It occured to me that my climbing helmet is like 8 or 9 years old. It's a BD Halfdome and it's never received any kind of impact, never been left out to bake in the sun, stored in a dry dark place, etc. etc. Just wondering if there is any kind of consensus on this?? Would glady replace if there is an ?'s of integrity...

Call BD - they will be glad to help you out. Don't trust your noggin to us, we don't actually know what we are talking about.

Autoxfil wrote:Don't trust your noggin to us, we don't actually know what we are talking about.

...but that clearly doesn't stop us from posting comments spouting all manner of "info"!

I'd replace if if I were you. If I were me, I'd probably keep wearing it.

From BD (Half Dome helmet):

lifesPan
The lifespan of your helmet is dependent upon how frequently you use it
and on the conditions of its use. With occasional use and proper care the
lifespan of a textile or plastic product is 5- 8 years, with frequent use and
proper care the lifespan of a textile or plastic product is 2-5 years, and the
maximum shelf life is 10 years.

Alpinisto wrote:

Autoxfil wrote:Don't trust your noggin to us, we don't actually know what we are talking about.

...but that clearly doesn't stop us from posting comments spouting all manner of "info"!

Especially if you are looking for medical advice!!! Or, for that matter, anything else that we are totally unqualified to give advice on.

alpinejason wrote: the maximum shelf life is 10 years.

Haha I never knew helmets had a shelf life. Does the plastic and padding deteriorate over time or something?

GEEZ. My helmet is 7 years old and I only wear it about 4 times year. Maybe I'll drop a good sized rock on it and see if it needs to be replaced.

I would like to sell you a product, and have you come back and buy a new one from me every 2-5 years.

mrchad9 wrote:I would like to sell you a product, and have you come back and buy a new one from me every 2-5 years, because it falls apart (right after the warranty expires.)

There...fixed that for ya.

Hotoven wrote:Does the plastic and padding deteriorate over time or something?

Yes. Of course, i manufacture stuff out of acetal, nylon, polyester, pig metal and dyneema for a living.

Once upon a time, i had access to bored specialists and their testing expertise and equipment. We broke, uh, i mean tested about 800 swatches of fabric. The older samples of the same material broke at lower loads at statistically significant intervals. For me, it was one of those interesting experiences seeing what you're told (ie nylon and polyester get weaker over time) being demonstrably true.

The side result of that week of experimentation was that I now replace slings every other year, ropes too, and destroy and then recycle the stuff. It does cost money, but I've just seen too much stupid stupid stuff not to buy a sling every couple of weeks or so at the local shop and just keep trading them out...