Weaver Leather Cambium Friction Saver

The Weaver leather cambium friction saver sits between your climbing line and the limb at your tie-in point, so the rope runs through rings instead of sawing across the bark. It protects the tree's cambium and saves wear on your rope on every climb.

What a cambium saver does

When you climb on a doubled rope over a limb, every advance drags the line across the bark. That burns the cambium, leaves a scar on the tree and glazes your rope. A cambium saver puts a strap and rings at the crotch so the rope runs through hardware instead. Climbing feels smoother, and the tree takes far less damage.

Ring-style savers like this one are simple and tough. Set it with a throw line, run your climbing line through both rings and tie in as usual. With a retrieval setup you can pull it down from the ground at the end of the job. Compare other friction savers if you want an adjustable model.

A cambium saver also cuts the heat and friction you feel when advancing your hitch, so long climbs to a high tie-in take less effort.

Setup and inspection

Install it so both rings sit on the same side of the limb and the rope runs through them in the direction the maker shows. Choose a sound crotch sized for the saver. Before each climb, check the strap and stitching for cuts, abrasion and heat damage, and the rings for grooves or sharp edges.

Life-support gear must meet the applicable standard, be used per the manufacturer's instructions and ANSI Z133, and be inspected before every climb. Get trained before you rely on it aloft.