'FRIENDS' & OTHER CAMMING DEVICES

Friends were one of the most significant inventions in climbing since the karabiner and the name is ubiquitously applied to all camming devices. However it should only really be used for those made by Wild Country - the rest all being derived from these. Recent innovations such as reverse cam strength (that means the device will still hold a fall even when the cams are fully open - provided that is that they actually catch on the rock in some way!) are useful, and dyneema slings, forged cams and other advances have made "Friends" a lot lighter than the earlier models, whilst reductions in scale, such as Wild Country's fantastic Zeros, have to be seen to be believed.

Photo: Belinda "BJ" James well cammed up at the start of the main pitch of Kipling Groove, the classic HVS on Gimmer Crag, Langdale in the English Lake District.

Revamped Flexi-Friends with longer, stiffened stems and reverse cam strength. A superb product with 3 Sigma Rating meaning that 99.99% of all production passes its strength ratings. Dearish, but not for the quality.

The small sizes transform many serious harder routes into less worrying undertakings. Medium sizes are perhaps the most useful, especially on grit. These larger sizes (3.5 & 4) are used mainly on grit where they are invaluable: however a 3.5 can be very handy in the Lakes at times. Sizes 5 and 6 are very specialist, their use being almost entirely confined to offwidth cracks such as Elder Crack at Frogatt, and Winking Crack at Gogarth.

NB Individual Technical Friends up to size 4 now come with a free karabiner (it used to be a Wild Wire but there seem to be a lot coming through with Oxygens), but this doesn't apply to sizes 5 and 6, or Friends sold in sets.

WC Technical Friends
number	colour	size-range	head width	strength kN		weight
		mm	mm	Unit	Cam Stop	gm
00	Gold	10-16	34	10	6	60
0	Blue	13-19	43	14	11	79
0.5	Red	17-24	45	14	11	85
1.0	Gold	19-29	48	14	11	95
1.25	Purple	21-33	50	14	11	98
1.5	Silver	23-35	50	14	12	98
1.75	Green	25-41	50	14	12	107
2.0	Red	29-44	53	14	12	111
2.5	Gold	33-55	58	14	12	122
3.0	Purple	43-66	63	14	13	155
3.5	Blue	51-82	63	14	13	178
4.0	Silver	64-100	63	14	14	217
5.0	Red	84-136	87	14	14	346
6.0	Green	116-194	120	14	14	533

 

Quantity:  

Size 00 £54.99 0 £54.99 0.5 £54.99 1 £55.99 1.25 £55.99 1.5 £55.99 1.75 £55.99 2 £56.99 2.5 £56.99 3 £57.99 3.5 £57.99 4 £57.99 5 £84.99 6 £99.99 Size Stock 00 £54.99 5 0 £54.99 4 0.5 £54.99 5 1 £55.99 5+ 1.25 £55.99 1 1.5 £55.99 3 1.75 £55.99 3 2 £56.99 5 2.5 £56.99 5 3 £57.99 5+ 3.5 £57.99 4 4 £57.99 3 5 £84.99 0 6 £99.99 0

Sizes 1,2 and 3 of the Technical Friends listed above at a bargain price. NB - These do not come with free krabs. 

Stock

3

Quantity:  

Sizes 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 of the Technical Friends listed above at a bargain price. NB - These do not come with free krabs. 

Quantity:  

Stock

5+

Rewire and new trigger kits to fit all Technical or Offset Friends produced after January 1st 2001. Each Kit contains wires and triggers to do two Friends, one small and one large - please note that these kits do not fit Forged Friends. Unfortunately Wild Country no longer produce a kit for Forged Friends. 

Quantity:  

Stock

0

Marvels of minaturisation! These new camming devices are the lightest and smallest on the market and are packed with innovative features. All include a doubled 10mm Dyneema sling and reversed cam strength.

NB Sizes 1 and 2 are the original length, sizes 3, 4, 5, and 6 are the new longer stemmed versions.

