Would you say Whisper pouches last just as long as anything else?
I wouldn't say that at all...they're also not supposed to. 10SPD pouches are super light and very thin. After a while, they need to be replaced. The length of that "while" depends on a variety of factors; the largest factor I've seen for accelerated wear is use for oversized items.
What I mean by that is that you can use a pistol 10SPD for a Leatherman (smallest), a Glock mag (medium), or a pocket smoke (largest). If you use them for pocket smokes, they'll become unsuitable for the Leatherman quickly.
I just finished a course where a teammate had 10SPD pouches actoss his chest for spare pistol mags; they should have been replaced with new 10SPDs years ago. Every time he swung the ram, at least one mag fell out.
All gear should be considered a consumable; at some point, it wears out. If it's AMAZEBALLS for a year before needing replacement, that might be better for your needs than being "Meh" for 10 years. Your call.
- Jake