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Friction and Rope Saving Devices
Use a friction saving device to save the rope from the bark and the tree bark from the friction of a moving rope. There are many styles of friction saving device, the most popular of which is the Buckingham Friction saver below. It reduces premature wear on your climbing line and eliminates damage to tree limbs caused by the climbing line running over the branch.
You'll also find below the popular cambium savers, ART Rope Saver, the versatile Pulley Saver, and other devices to spare your rope and the tree.
Buckingham Friction Savers with Aluminum Rings
Friction savers offer minimal friction when working from different positions in the tree and can be wrapped around a stem for use as a false crotch where no natural crotch exists to run the line over. Friction savers also aid in keeping the slack out of your climbing line for added safety during your ascent. Buckingham friction savers are available with your choice of steel or aluminum rings (steel rings are stronger but aluminum rings are lighter and dissipate heat better.) The rings are of different sizes to aid retrieval of the friction saver from the ground. The strap is reinforced and stitched nylon webbing. Friction savers are available from 24” to 72” in length. Click here for Buckingham friction saver installation instructions.
Buckingham Friction Savers with Steel Rings
Friction savers with steel rings work just like those above, but with greater durability (and weight).
Friction Saver Prusik
Made from 3/8” Tenex, the Friction Saver Prusik will make any Friction Saver adjustable in size. Colors may vary.
Leather Cambium Saver
This device protects the rope completely from contact with the bark by running the rope through the leather tube. This device has the advantage of being inexpensive, and allows the rope to run over a larger bend radius. The leather cambium savers provide more friction than the Rope Guide or Buckingham friction savers. Opening diameter 1”. (Works best with ropes 1/2” or smaller.)
Leather 3/4” Cambium Saver
Are you wearing out your ropes on rough tree bark? This jumbo-sized cambium saver protects rigging ropes up to 3/4” from abrasion with the trunk of the tree. This device protects the rope completely from contact with the bark by running the rope through the leather tube. A great way to prolong rope life in natural crotch rigging.
Opening diameter 1 1/4”. (Works best with ropes 3/4” or smaller.)
For the ultimate low-friction rigging setup, see our False Crotch Rigging Kits.
Dan House Rope Sleeves
Constructed from flexible metal conduit covered in heavy vinyl. Slick metal interior drastically reduces friction and rope wear, while the jacket grabs the bark to keep the Rope Sleeve in place. An orange band at the halfway point helps center the rope sleeve over the limb. These rugged rope sleeves are easily mended with vinyl tape, and come with a two-year replacement warranty. To install the sleeve over the limb you hoist it up while on your climbing rope with a slippery hitch. Once positioned and centered you pull and pop the slippery hitch out. Minimum safe bend diameter is 4" for the 1/2" ID (inner diameter) sleeve and 6" for the 3/4" ID sleeve.
Pulleysaver
The Pulleysaver is a system for saving friction on ropes, which can be used in many configurations and greatly aids working the tree. The attachment as anchor point on a tree can be implemented in four different configurations, depending on the specific application: as swinging element in a double leg configuration, as chock hitch, wound around in a double leg configuration, or narrowed in a double leg configuration. Easily retrieved from the ground.
Vortex AFS (Adjustable Friction Saver) New in 2013!
An easier to use Adjustable False Saver (AFS) which improves upon the principles in the Pulleysaver. The steel ring allows the AFS to be easily retrieved in all circumstances, as the ring can't collapse and bind when weighted. Available with either a Pinto Rig pulley or DMM ring on a moveable prusik sewn from Sterling RIT cord. All components available separately.
Adjustable Friction Saver New in 2013!
This adjustable ring and ring friction saver allows you to tackle anything up to its full length, thanks to the included RIT prusik. Makes a great ring and ring-style friction saver. Made from 1/2" Samson Stable Braid with 40mm DMM aluminum ring on one end and an SMC aluminum ring on the opposite end. RIT prusik also includes an SMC aluminum ring.
fimblSAVER
The fimblSAVER is essentially a ring and ring friction saver with a few unique advantages. The fimblSAVER has a 17cm wide surface that is better for protecting bark. The steel thimbles provide an excellent surface for your climbing line to run through, and one being on a prusik makes the fimblSAVER quickly and easily adjustable in length. Can be set and retrieved from the ground like any ring and ring saver, and includes retrieval ball.