WC Zeros
number	colour	size-range	head width	strength	weight
		mm	mm	kN	gm
1	Purple	5.5-7.8	25	3	23
2	Green	7.0-9.2	29	4	29
3	Silver	8.5-12.2	34	6	43
4	Gold	10.3-16.0	35	6	50
5	Blue	13.0-19.0	38	10	57
6	Red	17.0-24.0	38	10	61

 

Quantity:  

Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 Size Stock 1 2 2 0 3 2 4 2 5 1 6 2

DMM's 4 Cam Units are similar in construction to their 3 CUs and offer similar advantages. Having four cams makes them more stable than three cam units but they also take up more space. Though they weigh more they are still very light. Cam sizes are similar to the equivalent Friend.

These new revamped 4CUs are now even lighter.

Please note that the colour-coded karabiner in the photo is not included, and is also not included in the listed weights. These coloured Spectre krabs are available to order below.

DMM 4CU
number	colour	size-range	head width	strength	weight
		mm	mm	kN	gm
0	Blue	13-19	42	14	75
0.5	Red	17-24	42	14	80
1	Gold	19-29	48	14	93
1.25	Purple	21-33	48	14	96
1.5	Silver	23-35	48	14	97
1.75	Green	25-41	48	14	99
2	Red	29-44	48	14	110
2.5	Gold	33-55	53	14	123
3	Purple	43-66	56	14	151
3.5	Blue	51-82	65	14	185
4	Silver	64-100	65	14	224

Bargain price - RRP is from £34.99 - £39.99 depending on size!! 

Quantity:  

Size 0 0.5 1 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 Size Stock 0 4 0.5 5 1 3 1.25 1 1.5 5 1.75 4 2 2 2.5 3 3 5 3.5 1 4 1

Add a matching coloured Spectre Karabiner to your DMM Cam!

Even lighter than DMM's incredible Prowire is their new Spectre wiregate, which is the very much the same karabiner but 3g lighter at 33g due to the use of I beam technology. Usual DMM brilliant quality and a fantastic krab for trad climbing, alpine and expedition mountaineering etc - in fact wherever you are trying to shave the grams off. The karabiner is available in a dark coloured silver (Bright Light Titanium - BLT, or Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato as it's referred to here), Silver, Gold, Purple, Red, Blue or Green.

Weight 33g. Strength Closed 24kN, Open 10kN, Cross-loaded 7kN.

Please note that all DMM gear is 3-Sigma tested. Basically this means that statistically 99.99% of all their production will pass its strength ratings. 

Quantity:  

Colour Silver BLT Red Gold Purple Blue Green Colour Stock Silver 5+ BLT 5+ Red 5+ Gold 5+ Purple 5+ Blue 5+ Green 5+

Narrow headed three cam devices for cracks and small pockets. Reverse cam strength means that they will also grip as nuts. The strong springs are designed to hold the cams better in poor placements - though we reckon you could also use the larger sizes as finger strength excercisers! Very lightweight.

BD Camalot C3s
number	colour	size-range	head width	strength	weight
		mm	mm	kN	gm
000	Grey	7.8-12.9	28	4	55
00	Purple	9.0-13.7	28	6	57
0	Green	10.7-15.8	28	7	59
1	Red	12.0-18.8	29	10	62
2	Yellow	14.2-22.6	29	10	66

 

Quantity:  

Size 000 00 0 1 2 Size Stock 000 2 00 2 0 2 1 2 2 2

Superb single stemmed devices with reverse cam strength. All are double axled which means they have a greater range than any comparitive camming unit, albeit at some cost in extra weight. The 0.3 equates approximately with a Friend ½ but goes down almost to a Friend 0 in size. 0.4 is about Friend 0.75 size and Camalot 0.75 is about the same as a Friend 1.5. Size 2 is approximatly equivalent to a Friend 2.5/3.

Since their introduction in 1987, Camalots have undergone three generations of refinement. These new cams offer a larger expansion range, significantly lighter weights, better flexibility and smoother action. Please click for a Camalot Size Comparison Chart between old and new Camalots.

