Lowe Alpine Systems developed the Tri-Cams and had C.A.M.P. make the originals. Lowe was an American company and Americans commonly refered to these as Lowe Tri-cams. C.A.M.P. referred to these as Lo-Cams. C.A.M.P.'s original engineering drawing for sizes #1 through #4 was completed on June 29, 1981. The original Drawings for sizes #5-#6 and for #7 was completer on July 7, 1981. Half-sizes from 0.5 through #3.5 came later.
Denis Pivot of C.A.M.P. provided the following information on C.A.M.P.'s relationships with other manufacturers:
CAMP - LOWE
The LOWE brothers came to Europe to find a competent industrialist to bring their revolutionary ideas to fruition. After a meeting in Germany, the Lowe brothers and Orazio Codega, CEO of CAMP, had the Hummingbird prototype tested on the north face of Monte Disgrazia in Italy. Orazio, enthusiastic about this field test, concluded an industrial and commercial agreement.
CAMP produced 100% of LOWE equipment of all time, starting with the production of the Hummingbird, then the Footfang, the Snarg ice screw and the Tricam. Commercially, CAMP distributed these LOWE products worldwide except in the USA and Canada where LOWE distributed them through its sales channel. At the beginning of the distribution in Europe, Salewa dealt with the Germanic countries. This explains the 4 brands stamped on the Hummingbird: LOWE for North America, SALEWA for the Germanic countries, CAMP for the rest of the world and INTERALP as a sales agent for CAMP.
In return, LOWE distributed CAMP in the USA and CAMP distributed LOWE backpacks in Italy. These years of close collaboration between the two brands created very strong ties. When LOWE decided to stop producing the hardware equipment, CAMP continued to produce it under its own brand and that is why the Tricams are still in the CAMP catalog.
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↑ Set 288, …, 411: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cams #0.5–#7
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↑ 288: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #0.5: 24 mm.
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↑ 407: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #1: 31 mm.
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↑ 289: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #1: 31 mm.
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↑ 408: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #1.5: 38 mm.
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↑ 290: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #1.5: 38 mm.
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↑ 291: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #2: 46 mm.
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↑ 079: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #3.5: 62 mm.
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↑ 409: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #4: 67 mm.
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↑ 332: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #5: 85 mm.
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↑ 410: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #6: 101 mm.
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↑ 411: Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #7: 134 mm.
I know no way to distinguish older Lowe/C.A.M.P. vs. C.A.M.P. Tri-cams other than by reading the label. The labels on these Tri-cams are illegible or missing. I believe that these are C.A.M.P rather than Lowe/C.A.M.P. Tri-cams because I obtained them as part of a set wehre all the ones with legible tags were C.A.M.P. Tri-cams.
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↑ Set 073-077: C.A.M.P. (incerta notam) Tri–Cams #0.5–#2.5
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↑ 073: C.A.M.P. (incerta notam) Tri–Cam #0.5: 24 mm.
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↑ 074: C.A.M.P. (incerta notam) Tri–Cam #1: 31 mm.
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↑ 075: C.A.M.P. (incerta notam) Tri–Cam #1.5: 38 mm.
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↑ 076: C.A.M.P. (incerta notam) Tri–Cam #2: 46 mm.
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↑ 077: C.A.M.P. (incerta notam) Tri–Cam #2.5: 52 mm.
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↑ 077: C.A.M.P. (incerta notam) Tri–Cam #2.5: 52 mm.
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↑ 078: C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #3: 58 mm.
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↑ 080: C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #4: 67 mm.
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↑ 081: C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #6: 101 mm.
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↑ 082: C.A.M.P. Tri–Cam #7: 134 mm.