Journal

The Journal is dedicated to the sports and people that make Black Diamond what it is.

  • Tuesday, March 6, 2012

    ALPINISM 2012 DIGITAL CATALOG—check it out now

    Catalogs have been an integral part of Black Diamond Equipment for decades, dating back to the clean-climbing manifesto that was the 1972 Chouinard catalog. With all that history guiding us, we have recently launched the next evolution of the BD catalogs: the Alpinism 2012 digital catalog . An online-only catalog, Alpinism 2012 is... [READ MORE]

  • Friday, March 2, 2012

    Winger for the Weekend #127

    Every kid who has ever held a guitar has wanted to play Stairway to Heaven, undoubtedly one of the greatest rock and roll songs of all time. Thousands of people have covered the song, and some creative liberites have been taken over the years, but none so bold as those displayed by Australia's most extreme chuckehead, Rolf Harris. In Winger for... [READ MORE]

  • Monday, March 5, 2012

    Part Two: BD grassroots athlete Hayden Kennedy reports on his 2011/2012 season of climbing in Argentine Patagonia

    Black Diamond grassroots athlete Hayden Kennedy has, at 22 years young, established himself as one of North America’s top all-around climbing talents. From 5.14 sport climbs to speed ascents on El Cap to expeditions to Pakistan and Patagonia, Hayden has already lived a full climbing life. This past December and January, Hayden teamed up... [READ MORE]

  • Tuesday, March 6, 2012

    BD athlete James Kassay sending a stack of V12-V14 problems in Hueco Tanks, Texas

    Black Diamond athlete and Australian crusher James Kassay sent us the following email last week, updating us on his European travel plans. He also mentioned that we still hadn't posted the video he edited together from his trip to Hueco Tanks last year. Whoops! Thanks for the reminder, James! Here's James' email and, below that, the... [READ MORE]

  • Thursday, March 8, 2012

    PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Sprinter headlamp

    Innovation is what drives everything here at Black Diamond. If we're not making gear better, stronger, lighter, faster, more durable and easier to use, then we're not doing our job. In this ongoing series of monthly posts, we'll be giving you an inside look at some of our most innovative products through one-on-one interviews with our team of... [READ MORE]

  • Friday, March 9, 2012

    Winger for the Weekend #128

    The Popeye look, bitter-beer face, face pulling—whatever you want to call it, the shenanigous acts featured in Winger for the Weekend #128 have to be some of the weirdest competition fare we have ever seen. Granted this was the '80s, but since when does contorting your face into a irrecognizable mess earn you a trophy? Who knows, but what's... [READ MORE]

  • Monday, March 12, 2012

    BD athletes Klemen Premrl and Tim Emmett establish Spray On... Top! —one of the most epic and difficult mixed climbs in the world

    In early February BD athletes Tim Emmett and Klemen Premrl made the first ascent of one of the most epic and difficult mixed climbs in the world: Spray On… Top! , a 230-meter, wildly overhanging route at Helmcken Falls in Wells Grey Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. Spray On… Top! puts the finishing touches on a route first... [READ MORE]

  • Tuesday, March 13, 2012

    VIDEO: BD athlete Callum Pettit skiing in British Columbia, Canada

    Black Diamond athlete Callum Pettit travels the world every year to ski amazing lines on stunning peaks. One of his favorite places to ski, however, isn't some far-off locale—it's the mountains around his home in British Columbia where the pow is outrageously deep and the pillow lines are plentiful. Check out this video that the Sherpas... [READ MORE]

  • Thursday, March 15, 2012

    QC LAB: Gear doesn't last forever, Part I - Ice picks

    Before any piece of Black Diamond gear makes it on to the shelves, it spends months, sometimes years getting put through the wringer by our Director of Quality, Kolin Powick, and his team of Quality Assurance engineers. Through extensive and meticulous testing, both in the lab and in the field, KP and his team help ensure that you can count on... [READ MORE]

  • Friday, March 16, 2012

    Winger for the Weekend#129

    There are some days when Friday can't come soon enough and you know you just shouldn't go in to work. For the subject of Winger for the Weekend #129, today was definitely one of those days. But yet, trash collection can't be put on hold just because someone is having a rough morning—our hero showed up for work, but somewhere along the route,... [READ MORE]

  • Monday, March 19, 2012

    VIDEO: BD athletes Sonnie Trotter and Tommy Caldwell free climb first ascent of The Shinning (IV 5.13+) in the Canadian Rockies

    Black Diamond athletes Tommy Caldwell and Sonnie Trotter redpointed their multi-pitch project on Canada’s Mount Louis this past August. The main headwall (called the Diamond Face) is a stacked beast with the following pitches: 5.12+, 5.12+/13-, 5.13+, 5.12-, 5.12+, 5.11+, 5.10, all of which they bolted on lead. Below is the video... [READ MORE]

  • Friday, March 23, 2012

    Winger for the Weekend #129

    The dictionary defines talent as a special ability or natural aptitude for something. But if you aren't particularly special at anything, you can also create your own talents by performing two or more mediocre skills simultaneously, as demostrated in Winger for the Weekend #129. Playing the Star Wars theme on the bagpipes while dressed as a... [READ MORE]

  • Monday, March 26, 2012

    VIDEO: BD athletes Will Gadd and Tim Emmett ice climbing in the Alps

    Black Diamond athletes Will Gadd and Tim Emmett were over in Switzerland in early January for the Kandersteg Ice Climbing Festival and decided to spend a couple days after the event hunting down some challenging ice to climb. Bjarne Sahlen was on hand and documented their search for the goods. Below is the video he edited together for us... [READ MORE]

  • Wednesday, March 28, 2012

    EMPLOYEE FAVORITES: Mike Allen, Escape Artist (5.10-), Black Canyon of the Gunnison, CO

    Here at Black Diamond, the inspiration to innovate is driven from within. When we're not at the office, our dedicated crew of employees is out cranking at the crags, putting in miles on the trails and questing around the mountains in search of untracked descents. In this ongoing series of posts on the Journal, we'll be highlighting some of our... [READ MORE]

  • Thursday, March 29, 2012

    BD athlete Alex Raczynski reports on his climbing trip to Siurana and Marglef, Spain

    BD athlete Alex Raczynski is a legit young gun. Seventeen years old, Alex is trained by fellow BD athlete Adam Pustelnik and has redpointed up to 9a. He’s definitely part of the next generation of sport climbers that are poised to changed the books on what is possible. Below is his report he sent us regarding his trip to Siurana and Marglef... [READ MORE]

  • Friday, March 30, 2012

    Winger for the Weekend #130

    Like some weird hybrid of John Popper and Indiana Jones, the star of Winger for the Weekend #130 is another prime example of the majesty of multitasking. Here Adam Winrich combines his two passions: playing the harmonica and crackin' whips, the latter of which hasn't served much utility since lion taming went out of style. Have a good weekend... [READ MORE]