Black Diamond (565 articles)
Climbing equipment out of the car boot
Rarely is a brand so closely associated with a sport as Black Diamond and climbing. Ever since Yvon Chouinard sold home-made climbing equipment from the back of his car boot in 1957 to finance his own climbing trips, his products have embodied the spirit of mountain sports. Fact is: Black Diamond enjoys a legendary reputation among mountaineers, climbers and backcountry skiers.
Black Diamond: Ski touring – Climbing – Mountain sports
Right from the start, the American manufacturer focused on practical suitability and improvement. Absolutely nothing has changed in the now 60-year company history: Black Diamond employees are climbers, mountaineers and skiers and have made it their mission to produce the best equipment for the respective sports. From backpacks, climbing harnesses, skis and helmets to headlamps and climbing trousers – the product range reflect the spirit of the sportsmen and women, even though the one-man business has grown into a large company with headquarters on three continents.
The birth of “clean climbing”
There is not enough room here to list all the smaller and larger revolutions that Black Diamond climbing equipment has unleashed over the years. However, the so-called Clean Climbing Techniques, which had their origin in the 70s, have undoubtedly had the greatest influence. Chouinard was a great supporter of the movement and produced the recently required material right away: mainly cams, nuts and witches, which for the first time made it possible to belay while climbing without damaging the rock to a great extent.
Ski touring and alpinism – more than just climbing
Despite all specialisation and innovation, Black Diamond is by no means a pure climbing brand. Rather, the inclined mountaineer will find everything he needs for the next summit tour in the range. Starting with a selected clothing line, perfectly adapted to the respective areas of use, up to high-quality tools for alpine use, such as crampons, ice axes and co.
The range of ski and avalanche rescue gear is also worthy of mention. Designed purely for use in the backcountry, for freeriding or for ski touring, ski enthusiasts will be thrilled by the bench. The skis are handcrafted in Mittersill, Austria, by the Blizzard Ski Manufacture with a love of detail and have long since been convincing through their high quality and reliability.
Brand Check Black Diamond
- HQ … Salt Lake City, Utah
- Especially known for … climbing gear
- Bekannte Athleten … Adam Ondra, Alex Honnold
- A classic … Camalot Cams
- Sustainability … numerous awards for nature conservation, clean climbing