Buckingham Buck SuperSaver

The Buckingham SuperSaver is a friction saver that goes over your tie-in limb to protect the bark and keep your climbing rope from wearing on the union. It gives your rope a smoother, more consistent path on a doubled-rope system.

Why use a friction saver

On a moving rope system the rope runs back and forth over the tie-in limb every time you advance or descend. Over a bare union, that grinds the bark and wears your rope. A friction saver gives the rope a ring or eye to run through, which protects the tree, extends rope life, and makes the system feel smoother.

Install it with your throw line so the rings or eyes sit correctly over a sound limb, and follow Buckingham's instructions for retrieval.

Inspection

Check the strap or rope body for cuts and abrasion, and look at the rings or hardware for grooves and wear. Retire it if it shows damage or has been shock loaded. Compare other friction savers in this section.

Friction savers are also a good habit for working in the same trees year after year. Repeated rope wear at a single union can damage the bark enough to invite decay. A friction saver keeps that from becoming a problem on clients' trees.

Match the friction saver to the limb size you usually tie in on, and make sure your hitch and micro pulley will not jam against the rings during a descent.

Practice retrieval low before you rely on it in a big tree, and keep it in your rope bag so it is always on the truck.

Life-support gear must meet the applicable standard (ANSI Z133 and the manufacturer's instructions), be inspected before every climb, and be used only by trained climbers.