabs are probably 30 years old (or older some stamped Clog and Bonatti) and quite heavy. I am also think I should replace my helmet. 

You're going to receive a range of answers, some people recommending to replace everything. But I'm going to get in first and say it's all fine. Just get out there.

If it was me I'd probably replace the helmet, but where I climb rockfall is the most significant hazard. One of my ropes is pushing 10 years old now and I have no plans to replace it. I don't get out much, it's been stored well and it still handles fine. If your rope still feels ok then use it. I have 30 year old krabs, they're fine. Bear in mind that you're going to be bimbling up easy stuff for a while. You're not going to find yourself at your limit, run out over dubious gear. So you're not going to be worrying about your kit.

I'd probably replace the helmet too.

Most manufacturers say textiles/plastics, harnesses, slings etc, have a 10 year life. So I would replace those bits. Metal, unless damaged, has no time limit according to a gear leaflet I have.  

A rope manufacturer says mine have a 15 year life, 5 of which can be storage. So yours is probably OK.  It's not going to suddenly disintegrate after 15 years and one day. 

Weighty older gear may make you replace bits though. 

Welcome back.

I replaced a harness recently and was pleasantly surprised how light and flexible it felt compared to my old one. All my other gear is over twenty years old, twin ropes included (they have been stretched or tested and feel like new)....

Anything metal will be fine.  Were it  me I'd rinse the lot in boiled water and - ever so lightly - add a small drop of WD40 onto anything that moves; krab hinges and the like.  Otherwise, if it looks fine - no frayed wires and the like - then it'll be ok.

Anything made of webbing or tape will have degraded a little, even in the dry dark of ten years - but no-one can really tell you whether it's safe or not.  It's a judgement call you have to make.  It's the same with ropes; you know what you did where and when  with them so you should have an idea of how hard a life they've had.  At the very least I'd uncoil the rope and give it an inspection by running it through my fingers and looking at it.  If it looks ok, then it probably is ok; but again, it's your judgement call.

Were it me, I'd buy a new harness and plan to replace ropes, slings and tapes as I went along.  Any old friends, larger rocks and hexentrics or similar that could have a rope sling threaded through instead of a tape would be the first things I'd change.

All that said, I once went away for a weekend in north Wales having been unable to get my harness and ropes out of a locked garage (long story), so I borrowed an eleven year old rope and a twelve year old Whillans harness, both of which had recently been retired after having had hard lives.  Using both, that was the weekend I led my first E1.

So exercise a bit of care, remember these are your judgement calls not anyone else's and that it's you that will get bruised, broken or worse if you make the wrong call, but otherwise get yourself out there.  

T.

From a manufacturers cam maintenance.   

'Use Henkel Superlube, 3-in-1, Duck Oil or other suitable lubricating oil (do not use graphite or lubricating oils that contain degreasing agents such as WD40).'

I only found that out myself recently when checking. No sleight intended.

And none taken, that's good advice.  It's a long time since I bought a cam, and I'm not positive that I'd've read the information after I did.

So, scratch WD40 and use a wee drop of a light oil instead.

T.

No question that new gear is nice! Just not necessary. I'm trying to justify replacing my Dragons with Totems...

Twenty year old ropes still going then? I guess I'll be keeping mine quite a bit longer too.

Speaking with DMM last year the suggestion was that at some point after the 10 year mark nylon starts to degrade at an accelerated rate, meaning a sling that was fine for 10 years could drop from 24kn to 5-7kn with not much in the way of warning signs. 

In practicality I think a point will come where you feel uncomfortable with the gear and will thereby seek replacements. How much is your life worth, after all?

Thanks for the replies. New lid, slings and quickdraws and we're good to go. Next to try a few easy routes down the road on Gower to see how much my knees knock......

Good luck with getting back to climbing! Aside from what others have written, I'd just check the UIAA recall site if some of the hardware wasn't found defective years after and subjected to recall you might have had missed. Not really that probable but did happen a few times.

Otherwise, enjoy it!

Personally I'd replace anything soft, even if it might be okay I'm not sure I'd trust it.

Also climbing gear has moved on a lot since, so you might enjoy new hardware