One point that is often raised is why do Camelots still have nylon tape rather than Dyneema. Black Diamond say that nylon is longer lasting and harder wearing than Dyneema so that the slings on these devices will last many years without replacement.

Please click the image to see the full size range.

BD Camalot C4s
number	colour	size-range	head width	strength	weight		Approx. Friend equiv.
		mm	mm	kN	gm	previous
0.3	Blue	13.8-23.4	42	10	71	77	0
0.4	Grey	15.5-26.7	42	10	82	97	0.5
0.5	Purple	19.6-33.5	45	12	97	116	1
0.75	Green	23.9-41.2	50	14	116	140	1.5
1	Red	30.2-52.1	52	14	134	151	2
2	Gold	37.2-64.9	56	14	158	184	2.5/3
3	Blue	50.7-87.9	60	14	201	240	3.5
4	Silver	66-114.7	70	14	278	new size	4
5	Purple	85.4-148.5	80	14	381	new size	5
6	Green	114.1-195	90	14	557	new size	6

 

Quantity:  

Size 0.3 £52.99 0.4 £52.99 0.5 £52.99 0.75 £54.99 1 £54.99 2 £54.99 3 £59.99 4 £74.99 5 £84.99 6 £99.99 Size Stock 0.3 £52.99 2 0.4 £52.99 1 0.5 £52.99 3 0.75 £54.99 3 1 £54.99 2 2 £54.99 2 3 £59.99 2 4 £74.99 2 5 £84.99 1 6 £99.99 2

Unfortuntely these are not made as the units are too small to repair. 

For single plastic coated wire loop stemmed Camalots.

NB we do not usually stock these but can generally speedily order them in. 

Quantity:  

Size 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.75 1 2 3 4 5 6 Size Stock 0.3 0 0.4 1 0.5 1 0.75 2 1 1 2 1 3 0 4 0 5 0 6 0

For sizes 0.4 to 0.75 of the single metal stemmed Camalots. Unfortuntely sizes 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 are not made as the units are too small to repair.

NB we do not usually stock these but can generally speedily order them in.

NB we do not stock these but can generally speedily order them in. 

Quantity:  

Size 0.4 0.5 0.75 Size Stock 0.4 0 0.5 1 0.75 1

For single metal stemmed Camalots.

NB we do not stock these but can generally speedily order them in. 

Quantity:  

Size 1 2 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 Size Stock 1 1 2 1 3 1 3.5 0 4 0 4.5 0 5 0

For old-style double stemmed Junior Camalots sizes 0.5 and 0.75 (fits both sizes).
 

Quantity:  

Stock

0

For old-style double stemmed Camalots except sizes 0.5 and 0.75.

NB we do not stock these but can generally speedily order them in. 

Quantity:  

Size 1 2 3 4 Size Stock 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0

A flexible, single stem unit with an ultra-narrow head width for hard aid or free climbing - very similar in head width to Aliens but the sizes don't go down as small.

7075-T6 aluminum CNC machined for much greater precision than stamped or extruded cams, Range Finder tells you at a glance if you’ve chosen the right size cam for the placement, optimized cam angle for more outward force, machined cam stops, moulded thumb piece, colour-coded sewn slings and tubing, 13mm Monster Sling webbing (36% Dyneema/64% nylon).

Hand built, inspected and individually tested to ½ its rated strength in Bend, Oregon.

Metolius Master Cams
size	color	size-range	head width	strength	weight
		mm	mm	kN	g
*00	grey	8.6 - 11.9	30	5 kN	62.4
*0	purple	9.9 - 15	30	5 kN	65.2
*1	blue	12.5 - 18	35	8 kN	68
2	yellow	15.7 - 22.6	35	10 kN	70.9
3	orange	18.8 - 26.4	40	10 kN	82.2
4	red	23.66 - 33.5	40	10 kN	90.7
5	black	27.7 - 39.6	45	10 kN	99.2
6	green	32.5 - 48	45	10 kN	110.6
*Range Finder colour indicator only applies to sizes 2 - 6

 

Quantity:  

Size 00 £44.99 0 £44.99 1 £44.99 2 £44.99 3 £46.99 4 £46.99 5 £46.99 6 £46.99 Size Stock 00 £44.99 2 0 £44.99 2 1 £44.99 2 2 £44.99 2 3 £46.99 1 4 £46.99 1 5 £46.99 1 6 £46.99 1

Much used by US climbers, particularly for aid climbing where the small head of these Three Cam Units (TCUs) proves ideal in old peg scars.

