UKC

OK, I've got some old British made Rab Jackets and old Paramo kit that almost 15-20 years old and the elastic is OK.

However in recent clothing by Rab and other popular brands the elastic now only seems to last a few years before it start to perish.

The problem seems to be across almost all the well known brands from clothing to rucksacks to climbing harnesses.

I keep having to take up the leg length of my stretch trousers or replacing the elastic in my thermals and jackets.

I now try and avoid anything with a stretch in it as it's unlikely to last more than a few years, is this just me?

The final straw is I've just had to cut a length off the rear elastic from my year and a half old climbing harness leg loops as it lost all stretch, the previous version which is at least five years older is still fine.

What's going on?

Cheers Ron

In reply to Ron Walker:
bump!

In reply to Ron Walker:


Too many pies?

In reply to Ron Walker:

Bad luck, or statistical anomaly? I'm trying to think of any new elastic I've broken but all I can think of is in old gear. It is very annoying when waist elastic goes in longjohns though. Normally the elastic is sewn in so there is no good way to replace it that I can see.

In reply to TobyA:


You can always get a dry cleaners to sew an elastic tape (for want of a better word) around the outside for a few quid. Will effectively 'replace' the elastic if the long johns are worth saving.

In reply to TobyA:

It's more my newest harness that's pissed me off as it's less than two years old and the elastic is shot. I have the previous model of the harness, probably about 5 years older and the legloop elastic is fine.
More recently with several newish jackets the draw cords have perished. The same elastic cord has gone on my Gourden rucksack too yet, I have old bungee cord from the 1970's which is still OK!
Also two pairs barely worn stretch Cordura trousers have gone from a 30 inch leg to a 36 inch leg - either that or my legs have shrunk!!!

In reply to crayefish:


You mean knicker elastic? It used to work well on the old Lifa longjohns but the new ones have tape stitched around the waist which only seems to last about five years of occasional use and not so easy to replace.

In reply to Ron Walker:

But you don't need to replace... just sew over the top! Like a permanent elastic belt

In reply to crayefish:

Did that but the old waist was less bulky and lighter and easier to replace

In reply to Ron Walker:


My old waist was definitely lighter!

In reply to crayefish:


My thoughts too, I still carry my 1980's sky blue (colour) as an emergency warm layer in the Alps rather than the newer but heavier ones...!