Buck. Master saddle - near failure

[fish_73]

I'm a part-time climber these days and have trustingly swung on a buckingham classic saddle for the last few years. I'm posting this only to share how I had my worst 'near miss' and maybe to save someone else from a similar or worse experience in the field.

I was ascending on a single line, as usual. When I was getting close to my anchor, I leaned back to hand saw a small secondary and happened to look at my main tie in on my saddle and saw this:

 

[fish_73]

I adjusted my connection to another point and finished what I was doing with no ill consequence.

When out of the tree, I realized that this main attachment point is the least reinforced of all connection points on this particular saddle.

It was a eye opening experience. The positioning of the stitching, inboard, had assisted in my not noticing the problem. I consider myself fairly safety conscious and have been climbing for 10+ years. This one almost cost me, as there were only 3 threads, double stitched, between me and a painful, or worse, fall.

I am opening myself up to criticism, I'm aware, for lack of attention to detail, but I can't be the only one riding this saddle, so I just wanted to share my 'near miss'. This seemed like an appropriate forum...

 

[Marshy]

How often do you do a really thorough inspection of all the seams and stiches?

 

[fish_73]

If there's another forum that I can share this with, please let me know. I've posted on ******** already. I also sent an email to buckingham regarding this incident but I haven't heard back yet.

I know I am not the only one trusting this saddle, so I want the caution to be heard.

 

[Marshy]

I think your in the right spot. Im not a climber nor am I in professional tree care field but do have some exposure to fall protection. One thing they teach you is to inspect your equipment every time prior to putting it on. So I'll ask again since you didnt answer my question. How often do you thoroughly inspect every seam of your harness? Surely this failure dosent happen without some form or wear that could have been noticed? If Im off base then I will stand corrected but that harness looks like it might not owe you anything and you did say you've used it for the last few years...

 

[fish_73]

How often do you do a really thorough inspection of all the seams and stiches?

I accept my culpability here. I can ask the same of you, I suppose. I, admittedly, don't stitch by stitch, go over my gear every day, but I do bounce test everything before ascending.

 

[fish_73]

I think your in the right spot. Im not a climber nor am I in professional tree care field but do have some exposure to fall protection. One thing they teach you is to inspect your equipment every time prior to putting it on. So I'll ask again since you didnt answer my question. How often do you thoroughly inspect every seam of your harness? Surely this failure dosent happen without some form or wear that could have been noticed? If Im off base then I will stand corrected but that harness looks like it might not owe you anything and you did say you've used it for the last few years...

'Not owe me anything'??
I'm sorry if I'm just a working shmuck in the field, but I expect my saddle to not disintegrate just from sweat in a few years. As evidenced from my photos, there weren't obvious signs of decay. Inspect every seam and stitch, routinely??

Defensive? A bit, I am.

I am not obtuse to your observation. I simply want to highlight the potentially fatal flaw in the design of this particular connection point. I can remedy it, simply, and continue to confidently use this harness, but I will reiterate that 3 double stitched strands of nylon were keeping my sorry arse in defiance of newton's head injury.

 

[Marshy]

Well I said I wasnt in tree care/service and my comment wasnt a personal attack. Sorry if you read it that way. Your trusting your life in the thing not me, do as you please. When I put on a fall harness I do go over it very thoroughly inch by inch because I dont know if the last smuck that wore it tossed it in his job box with porta-band saw or left it hanging under a welding area and slag fell on it etc... I feel its worth my time to take a critical look at my equipment before I put it on every time. I would think someone who actually hangs in theirs would go inch by inch at least one a week and not settle for just a bounce test. Just my opinion, glad you cheated death and made it though.

 

[fish_73]

This is my saddle - I don't share. But, no, I don't go over it stitch by stitch, daily. I store it properly and I expect it to perform like it did yesterday short of any major mishaps. I'm not welding with it...

Do you understand what a bounce test is? I'm pretty comfortable climbing on a system I've personally bounce tested.

I haven't seen the newer models of this particular saddle and this may have been remedied, but my main issue is the fact that the most common tie in is the weakest. That's all. I'm a dufus, at best, but even I can see this flaw.

 

[Marshy]

I can understand how it's easy to get complacent and feel as if you dont need to check it as thoroughly since you own it but in the end its a consumable and it wears. Maybe theres something to be said about the build quality in that area compred to the other anchors so its good that you pointed it out.

No I dont know what your bounce test is. With fall protection you dont load it to test their integrity, hence why we incpect them before putting it on.

 

[fish_73]

I've always been taught to load a harness before use - to check it's integrity and fit (make sure the boys don't get a surprise).

My bounce test is based on the premise that I am essentially shock loading the whole system. So, with that in mind, I've tested my tie in point/anchor/limb -and my saddle - well beyond any forces I 'should' instill upon them during a work climb. I've adopted this from another rope climbing realm and it has served me well thus far.

It basically consists of 'bouncing hard' - at ground level. Pretty scientific, I know.

 

[BC WetCoast]

I know I don't inspect every stitch on my saddle daily. It already takes me 20 mins to do all the pre work paperwork. Better tell the salesmen to add an extra $500 to the job to account for the time spent on gear inspections and pre work plans.

Just out of curiosity, why weren't you using your rope bridge?

Are you using a rope wrench or a hitch hiker?

 

[Marshy]

I think you guys are taking the "every stich" comment out of context. I dont think its practical to perform such and inspection daily. Maybe weekly or monthly?

 

[chevybob]

Why you so mad bro? Lol

 

[tainzhiuma]

I know I am not the only one trusting this saddle, so I want the caution to be heard.

 

[chevybob]

I know I am not the only one trusting this saddle, so I want the caution to be heard.

I was talking about the Fish guy. He got way too butt hurt over that dude saying he should inspect his stitching. Which he is right about. It is every climbers responsibility to check their gear before a climb. Do you buy a new car and then just never maintain it? That's like saying when your car blows up its the manufacturers fault because you never did any maintainence.

Fish you sound like a clown dude.

 

[fish_73]

I was talking about the Fish guy. He got way too butt hurt over that dude saying he should inspect his stitching...

Fish you sound like a clown dude.

Ok. Now the name calling... Eat my big red nose.

I've already called myself out on this point. I tried to use the photos to show how this saddle could pass visual inspection. Obviously, I wasn't thorough enough. Yes, I was complacent, and overly trusted this gear.

Was just sharing my f-up so maybe someone else doesn't have to.

 

[chevybob]

Ok. Now the name calling... Eat my big red nose.

I've already called myself out on this point. I tried to use the photos to show how this saddle could pass visual inspection. Obviously, I wasn't thorough enough. Yes, I was complacent, and overly trusted this gear.

Was just sharing my f-up so maybe someone else doesn't have to.

Just saying man your new here you should be more friendly to other users before you make a bad name for yourself. There was no need to go off on that guy. Words of wisdom

 

[fish_73]

Just out of curiosity, why weren't you using your rope bridge?

Are you using a rope wrench or a hitch hiker?

I use the bridge while working but usually just ascend on the central tie in.

I just got a hitchhiker recently - trying to get it dialed in.

 

[fish_73]

Just saying man your new here you shouldn't be more friendly to other users before you make a bad name for yourself. There was no need to go off on that guy. Words of wisdom

Reasonable enough. Thank you.