I have owned a Seat O the Pants safety harness for several years and until recently, I have been very happy with it. I have noticed lately that the buckle has been coming loose, somtimes almost coming completely undone while climbing and hunting!     The design of my harness buckle is a simple "though and back" cinch design.

I contacted SOP by email and they no longer make this style of harness, so they could not repair/replace my harness buckle. The company offered me 40% off a new harness system. My response to them was that I had no intention of paying 60% to replace a harness which had a faulty design (their issue- not mine), that I didn't want to spend any more money with their company if they don't stand behind their product(s) and that I was very disappointed in them.

You would think that a company designing something as important as a safety harness would make reparations IMMEDIATELY when they are informed that their product is not working correctly, and could cause serious injury to their customer(s).

Thanks for letting me vent! My advice to all you Tradgangers is to spend your hard earned money on some other safety harness system.

Don't take this the wrong way but you said you have used this for "several years". I take that to mean more than 3 or 4 years. My guess is that the design isn't bad but you just wore out the buckle on it. A 40% discount on new one seems pretty fair to me. Had your harness been new or just a couple years old then I would agree with you.

I may have the same type of harness.  The buckle is two rectangular shaped coated metal pieces.  You turn one sideways and slide through the other and turn square to cinch down.  Is this your type?  If so the buckle can not wear out as Lechwe suggests.  I have not had a problem but if this is the same style I will keep a close eye on mine.

i thought all full body harnesses have a 5 year expiration date on them anyway...and then they should be replaced.

What Lechwe said.

It's a plastic buckle and maybe it has begun to show it's age. It looks the same to me as it always has, no apparent effects of aging. As far as a five year expiration, I don't remember ever seeing that in my owners manual. I'll do some checking on that. Maybe I'm off base, but it seems to me that provided that a person takes proper care of their harness I.E., storing it indoors during the off season  and the harness hasn't sustained any appreciable stress like a fall, the harness shouldn't expire in five years.

Thanks for your thoughts.

If it were me I'd just fix it myself and keep hunting. The prices they charge for them things is outrageous and then they say they expire in 5 yrs??  Gimme a break!  I use one That was included with a wal mart lock on stand!
TIM B

Sorry but when it comes to safety equipment I don't like the word cheap in the same sentence. I know their expensive, but what value do you place on life and limb. As far as standing behind the product 4 years on a plastic part is a lot of wear. They can only warranty something for so long, and 40% off a new one seems fair. No offence just my opinion.

No direspect intended. But everything wears out sometime. ... I would like to think my truck will last me the rest of my life?? But it ain't going too..... they make some really nice safty buckles that you might like even better then the original that you could put on it.. and 40% off?? I am betting that they would be making 0% profit from sellin you a new one??

Okay, brother Tradgangers. I guess I am off base on this one! No offense taken. For me, I think and buckle should last. This safety harness is really solid, I mean looks like new. To me, it's a shame to have to shell out a bunch of cash to buy a new harness just because the makers didn't design a buckle to last.

String Cutter, I don't expect it to last forever, but 10 years is not out of the realm of possibilities. My truck is a 2000 with 128,000. I keep up on the service, so I expect it to go at least 200,000. I guess we shall see.      

Go to a local outdoor shop that specializes in rock climbing gear and see if they have a buckle that will suit your needs.  If its sewn on it can be fixed for cheap by someone who specializes in this--no big deal.

Question.

Any chance at some point the buckle came off the harness and you put it back on? Some of those slip joint buckles will go on so they look correct but they won't hold.

Thanks for the heads up on that product.Safty is the most important thing.I think you had quality in mind when you bought it so it sounds like it let you down And i can understand that.I have the same kind of thinking as you if you buy a cadillac you expect it be the best.Keep me posted when you find the real deal.Thanks

push the strap thru, then tie a quick single pass knot in it and it won't go anywhere.  Mine has done that a few times, it is well worn.

ChuckC

I am sure these companies have to pay an arm and a leg for insurance, hence they pass it on.

On the HSS, Rastaman is correct 5 years!

Harness as expired. Throw it out

Harness as expired. Throw it out

Long Bow fanatic - they do have an expiration date.  I just replaced my SOP harness.  It was out of date.  

Industry standards on industrial harnesses in the manufacturing world are 5 years, whether you use it one day or every day, still 5 years.  And it is destroyed, not tossed away.

It bites, but those things do have a life expectancy.

Good luck this season. Stay safe.

Billy

Is the reason they expire because of the plastic buckles?  I don't remember any expiration on mine and it has no plastic on it.