UKC

Wild Country friend repairs?

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 Jon R 24 Aug 2021

Does anyone know if WC still will replace slings and trigger wires on old technical friends?

Their website seems to freeze uk enquiries out (Brexit, apparently).

 Thanks Jon

 leon 1 24 Aug 2021
In reply to Jon R: Try contacting McKEuan via UKC for an answer to this as hes the Wild Country rep

Post edited at 10:59
 PaulJepson 24 Aug 2021
In reply to Jon R:

They announced over a year ago that they would be offering a reslinging service but have not seen any updates since really. 

As Leon said, I asked the question 6 months or so ago (couldn't find the thread, sorry) and McKEuan came back with some useful updates. Although it seemed that nothing much had got moving and that they would only be re-slinging the new zeros and friends (and not hexes or older single-axle cams like technical friends or heliums. 

In reply to Jon R:

Hey all, Thanks for the tags. I'm sorry nothing has materialised yet for the re-slinging. I am chasing now and will update ASAP. 

I don't think Tech Friends will be on the list but I will confirm as soon as I know. 

Sorry for the delay!

 PaulJepson 24 Aug 2021
In reply to Euan McKendrick:

Will be a big shame if the company are willing to say that the lifespan for metalwork is essentially forever but aren't willing to re-sling older Friends or Rockcentrics. There will be a lot of disappointed Friend-owners out there (myself included, I have a size 6 and a size 4 which fill important spaces in the current range). Black Diamond will re-sling old Camalots and DMM will re-sling old 4CUs.

They're really shooting themselves in the foot; I'll likely replace my Metolius micro-cams soon and even though the Zeros are my favourite out of Dragonflys, the new Mastercams and the old X4s (I've not tried the Z4s), I'm really not sure I'd buy them. 

Jon R, it's far from ideal for a full rack but if it's just one or two, you can cut the old sling off and use  a loop of dyneema cord (https://www.dicksclimbing.com/products/beal-55mm-dyneema-cord-per-metre). As far as I'm aware, this is fine with tech friends (not so much with cams with thumb-loops) as they have a captive eye. Make sure you use a triple-fishermans and leave a bit of a tail. 

In reply to PaulJepson:

Hi Paul,

Totally understand you point on this, Metal is metal and should last a very long time! Saying that though WC stopped producing Tech Friends over 10 years ago. I totally get that with a resling and rewiring it will be as good as ever but I think the main issue would be manufacturing the wires and slings just for the Tech Friends which is something WC probably won't do. I can't speak for BD or DMM on why and how they do their older units. Probably a surplus of materials which WC just don't have anymore.

The re-wiring kits are available and for SS22 kits for all sizes of Zero Friends will be available. Could I just ask why you wouldn't buy the Zeros?

Speaking to Italy this afternoon the are in the final processes of setting up the service and from what they've suggested they will have the machine in Oberalp so all repairs will be done in Italy. 

Once I have a date for the service start up I will let everyone know.

OP Jon R 24 Aug 2021
In reply to Euan McKendrick:

Thanks

OP Jon R 24 Aug 2021
In reply to PaulJepson:

Thanks Paul, that sounds like a reasonable compromise.

cheers

 PaulJepson 24 Aug 2021
In reply to Euan McKendrick:

Thanks McKEuan. I didn't want it to sound like I was having a go. 

As I said, I think the WC small cams are the best out there and understand that they can be re-slung (though I think if you get to that point with a micro cam then the whole lot probably wants retiring). It's more the overall vibe of ongoing support from WC; it just doesn't seem to be at the same level as others. I understand that they're moving in the right direction though, which is good.

Reslinging tech friends, heliums, rockcentrics wouldn't require anything that wouldn't be required for reslinging the other cams, would it? You don't need a different machine to cut a sling to 20cm instead of 15cm.   

 Connor Nunns 25 Aug 2021
In reply to Jon R:

Doesn't help with reslinging but you can repair the trigger wires easily with strimmer cord. Pop/cut out the old wires and then thread cord through. Set them to the right length and then burn the ends to form a plug which stops it from pulling through the lobes.

 PaulJepson 25 Aug 2021
In reply to Connor Nunns:

The wc trigger repair kits work on tech friends as well. 

In reply to PaulJepson:

Hi Paul,

I have thick skin and I totally understand anybody's frustrations with Wild Country. Trust me I share them all.

We both know that re-slinging the old Tech friends and units that are no longer produced is not a massive issue and should be super easy. From a business and boring side WC probably want people to be considering replacing the whole unit from Tech Friends to Friends. I am gently prodding away that all Wild Country units should be welcome in Oberalp to be re-slung and wired. I might take some Tech Friends over and let them see how easy it would be.

I think, and I could be way off the mark with this, but when Oberalp bought Wild Country Tech Friends had already left the range so there is a chance they aren't very familiar with the product. My brain isn't working this morning and I can't remember any of the dates but I'm pretty sure that Helium Friends where released before Oberalp bought Wild Country, this would explain why they don't really acknowledge the Tech Friend as it's not a product they know at all.

 PaulJepson 25 Aug 2021
In reply to Euan McKendrick:

Thanks!

 Jon Read 25 Aug 2021
In reply to Euan McKendrick:

Thanks for pushing this -- very much appreciated!


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