Retrieval Ball with Cord
Plastic retrieval balls with cord to aid in bringing down your ART or ring & ring style friction savers.
ART Snakeanchor
ART (Advanced Ropeclimbing Technology) has created the Snakeanchor to serve as an adjustable anchor which can be used as an upper anchor (false crotch or friction saver) or a lower anchor for your SRT climbing. The Snakeanchor is made from doubled cord which is stitched together with openings every 2.7 inch so that a carabiner can be inserted at any point along the length, making it adjustable based on which point you use. ART has used doubled 8mm cord to give the Snakeanchor a wider surface area for better grip and abrasion resistance. An aluminum ring protects the eye at one end. WLL on the Snakeanchor is 2 kN. Available in 8' or 16' lengths.
ART Rope Guide 2010 with Cocoon New Option in 2013!
Now available in 5’ length! Smooth rope work and special care for the cambium join forces in this outstanding device. The Rope Guide 2010 is very light, and ropes run effortlessly in it. The Rope Guide must be set by hand, but may be retrieved remotely (this is greatly aided with the Double Snapper). The new ring is 50% lighter than a solid ring and still achieves comparable stability as well as much enhanced safety. The rope now runs protected within the tube-shaped ring - and it might sound strange but it is true: the rope enhances the breaking strength of the ring and vice versa! The contact surface is 8 mm parallel sewn double rope makes which combines the strength and advantages of rope with a wider contact surface.
Right behind the tube shaped ring there is now a small "fender" built in. The fender allows for the ring to align vertically when pulled from a forked branch, which makes for an easy gliding even through smaller forks. Release lever: The longer lever now allows for an easy release of the locking cam when pulled, as with the Positioner 2. This makes retrieving even easier and more reliable. Spring loaded cam: This feature prevents rope from accidental sliding.
Click here to download the Rope Guide 2010 Instructions.
ART Double Snapper 3
The Double Snapper is a specialized tool for use in retrieving the Rope Guide.
Petzl Treesbee
Petzl’s rope-saving device protects the tree and improves rope glide at the anchor, and can be retrieved from the ground. Wide webbing limits twisting. Triple thickness of termination on large ring side makes the webbing more rigid during retrieval. Strap with large diameter ring and quick link (triangle) for ropes with sewn terminations (the link opens to let the sewn termination through). Breaking strength: 23 kN (5,175 lb.)
Economy Friction Saver
A cheap and effective friction saver made from Samson 3-Strand Pro-Master 1/2”, a Petzl William auto-locking carabiner, and the SMC aluminum ring. Easy to set from the ground.
SMC Flex Saver
The SMC FLEX was originally designed for the demanding Technical Fire Rescue market as a canvas replacement, and it works great for tree climbers to protect anchor ropes. The FLEX can be used in a multitude of configurations when you need to preserve your ropes or a surface. Use a stand-alone FLEX or connect multiple FLEX pads with the FLEX Clips.
The FLEX Kit includes two FLEX pads and two FLEX Clips, which will allow you to connect the FLEX pads together to provide increased surface area.
Dimensions for each pad are 16" x 8" x .4". Weighs 4.5oz per sheet.
SMC Rope Tracker
Secure, capture, protect, and manage multiple ropes. Hi-durability plastic channels retain ropes up to 16mm. Can bend up to 90 degrees, and has 4 eyelets to secure the tracker. Measures 20" x 3.5" x 1". Weighs 14.5oz.
BuckBlocks
Designed to ease climbing, reduce premature wear on climbing lines and eliminate damage to tree limbs normally caused by excess friction! Allows the user to install the blocks high into a tree without climbing: the blocks are set, and removed, from the ground or another tree using a throw line and throw bag. Once set, the two part rope channel snaps together using powerful magnets inset within the system's self aligning frame. The design is lightweight, provides a better bend radius for rope and an improved running surface with its dual rotating sheaves.
Climbing BuckBlocks are designed to be used by an individual with a maximum weight of 350 lb. when fully equipped, Rigging Model has a manufacturer WLL of 3 Tons.
