Russian Mountaineer, Vitaly Abalokov, is credited with inventing the first spring loaded camming device though it was American climber, Ray Jardine, who perfected the idea and invented/ created the ‘friend’ in 1978. The story goes that whilst he and his climbing partner were experimenting with prototype camming devices in America’s Yosemite Valley, other climbers appeared for a chat. Not wishing to give the game away when sorting their gear, Jardine asked his mate if he’d brought his ‘friends’ along with him – the name stuck. Though patented initially in America, it was the UK based company, Wild Country, who began manufacturing ‘Friends’ back in 1977/78, initially with the solid stem version and later with the Flexible and Helium type – we’re told there is a new one on the way in 2016.. Though ‘Friends’ has become the generic term for all camming devices there are plenty of other versions around; The Black Diamond Camalot being one of the more popular ones.