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Build My Own FeedThe Journal is dedicated to the sports and people that make Black Diamond what it is.
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Black Diamond athlete Sonnie Trotter reports on his send of The Prophet (5.13d R) on El Cap
Black Diamond athlete Sonnie Trotter made an extended trip to Yosemite Valley this fall, where he was able to make the second ascent of Leo Houlding's route The Prophet (VI 5.13d R) on the southeast face of El Cap. Not bad for his first time on the Big Stone! Below is an email Sonnie sent us last week detailing his successful ascent and... [READ MORE]
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Dawn Patrol application launched on Facebook—enter to win now!
Back in the early 1990s, the late, great Alex Lowe (a.k.a., The Fiend) was the commander-in-chief of a crew of Black Diamond employees that would wake up at inhuman hours in order to score turns before having to be at work at 9 A.M. … a task dubbed by The Fiend as “dawn patrol.” This ritual has been embraced by BD employees and other... [READ MORE]
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VIDEO PROFILE: BD athlete Conrad Anker ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon, Montana
Black Diamond athlete Conrad Anker is a master of ice climbing—at the crags and in the mountains. We caught up with him at his home in Bozeman, Montana and went out for a day of swinging tools with him on Black Magic , a classic mixed line in nearby Hyalite Canyon. Conrad overdosed us with caffeine in the pre-dawn hours, entertained us... [READ MORE]
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Gigawatt ski
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]
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BD athlete Kurt Astner establishes stunning new ice climbs in Norway
Black Diamond athlete Kurt Astner took an ice climbing trip to Norway in March 2011, and recently sent us the following report of the stellar WI 6 climbs he developed with his partner, Helmut Rauegger. Also included in this report are some great photos by Dan Patitucci. Helmut and I decided on a jaunt to the high latitudes on very short... [READ MORE]
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Winger for the Weekend #116
With the conclusion of Movember, the mustache-growing cancer awareness intitiative that seems to have had every capable face from here to Fairbanks sprouting a nose mullet, we've been giving a lot of thought to the legitimacy of this contentious lip adornment. Is it still just an ironic jab at the flavor savers of yesteryear? Or has it... [READ MORE]
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BD athlete Colin Haley reports on his recent climbs and summits in Argentine Patagonia
Black Diamond athlete Colin Haley is down in Patagonia for another season of spectacular alpine climbing and has been updating his blog with some great reports and photos, which we have posted below. Colin still has more than two months left on his stay in Patagonia, so, weather permitting as always, he’ll hopefully get up some more climbs... [READ MORE]
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How-to Video: Swap out sole blocks on Black Diamond Freeride Series boots
All three of our Freeride Series boots, the Factor 130 , Factor 110 and Shiva , are compatible with Alpine and AT sole blocks. The video below runs you through the basic how-to steps to quickly swap out the sole blocks. [READ MORE]
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EMPLOYEE FAVORITES: Chris Thomas, Broken Hearts (WI5), Cody, WY
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... [READ MORE]
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Winger for the Weekend #117
During the painstaking Winger selection process that goes down each week, any video involving rollerblades is automatically a sem-finalist, and this week the blades triumph once again. Think you have what it takes to dethrone the Skating King of Pakistan (one of the world's most prestigious titles, no doubt)? Challenge him. We dare you. Have... [READ MORE]
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VIDEO PROFILE: BD athlete Johnny Collinson skiing in Greenland
Black Diamond athlete Johnny Collinson runs his op full-on, be it stomping airs in comps or charging hard on big mountain tech terrain. Last winter he spent some time filming with Sherpas Cinema in Greenland for All.I.Can, the most widely acclaimed ski film of the year. They got a ton of sweet footage of Johnny, so we had the Sherpas edit... [READ MORE]
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QC LAB: Do ropes need to rest between falls?
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... [READ MORE]
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BD athlete Alex Honnold reports on Poland's indoor climbing scene
Black Diamond athlete Alex Honnold traveled to Poland in November and sent us this great email that recounts his new-found appreciation for the simple yet effective Polish indoor climbing gyms. [Unknown climber cranking in one of Poland's simple yet effective climbing gyms.] Most climbing gyms in the US are built for public... [READ MORE]
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Winger for the Weekend #118
Whether it was the Shopping Mall Santa Association's annual retreat or just a bunch of chuckleheads wasted on egg nog, Winger for the Weekend #118 definitely comes chock full of festive cheer. Nothing says the holidays like hundreds of guys dressed as Santa shredding low-angle groomers. Happy holidays from all of us at Black Diamond, and have... [READ MORE]
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VIDEO: BD tech rep and athlete J.P. Oullete redpointing No Way Jose (5.13), North Wash, Utah
BD tech rep and athlete J.P. "Peewee" Oullete is always on the hunt for hard crack lines and set his sights on repeating the notoriously hard No Way Jose. As with most significant ascents, this one is not without a great back-story, as Peewee battles illness and airline tickets in order to get the redpoint. James Q. Martin was on hand to... [READ MORE]
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VIDEO: BD athlete Chris Webb Parsons bouldering and training in England
Black Diamond athlete Chris Webb Parsons is an Aussie native, but has decided to move for the short term to England, intent on training for the 2012 Bouldering World Cup. He sent us the following video of what a typical CWP day of bouldering and training is like. [READ MORE]
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