Black Diamond

Black Diamond – the uncompromising heritage of climbing equipment

Black Diamond is an American brand for climbing, alpine and randonnée equipment with deep roots stretching back to 1957, when an 18-year-old Yvon Chouinard (later founder of Patagonia) began making hand-forged chromoly steel pitons and selling them from the boot of his car in Yosemite Valley. Black Diamond was formally founded in 1989 when Peter Metcalf, Maria Cranor and the employees of Chouinard Equipment bought the company and moved it to Salt Lake City at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains – the perfect testing ground.

Pioneering climbing technology

Black Diamond is a central player in modern rock climbing. The famous Clean Climbing Manifesto of 1972 (published while the company still traded as Chouinard Equipment) transformed the sport by promoting the principle that climbing equipment should be removable without damaging the rock. This led to iconic products such as Hexentrics, Stoppers, the first tubular ice screw, and later Camalots – spring-loaded camming devices that are an industry standard today. The latest generation, Ultralight Camalots and Z4 Camalots, continues the innovation.

A broad range for mountain and randonnée

The range includes carabiners, crampons, ice axes, ice screws, pitons, slings, climbing harnesses, helmets, head torches, rucksacks, gloves, as well as telemark and randonnée equipment and the advanced avalanche safety system AvaLung. Black Diamond produces for the most demanding climbers and mountain sports enthusiasts, with an uncompromising focus on quality, safety and innovation. A solid choice for those seeking equipment from a brand that has helped shape modern climbing.