My understanding is that SMA connectors were originally designed for interconnections inside equipment which are usually installed and then not touched, so that the limited durability was not a factor; low cost was. It was only when they began to be used in test equipment that its durability shortcomings became apparent.
An improved design, intermateable with SMA, but with superior perfomance and durability and intended for test equipment, is the 3.5mm connector (and its derivatives, 2.9mm, 2.4mm, ...1.0mm, etc.) However it is also a precision connector so quite costly; but I am often able to convince my clients to install them on front panels of new test equipment we design.
Much of its improved performance is its use of air dielectric at the interface, which has more stable performance than the SMA's PTFE (Teflon?) interface with its variable air gap, and its beefier (thicker-walled) outer conductor construction.
I have purged my shack of UHF connectors; all cables are type N, BNC, SMA/3.5mm, or type F for RX-only. High-quality adapters or (preferably) replacement of equipment connectors when practical were used.
73, Don N2VGU
Donald S Brant Jr