The following information will give you a guide to the age of any Friend you own for either the purpose of determining whether it can be repaired, or simply so you know how old it is.
Batch codes from 1988: Example 1Y : 1 = Month January Y = Year 1990
Year 1988 batch codes 1W - 12W Year 1989 batch codes 1X - 12X Year 1990 batch codes 1Y - 12Y
Batch codes from 1991Example Z01 : Z = Year 1991 01 = Week 1 Year 1991 batch codes Z01 - Z52 Year 1992 batch codes A01 - A52
Batch codes from 1993 Example 842 : 8 = Year 1998 42 = Week 42 Year 1993 batch codes 301 - 352 Year 1994 batch codes 401 - 452 Year 1995 batch codes 501 - 552 Year 1996 batch codes 601 - 652 Important Note - Nylon Stem Cover Introduced Year 1997 batch codes 701 - 752 Year 1998 batch codes 801 - 852 Important Note Coloured Cams - Red only Introduced. Year 1999 batch codes 901 - 952 Year 2000 batch codes 001 - 052 Year 2001 batch codes 101 - 152 Year 2002 batch codes 201 - 252
Batch codes repeat from 2003 onwards, i.e. 2003 Friends start 301, 2004 start 401 - and technical changes, such as stem cover, able us to identify a Friend made in 2003 from one made in 1993 although both would carry the 301 - 352 codes.
Obviously if you suddenly discover your Friend is too old for repair (by being more than ten years old), then it is best to examine it thoroughly to make sure it is still fit for use. And although Friends are very tough, all mechanical objects suffer from degradation and if there is any doubt in your mind a retired unit is safer than one broken in a fall!!
Racking up a bunch of modern units after a hard day out - a great shot of Friends by Sam Leach....
Since 2004 Wild Country has offered two types of repair kits to enable home or field maintainence for the triggers on Forged and Techncal Friends.
These are relatively inexpensive and allow two such repairs to be made.