Unfortunately the smaller sizes (00,0) are not available in the UK as they have not been CEN tested.

Metolius TCUs
number	colour	size-range	head width	strength	weight
		mm	mm	kN	gm
00	Grey	8.5-14		5	41
0	Purple	10-15.5		5	43
1	Blue	12.5-19.5	39	8	50
2	Yellow	15.5-24.5	39	10	57
3	Orange	18.5-29	39	10	59
4	Red	23.5-35.5	39	10	68

 

Quantity:  

Size 1 2 3 4 Size Stock 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 1

Unusual devices with one pair of cams much bigger than the other. This is designed for better holding power - see the Metolius Website for more details.

Metolius say that the Supercam has extended the camming range well past that available with other designs while still retaining the increased holding power and safety that can only be achieved with the smaller cam angle of 13.25°. This safer cam angle increases the outward force by a critical 10% over other brands with larger cam angles. The cam faces have more than 30% extra contact surface compared to other brands, making rock fracture much less likely. The new ratchet-style (Shark Fin) tooth pattern helps to set the cam during the initial loading in a fall. The magic in this design relies upon the simple concept of its asymmetry. The smaller-side cam lobes pass within the arc drawn by the larger side, allowing us to use the previously unused portion of the cam’s spiral. They also feel that this revolutionary new design increases overall cam stability in these notoriously unstable large sizes.

Also included is Metolius's Range Finder coding system which tells you at a glance whether or not you’ve chosen the optimum size cam for the placement.

All this is held in a lightweight and flexible U-shaped framework for greater durability and control during placement and retraction and high-strength cam stops.

Definitely designed with wide parallel cracks in mind - the smallest size is similar to a Friend 3.

Metolius Super Cams
size	colour	mm	kN	gm
small	grey	39.5 - 70.5	12	198
medium	maroon	52.5 -91.5	12	255
large	dark blue	66.5 - 118.5	12	312

NB: Only the Small and Medium sizes are available so far. 

Quantity:  

Size S £54.99 M £64.99 Size Stock S £54.99 2 M £64.99 3

A patented wax formula designed to give your cams ultra-smooth performance and seal out dirt and moisture. It goes on wet, but works dry and the self-cleaning action reduces wear by keeping dirt out of the mechanism.
60 ml.

 

Quantity:  

Stock

4

Amazing double-hinged-cam cams with a massive range. Size 1 for instance covers the Friend range of Sizes 1 -2½ (approx), whilst size 2 is around sizes 1½ - 3.

This, in theory, means that you only need to carry two largish cams and you'll never fumble for the right size. However you will of course run out of gear after only two placements.

Rather heavier than other cams, and twice as expensive, but could be really useful for the alps or greater ranges, or as a back up set for grit and granite routes, where you often need double ups on cams. Plus a definite talking point in the pub!

Click for a film on How Link Cams Work.

The weights in the chart are Omega's. We think that the the larger three are nearer to 119g, 180g and 210g respectively.

Omega Pacific Link Cams
number	colour	size-range		width		strength	weight
		inches	mm	inches	mm	kN	gm
0.5	purple	.53 - 1.38	13.5 - 35.0	1.81	46	8	95
0.75	green	.70 - 1.75	17.8 - 44.5	1.92	48.8	10	113
1	red	.83 - 2.10	21.1 - 53.3	2.25	55	14	176
2	gold	.96 - 2.51	25.4 - 64	2.25	55	14	207

 

Quantity:  

Size 0.5 £99.99 0.75 £99.99 1 £99.99 2 £99.99 Size Stock 0.5 £99.99 2 0.75 £99.99 3 1 £99.99 3 2 £99.99 3

A no moving parts camming device that cams well into horizontal breaks, where a good tug on the tape will seat it firmly into place. However most climbers will carry Friends or other spring-loaded camming devices for these.

