Thursday night was party time at the Black Diamond Store in Salt Lake City, when a handful of ravenous Black Diamond fans got to take a first-hand look at the company’s brand new line of outerwear. Invites went out earlier in the week, and space was very limited. So much so that sending in my RSVP an hour later got a “sorry, it’s already full” response. I’m still bitter, not so much for the missing chance to try on some new gear, but because there was free beer. Ah well.
However, some bastard friends of mine did manage to get in, and so my only vision of the gear-heaven feast that surely was laid out like a tech-fabric buffet came in the form of text messages. So below, is my second-hand report of the event via Brian McKenna:
“Eric and I have each won things in the BD raffle. He’s got some brand new, unreleased pants.”
“Their gear is very cool. For the first year its 25 products, mens only, seems to most closely resemble Arc’teryx. There’s some ski stuff, some climbing stuff, some synthetic down stuff, some fleece stuff, and some more casual stuff.”
“Prices are very reasonable. There’s one very big puffy for $300. Top-end ski shell is $300 also I think. Features are relatively standard though maybe put together with more careful thought than, say, North Face. I’d call it a Wasatch version of Arc’teryx, though not a ton of options yet. Eric will be field testing one of the hybrid style pants this season.”
“Also, bomber Velcro cuffs.”
“The ski line is called Dawn Patrol, which I thought was pretty sweet. It’s all on their website now.”
“It looks like a pretty great first step. Womens, climbing, real down, and presumably more high-end, super techy gear are all on deck for the next 6 consecutive seasons.”
“They brought extreme talent again. Designer is from Arc’teryx and Mountain Hardware, textiles guy is from The North Face.”
“No real down yet, but I couldn’t handle wearing their Stance Belay puffy while talking to Eric for 2 minutes without feeling like I was going to die.”
After getting on the Black Diamond website, the gear that jumped out at me were the ski-touring Dawn Patrol Line. Below are my favorites based solely on their pictures.
The Black Diamond Dawn Patrol™ Hybrid Shell is the one piece that I want really, really bad for this season. It looks simple and perfect for ski touring, and with over 65 days in the backcountry last year, I’m in need of a new shell. According to BD, it’s a mix of hard shell and soft shell using Schoeller® stretch-woven softshell body for stretchy, highly breathable protection for high-output simul-climbing, steep skin tracks and tricky mixed pitches, while the three-layer, body-mapped waterproof panels in key areas shed blowing snow, wet ice and unexpected precip. Ample chest, hand and internal drop pockets store everything from glove liners to energy bars, and an internal media pocket with a cord port keeps the tunes flowing on the approach.
Features include: Adjustable, helmet-compatible hood
Two zippered chest pockets, two zippered hand pockets, two internal drop pockets, internal stretch media pocket
Velcro® cuffs
Drawcord hem
The companion piece to go with the Dawn Patrol Shell is the Dawn Patrol Pants. They also have the Schoeller® stretch-woven softshell fabric and a gusseted construction for weather protection without restrictions, and two-way side zippers double as vents during high-output climbs. BD says s reinforced kick patch guards against ski edges and crampon points, and there’s an integrated RECCO® system.
Features include: Integrated RECCO® system
Two zippered hand pockets, and zippered cargo pocket
Belt-loop waist with adjustable suspenders and two-way zippered fly
Two-way side zippers double as vents
Gusseted construction
Integrated snow gaiter and reinforced kick patch
Drawcord hem
On the insulation front, I like the looks of the Access Hybrid Jacket. It’s a warm PrimaLoft® ONE insulation layer that has dynamic Schoeller® softshell underarm panels for freedom of movement. It seems like a good coat to have on cold days or to stuff in the bottom of the pack as an emergency layer.
Features include: Zippered chest pocket, two zippered hand pockets, two internal drop pockets
Stretch gusset cuffs
Drawcord hem
Finally, I spied the Black Diamond Crag Hoody. Every outdoorsman needs a full-on softshell, for milder winter days or cold rock climbs. It uses Polartec® Windbloc® softshell fabric that handles a shady summer belay as well as a spring ski tour, and BD says the Crag Hoody also has zippered hand pockets and an internal media pocket with a cord port for securing your tunes on the commute or the approach.
Features include: Windproof construction
Adjustable, helmet-compatible hood
Two zippered hand pockets, internal zippered media pocket
Drawcord hem
That’s just a small sampling of what’s coming out this season from Black Diamond. It sure is good to see Utah’s own company finally getting into the apparel market. Now we have duds that tell the world, “We are the Wasatch!”
To see the entire line, head on over to blackdiamondequipment.com