Just saw the test results on climbing carabiners from the 1980s

I was reading this gear blog last night and they took a batch of carabiners from the 80s and tested them against new ones. The old ones still held over 20 kN after decades of use and scratches. But the new ones? Some failed at half that after just a few years of normal wear. Made me wonder if we're over-engineering stuff now or just cutting corners. Has anyone else seen old gear outlast the new stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

david7017d ago

20 kN is way overkill for most climbing anyway.

wendyc537d ago

Did you ever have one of those days where even your draw cord decides to knot itself in protest? I once spent 20 minutes untangling a sling because I stored it wrong in my pack. Sometimes simpler gear just saves my sanity, especially when I'm fumbling in a windstorm.