Climbing Harness Recalled by Misty Mountain Threadworks
NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 1998
Release # 98-080
Company Phone Number: (704) 963-6688 CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles, (301) 504-7052
CPSC, Misty Mountain Threadworks Inc. Announce Recall of Climbing Harness
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Misty Mountain Threadworks
Inc. of Banner Elk, N.C., is recalling about 5,000 climbing
harnesses with a front entry sleeve system. If attached
incorrectly, the climber's swami belt can be held by only a
small piece of elastic behind the sleeve. Climbers who don't
realize this mistake create a dangerous situation where the
belay/rappel loop tears through the elastic webbing,
potentially causing the climber to flip backwards, possibly
causing injury.
Misty Mountain Threadworks is aware of at least three
incidents where climbers have ripped the elastic webbing,
but there have been no injuries reported.
The front entry sleeve is used in four different
harness styles by the company -- Arete, Finesse, Quantum and
Cadillac Big Wall. All the harnesses have black nylon
webbing with various additional color and design combination
features. The tag on the harness reads, "Misty Mountain
Threadworks." A label on the harness shows the manufacture
date. The recalled harnesses were manufactured from August
1996 through September 1997. The harness comes in a blue box
showing a photo of a mountain labeled Dhulagiri from Pun
Hill, Nepal.
Outdoor and climbing shops, climbing gear catalogs and
Misty Mountain Threadworks sold these harnesses from August
1996 through March 1998 for about $42 to $80, depending on
the model.
Climbers who have a Misty Mountain Threadworks harness
with a front entry sleeve should stop using the harness and
immediately return it to Misty Mountain Threadworks. The
harness will be repaired and returned promptly. Send your
harness for repair to Misty Mountain Threadworks, 718 Burma
Road, Banner Elk, NC 28604. For more information, call Misty
Mountain Threadworks collect at (704) 963-6688 between 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. You may also contact
them by electronic mail at info@mistymountain.com.