Wild Country are perhaps best known for their world famous camming devices ‘Friends’ which were born out of a collaboration between American inventor of the Friend, Ray Jardine, and British climber, Mark Vallance. Mark set up his business in the small Peak District town of Tideswell back in 1977, specifically to manufacture friends since Jardine couldn’t find a manufacturer in America, and with that side of the business going well the company started producing climbing harnesses in 1979 in collaboration with world renowned climber, Pat Littlejohn. The harness we have here in the collection dates from around 1982 and is one of several that Pat helped Wild Country design. At that time the tape of the harness needed to be doubled back over the buckle to lock it. It would be another decade before self locking buckles were invented. We’re not sure who donated the harness but it’s another nice addition to the collection.