About the time that Chouinard's Hexcentrics were replacing pitons as protection for rockclimbers, another tool became available. That was a camming device made by climber and aerospace engineer Ray Jardine, called the "Friend". Jardine thought a camming device was the best way to provide solid protection in a vertical crack, and extensively studied rock-to-metal friction, camming angles, and metal alloys. After many failed prototypes, he came up with a great design, and patented it in U.S. patent 4,184,657.
This device was itself an improvement of an earlier camming device, patented by Lowe, 3877679. More complete information about the development and science of Friends is at the Wild Country, The Cam Book.
Not one to stop with one invention, Jardine went on to other innovations in outdoor technology, as can be seen at his web site Ray Jardines Adventure Page.
Friends are still sold by Wild Country, through many outlets.
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