In reply to WildAboutWalking:
> I personally wouldn't buy an 18 year old harness, even if it had been stored in ideal conditions, but the other stuff is probably saleable/useable. I note that Petzl quote a 10 year maximum life for harnesses etc.
Probably more accurate to say that the Lawyers for the Insurers of Petzl quote a 10 year maximum life (after which they won't pay up). Harnesses, just like anything else, do not suddenly disintegrate when the clock ticks over at midnight.
With everything climbing related, it's all about how kit has been stored, how certain someone can be that said information is truthful, and how an individual then feels about using it.
Something you have kept yourself you can know how well you can trust. Something kept by another person (particularly someone you do not know) is something else.