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Climbing stick lifetime?

Jrain904 said:
Been using these lone wolf sticks around 10 years now and wonder if they have a usable lifetime? Is it time to retire these old killers?

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Can’t fix what isn’t broken!

I would second what @GeoFish said. So long as there is no deformation or yielding on the brackets or steps, the only thing I could think to do is put some fresh hardware on them. I have seen bolt bending in original hardware before. You could also check that the through holes have not been opened up too much or have not fractured. If there is fracturing in the bolt hole you may want to consider getting a new section of tube to replace the old broken one, but thats a cheap and easy fix. Other minor thing would be get new nylon washers if any are missing or worn down to the point that they aren’t doing much.
 
I don't worry about the lifetime of non-life support items, so long as they pass my own inspection.

If a stick or step breaks, then I'll slip into what I consider life support which is tether, lineman's lanyard, bridge, saddle.

I would probably retire a 10 year old saddle, even if it looked fine to me.
 
I think the safety testing on most stands, sticks, climbers, etc is made to simulate 5 seasons of use. To my knowledge nobody issues anything in writing saying when and under what circumstances to retire them, unlike harnesses and (I assume now?) saddles.

That said, I've hunting out of loggy bayou, old man, and loc-ons that were decades old. If it looks broke or bent, trash it. Otherwise, harness up and climb
 
Metal does fatigue over time due to repetitive stresses, and this can eventually lead to failures. It's one of the many reasons that can contribute to traffic bridge collapses, etc. This is applicable to climbing sticks since they are designed to be as lightweight and compact as possible, i.e., the least amount of metal they can use in order to meet their target specs. However, this would largely depend on number of uses and amount of load, and less on time. So there would be a big difference if you've been using them hard and often each season, or only using them sparingly. Also a big difference if the user was 130lbs or 250lbs.

Unlike raisins, I do treat my sticks as life-support items, since they are often part of my three points of contact. But that's a personal choice.

Not saying you need to replace them. Just sharing my general thoughts on the matter.
 
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I’d caution to keep a eye out for rounding of the stoppers bolt holes and step bolt holes especially if your pushing the weight limits.
 
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