True or False: The manufacturer is typically responsible for the ongoing inspection of climbing equipment.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (B)

The ongoing inspection of climbing gear is the climber’s responsibility. The manufacturer designs and tests the equipment, provides care and retirement guidelines, and may issue recalls if a defect is found, but they don’t perform routine, ongoing checks on gear after sale. Before each climb, you should inspect gear for wear, damage, or malfunction—rope fraying or cuts, worn or damaged harness straps, cracked or corroded carabiners, distorted or cross-loaded quickdraws, and helmet cracks or dents. If anything looks off, retire or replace the item according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. In some cases, professional inspection might be appropriate, but the regular duty to inspect lies with the user.