To jump off this with a follow up question…
I’ve seen some (maybe a lot, maybe all, I dunno) of these expiration dates come with stipulations like “under heavy use” or “under normal rigors” or “if stored properly” (which in and of itself infers zero use whatsoever).
So like, how the hell do you gauge that?
How does a “saddle hunter” who hunts on average every weekend with the same hunting-purposed saddle for maybe 5 years stack up, compared to an arborist with an arb-specific saddle?
How does climbing method affect that? Sitter vs leaner? Scout climbing in off-season? Some hunt hogs all year from saddles. Number of hours and climate spent in the saddle?
I realize I’m asking a lot. I’m just looking for a general sorta lens through which to figure out what the manufacturer means by heavy use or whatever, vs what an actual end-user puts their equipment through and expects it to survive another inspection, so to speak.
Okay have fun with that mess I just produced…
It's hard to gauge with saddle harnesses because none are built to any standard. Manufacturers can use whatever method they want and there's no requirement for testing (which is why I never ascend past 20' with mine).
The biggest thing is to examine stiching throughout AND examine the bridge area. On Arb saddles, you also would examine any rings or life safety attachment points for hairline cracks.
If you SRT with your hunting saddle, you are putting similar forces on your saddle to a tree worker (1-1.4x your body weight)
If you exceed the weight limit of your saddle, you will put excess strain on it. These warnings are not just their lawyers protecting them.
If you shock load any saddle, it should be retired. Exposure to chemicals etc etc
People like to say don't listen to the manufacturer. In work at height, these manufacturers perform extensive testing and have a good idea when strength losses or failures occur. That being said, they do leave a safety margin in place.