A guy called Ray Jardine invented the first, spring loaded camming device in the early 1970’s and called it a ‘Friend’. There followed a welter of similar devices all hoping to improve Ray’s original design and capture the market….very few succeeded. Invented by a German, Stefan Engers, and marketed by Bergsport, the Joker was one of the ‘pretenders to the throne’ with only two mobile cams (Friends had four) and a flexible stem for more versatile placements, the Joker had some success, mainly on the continent. In the UK Hugh Banner’s Micromates and Quadcams were more popular, soon to be followed by Black Diamond’s Camalots, the only real contenders to the throne. We bought the Joker we have here in the collection for £10 in 2023, another nice addition to our vintage climbing rack.