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As the weather warms and the outdoor climbing season begins, a good habit to develop is the regular inspection/maintenance of climbing equipment. We go thorough a inspection of all gear at the start of every season and continue to check for wear-and-tear throughout the season. One of the most comprehensive resources on the care and maintenance of climbing equipment can be found here:

BMC Care and Maintenance

Even with proper care and maintenance most climbing equipment will, sooner or later, need to be retired. Rock + Water Adventures has compiled what manufacturers have stated as the lifetime of the equipment they produce. For details follow the link below:

Summary of Manufacturers stated maximum life for obsolescence of Recreational Climbing Equipment

Ultimately, the decision to retire any piece of equipment will be the responsibility of the climber/owner. The owner will likely be the one who knows the equipment’s history and can therefore make the decision accordingly.

If in doubt about a piece of equipment, it’s probably best to retire/replace that piece. Being a couple of meters above a bolt is not the best place to consider if the webbing on your quickdraws are too fuzzy or sun bleached.

Make a habit of extending the “partner check” beyond checking tie in points and the belay device. Good partners look after each other and should be checking each other's equipment.