How Long Does A Harness Last

[RomeUtah]

Hey All,
How often do people replace their harnesses before total failure. I have a 2018 RE that I have maybe 150 sessions, maybe 300-400 hours, harness looks good but straps are getting frayed by the buckles. Snow season is coming up so end of season sales are upon us.

[leeuwen]

I think it’s hard to give a standard answer:
Your weight and usage can highly differs also what’s acceptable wear/risk may be different from person to person.

Someone using a harness to foil probably hardly sees any wear while a 150kg rider boosting 20+ meters puts a whole different level of stress on the equipment.

I would personally double check at wear signs where the harness is connected to the straps. Those points are easy to miss and therefore can fail quite spectacularly at an inconvenient moment.

If you think you see a good deal for a harness while your current one seems worn and might not make the next season end I would go for it. You can just keep using the old one and when it’s time is up you have a new one ready to go.

[longwhitecloud]

A looong time.

Replace straps and after a few years I would replace metal spreader bars in case of metal fatigue. I have know them to rip off at the weld - rare but happens.. happened to someone I knew of at wrong time- v close to drowning in very very large surf.... f$%$ing scary situation...

Trouble is that that you never quite know the stainless/weld quality if you buy. new one - but like i said i havnt seem it happen much.

I need to listen to my own advice... really pushing it with my current harness.. time to go shopping

[Robsw6]

x10 sessions for one brand, up to indefinite for RRD - but i replace when the webbing straps start looking less than 100%

[Mike101]

My manera exo is 5 years old and hammered. The discolouration around the weld tells me I should consider replacing the spreader soon. The webbing is still like new, I always open and adjust the position of both sides to reduce strap wear. The problem is I cannot find a drop in spreader bar replacement for the 2 wide straps on the exo and a lot of companies sell the bars are same point I can buy a new exo harness. If I can find the eclipse for a decent price I'll upgrade to one of those soon.

[BillyGoatGruff]

I only buy Naish and Neil Pryde harnesses, the webbing is all replaceable (although recent Naish harnesses are now sewen in! grrr!!). Change the webbing every year and you should get around 4 years, or so. Also wash your harness afer every session with fresh water, same with bar & lines.

[knyfe]

For me a quite few years when you keep at it for the occasional repair. Since I bought the Speedy Stitcher they are also easy on the harness. But of course it looks bad after about a year or so. I have a Dakine seat harness.

[fluidity]

I have a Neil Pride wind surfing harness from 1998. I thrashed it for maybe 5 years then it hardly got any use until I got into kite surfing 2015. After less than a year the main strap frayed and I replaced it with webbing from industrial truck tie down straps. I got a rib injury when it slid up and compressed my chest during an inadvertant loop so I cut the shoulder straps off an old kite bag and converted into a seat harness. Then I decided I wanted to try a slider instead of a hook and converted it... so that's 9 years with repair, still going strong.
Another harness I got 2'nd hand, mystic? the stitching on the strap gave up so I re-stitched the straps. Google speedystitcher if you are looking for a diy stuper strong hand stitching tool.

[GTC]

Mi Warrior harness is almost 10 yo

[JaDan]

I used my Dakine renegade for 5 yrs , still useable but
It’s showing it’s age. Retired it to indoor practice only now.

I’ve got some friends that have some harness from 2009,
I would not trust my life with them though, lol.