Are manual double-back buckles on harnesses considered obsolete?
My current harness has these single-piece buckles:
(source: http://www.mountaineeringmethodology.com/harness/)
It might be due for replacement in one or two years, and I really like these buckles, since I can completely open all parts of the harness if I need to. Also, I heard friends complaining about their harnesses (with other types of buckles) becoming slightly loose while wearing them.
I am having a hard time finding any new harnesses with that type of buckle. Is that kind of buckle considered obsolete? If so, what is the reason for this?
Is it because you basically have to double check your harness to be sure that you have correctly fixed the buckles? Or are there other reasons that might make them unsafe?
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Is that kind of buckle considered obsolete?
Obsolete, no, they work fine they've just been superseded by autolock style buckles.
what is the reason for this?
Quite simply they're just harder to do up wrong. It also means you can adjust your harness faster.
Some cheaper harnesses still have single buckle harnesses but the autolock one's are pretty much ubiquitous now.
Also, I heard friends complaining about their harnesses (with other types of buckles) becoming slightly loose while wearing them.
They can slip a little but not much. They, also won't come completely open, which an incorrectly done single buckle can!
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/8313. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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The real safety issue is the condition of the harness webbing, not the type of buckle. Metal buckles don't soon wear out, whether you have to manually double-back the webbing belt or not.
I don't believe the new buckles are mechanically safer, however accidents occurred simply because too many climbers forgot to double-back the webbing belt—enough so that manufacturers took notice. The new buckle design is an "innovation" dedicated to the prevention of user error.
That said, if your harness has an old-style buckle, it should be an indication to you that the webbing may soon be reaching the age of retirement, which is a subjective call based on use, your personality-type, and manufacturer's specs.
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/8574. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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