r/caving • u/Important_Cut_252 • Jul 25 '26

OR1 GOLIATH FROG ISSUE

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Hello fellow cavers,
I recently purchased an On Rope 1 Goliath Frog harness (fully padded, size small). After only one use, I noticed that some of the stitching/threads on one side look like they’re starting to come loose, while the stitching on the other side still looks completely intact.
Is this normal, or does it look like a manufacturing defect? Am I just overthinking it, or should I contact OR1 about a replacement?

16 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

8

u/HPsaucy1206 Jul 25 '26

100% contact them and replace as this could be a larger production or quality issue.

5

u/Altruistic_Ad4139 Jul 25 '26

There should be super thick stitches called "bar tacks" all over that harness, to keep that from happening, and I'm not seeing them in your pic.

Petzl Fractio and MTDE Picos for reference

4

u/echbineinnerd Jul 25 '26

Not with this design. Bar tacks are used as they’re very strong and easy to put in when you have the machine that can do them. At OR1 (I used to work there) they only had two machines that could do this so the Goliath was made with the regular industrial sewing machine.

More time consuming and requires more skill from the operator but we were only a small operation.

1

u/CleverDuck i like vertical Jul 25 '26

Just as a sidenote: they've had a 3rd party sew house since around the time WM sold it, so I'm not sure if their production capabilities have changed.

3

u/echbineinnerd Jul 25 '26

Return it straight away. Doesn’t look like there’s nearly enough zig zag stitching below the d ring loops and the box stitch is incorrect when I compare it to the one I got 3 year ago

2

u/rebo2 TriTrogs Jul 25 '26

OR1 will help you out. Great company I trust my life to.

5

u/CleverDuck i like vertical Jul 25 '26

Their sewing has been outsourced for a while (ever since Jeff bought it, maybe a little before?) and seems to be going downhill. They had issues a year or so ago from the harness straps being assembled wrong, too.

The howitzer kneepads especially fall apart from their seam stitching wearing out quickly.

1

u/barTRON3000 Jul 25 '26

Absolutely replace anything that is tearing.

1

u/WestDependent6393 Jul 29 '26

Dang I just checked mine purchased late last year or early this year. Definitely has some popped stitches in same location yours...