The Recall Desk
HighCPSC·11245·Announced 2011-06-14

Harbinger Fitness Recalls Ab Straps Due to Fall Hazard

Harbinger Fitness is recalling Ab Straps because plastic buckles can break, posing a fall hazard. Two incidents resulted in lacerations to heads and necks.

What this means for you

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a risk-of-harm product (fall hazard) where injury has been reported (lacerations), but no fatalities or hospitalizations are mentioned, fitting the 'High' severity criteria for injury without severe outcomes like death.

Plain-English summary

Harbinger Fitness is recalling about 4,169 units of Ab Straps exercise equipment, style 371100. The product consists of two 17.5-inch long straps made of black nylon webbing with padded nylon arm slings and plastic buckles. Users place their arms in the slings to lift themselves to do abdominal exercises. The word "Harbinger" appears on the outer side of one ab strap, and the Universal Product Code (UPC) 000751510964 is on the bottom flap of the packaging.

The plastic buckles on the ab straps can break, posing a fall hazard to consumers. There were two reported incidents of straps breaking. Both incidents resulted in lacerations to consumers' heads and necks.

The affected ab straps were sold online at Bodybuilding.com and Amazon.com, and at Second Wind Fitness, Play It Again Sports, Advantis Nutrition, and other general sporting goods and fitness specialty stores nationwide from August 2006 to April 2011 for about $20. Consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact Harbinger for a free replacement. For additional information, consumers can contact Harbinger customer service at (800) 729-5954 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to noon PT on Friday, visit the firm's website at www.harbingerfitness.com, or e-mail the firm at [email protected].

The recalled product

Product
Ab Straps exercise equipment
Manufacturer
Harbinger Fitness, of Fairfield, Calif.
Category
Consumer Product — Exercise Equipment
Hazard
Affected units
4,169

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

UPCs (1)

  • 680108044474

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same hazard · fall

See all →