The real strength of Tricams is that, due to their narrow head width, they are often the only device that can be placed in round pockets that other camming devices will not fit in. All the smaller sizes are particularly applicable for this sort of use, with Sizes 2 and 2½ being the right size for most quarry shot-holes.

All Tricam can also be used as standard nut.

They also come highly recommended by top climbers such as Andy Kirkpatrick for winter use in iced up cracks.

Camp Tri Cams
number	colour	size-range	head width	strength kN		wt
		mm	mm	Cam	Chock	g
0.1255	Grey	10-15	15	4	2	26
0.25	Black	13.5-25	21	5	3	26
0.5	Pink	16-28	42	9	6	26
1	Red	20-30	42	9	8	35
1 .5	Brown	26-38	48	14	12	50
2	Purple	29-41	48	14	12	55
2.5	Royal	32-48	48	17	14	77
3	Navy	38-54	48	17	14	90
3.5	Beige	41-60	48	17	16	117
4	Green	45-64	53	17	16	138
5*	Orange	57-89	56	22	22	120
6	Yellow	73-105	65	18	18	200
7	Gold	92-140	65	16	16	264
* Size 5 is lighter than size 4 because it is a three part construction, not cast. Sizes 6 and 7 are also three part construction.

 

Quantity:  

Size 0.125 £15.99 0.25 £16.50 0.5 £16.50 1 £16.99 1.5 £17.75 2 £18.50 2.5 £19.99 3 £21.99 3.5 £23.99 4 £24.99 5 £37.50 6 £38.99 7 £49.99 Size Stock 0.125 £15.99 4 0.25 £16.50 4 0.5 £16.50 4 1 £16.99 3 1.5 £17.75 3 2 £18.50 3 2.5 £19.99 3 3 £21.99 2 3.5 £23.99 2 4 £24.99 2 5 £37.50 1 6 £38.99 0 7 £49.99 0

A set of four Tricams (Sizes 0.5, 1, 1.5 & 2) and on Dyneema rather than nylon tape to boot. 

Quantity:  

Stock

0

Aka Sliders. Not really camming devices, more spring loaded wedges. Good for very thin cracks, but we're not sure just how good! However in a totally unscientific test conducted in a local quarry, one member of our staff pronounced himself very impressed.

Camp Lowe Ballnuts
number	colour	size-range	head width	strength	weight
		mm	mm	kN	gm
1	Blue	3-6	15	8	29
2	Red	4.5-9	19	8	37
3	Gold	6-12	21	8	54
4	Green	8-14	23	8	57
5	Purple	10.5-18	24	8	73

 

Quantity:  

Size 1 £49.99 2 £49.99 3 £49.99 4 £49.99 5 £49.99 Size Stock 1 £49.99 3 2 £49.99 3 3 £49.99 3 4 £49.99 1 5 £49.99 1

Static cord that almost as strong (15.89kN) as 9mm rope. Use it for restringing nuts etc to save weight and bulk, but tie a triple rather than a double fisherman's knot (if you don't know the difference then ring us up and we'll explain!), and also you must cut it with a hot knife, pull the sheath back 5mm, chop this amount from the core, pull the sheath over the end of the core and heat seal it in place - you need to do this because the core and sheath do not bond together when cut. Colourful Black only.

NB2: Not suitable for Prussik Loops - please see our Ascent section.

Quantity:  

A patented wax formula designed to give your cams ultra-smooth performance and seal out dirt and moisture. It goes on wet, but works dry and the self-cleaning action reduces wear by keeping dirt out of the mechanism.
60 ml.

 

Quantity:  

Stock

4