Black Diamond had a full booth at Outdoor Retailer 2015 Summer Market, chock full of new gear for climbing, camping, hiking and apparel. There is a ton to show off – too much to show everything. So here’s some highlights that caught my attention:
CAMALOT ULTRALIGHT
New cams are coming our way as Black Diamond has revamped thier classic Camalots. The new Ultralight versions are 25% lighter, featuring a Dyneema core, new light weight stem, sculpted cam lobes, and a slimmer sling that’s 50% lighter than traditional slings. These cams will be ideal for climbers who are on big trips with multi-pitch climbs and need to be fast and light.
NITRON QUICKDRAW
A new quickdraw from Black Diamond is the Nitron. The company says this is their premier full-keylock quickdraw with hot-forged Nitron carabiners, dual keylocks, and 27mm Vari-width polyester dogbone with Straightjacket. These look to be perfect for sport climbing crags here in Utah.
SOLUTION HARNESS
The new harness is called the Solution. Purpose-built for sport climbing, this harness features Black Diamond’s Fusion Comfort technology in the waist belt, load-sharing construction, and an EVA foam with breathable mesh lining. It all comes together to move with the body so it reduces pressure points and increases comfort. It also has 4 pressure-molded gear loops, and adjustable, elastic risers. They will be available in men’s and women’s versions.
GYM TO CRAG COLLECTION
A new rock climbing apparel collection is coming from Black Diamond called “Gym to Crag.” These shirts, pants, and gear is designed to work just as well outdoors as it does indoors. For climbers who are ready to take their climbing to the next level at the crags, or spend equal amounts of time at the climbing gym as they do outside, clothes like the Credo pants and shorts, Dawn Wall Hoody, and Idea T-Shirt are up to the task… and that’s just a few of the future men’s and women’s offerings we can look forward to this spring.
CREEK 35 PACK
New packs are on the horizon from BD, including the Creek 35 and Creek 20. These top-loaders are meant for a day at the crag when you have to haul tons of gear. It’s basically a haul bag with better durability and access to your gear. The exterior is waterproof, and it also features tuck-away rope straps, stowable rain hood, and a flat bottom so it stands up for easy loading.
SPOT HEADLAMPS
The new Black Diamond Spot Headlamp offers 200-lumen brightness and a waterproof housing. Each version has Powertap technology for on-the-fly, easy brightness adjustments. The Spot also features high and low-beam LEDs, red proximity LED, and strobe mode. Also of note is that it’s rechargable via USB. Very cool.
MOJI XP
Also in lighting from BD is the new Moji XP. This lantern looks awesome for camping with 150 lumens that casts a 360-degree light around camp or your tent. It has a dimming switch, double-hook hang loop, and is water resistant.
DEPLOYMENT HYBRID HOODY
Now for new gear for an activity near and dear to my heart: backcountry skiing. The Black Diamond Deployment Hybrid Hoody is built for extended use during start/stop activity, which is exactly what we do in the skin track. This insulated mid-layer features 80g of highly-breathable Primaloft Silver Hi-Loft insulation under a Schoeller stretch-woven nylon exterior. The underarms, back and cuffs are made from blended merino wool. This hoody is tops on our wish list for backcountry testing this upcoming season.
Look for all this and more from Black Diamond this fall and next spring.