I never had this problem before USB.
I also break a lot of USB cables in the field, e.g. hiking, and that never used to be a problem with barrel connectors. USB connectors just are not designed for people who don't sit in an office all day.
The "connector" has nothing to do with it compared to older cables imho. The wires in something like a DB9/PS2 cable were heavier grade, but the durability of the connector wasn't measurable better (at least not with a good USB-A cable). If you're continually breaking them, I recommend upgrading to braided cables. I abuse the heck out of them and still haven't had one fail that I can remember.
It's mostly the connector that breaks, not the cable itself. I've tried all that reinforced stuff to no avail. One broke yesterday when I put my phone in my pocket while charging, and sat down on a chair. Seems like a pretty common use case to me.
I never had this problem before USB. I also break a lot of USB cables in the field, e.g. hiking, and that never used to be a problem with barrel connectors. USB connectors just are not designed for people who don't sit in an office all day.