Utah’s own Black Diamond Equipment is teasing us with new gear that won’t be available until autumn of 2016. There are new ski, climbing and mountaineering lines to look forward to, including climbing gym-specific equipment and apparel, and innovative skis, shells, harnesses and packs that focus on technical ski mountaineering. It was all revealed in a press release this week, so let’s have a look:
HELIO SERIES
Read our review of the Black Diamond Helio 105 Skis.
Helio 105 Ski and Helio Shell:
The Helio Series will include a new ski called the Helio 105 ski. It will feature a pre-preg carbon fiber layup that Black Diamond says “makes it extremely light with a balanced flex and supreme edge control.” Another product from the collection is the Helio Shell, Black Diamond’s lightest GORE-TEX® jacket to date, with GORE-TEX® C-Knit™ backer, unrivaled packability and soft-to-touch construction. They say it “increases comfort on missions where luxury is typically sacrificed.”
Cirque 35 Pack:
In the pack arena, the new Cirque 35 ski pack is an ultralight carrier with all the of the features needed for technical alpine objectives in a clean and simple design.
Couloir Harness:
Also new for the 2016/17 season, the Couloir harness gets upgraded with compact Fusion Comfort Construction, a Speed buckle, shedding 16g from its original design.
Helio Fixed Length Ski Poles:
Lastly, Helio fixed length ski poles are built with 100% inflation-molded carbon fiber for the ultimate combination of strength and lightweight performance.
PROJECT COLLECTION
Black Diamond has recognized that the future in rock climbing is found at indoor climbing gyms. That is the place where most people get their first taste of the sport. Black Diamond will address this growing population with the Project Collection. The apparel line will be built with a selection of natural cotton and technical synthetic products, that deliver performance, comfort and style both on and off the wall. Essential pieces for both men and women include the new Boulder Hoody and Credo Pants and Shorts. The Boulder Hoody is designed for chilly days and blends Dri-Release wool and stylish features while the Credo is purpose-built from durable and stretch cotton twill that moves with you.
Products assorted for the Project Collection also include the Solution harness, GridLock Magnetron, Stone Duffel 42 pack, the ATC belay device and Mojo chalk bags.
FIRST LIGHT HOODY
The cornerstone of Black Diamond’s Fall 2016 apparel line is the First Light Hoody. According to BD, it will cover everything from first tracks to first ascents, making it the “quintessential jacket for movement up and down the mountains or even missions around town.” The First Light Hoody will be Black Diamond’s solution for high output, start-and-stop activities in cold weather where versatile insulation is key.
Features include migration-resistant PrimaLoft® Silver and stretch Schoeller® face fabric adding both durability and breathability.
Additional new product highlights from Black Diamond for Fall’16 include:
Storm Headlamp:
- The Storm headlamp, outfitted with a sealed, waterproof housing and Black Diamond’s PowerTap technology, will offer a sleek housing design, and increases from 160 to 250 lumens of power featuring both red/green night vision modes.
Pieps Micro Avalanche Beacon:
- The PIEPS Micro avalanche beacon, perhaps the smallest and lightest three-antenna beacon on the market, will feature patented sensor technology and wireless device management.
Touring Series Ski Poles:
- Touring Series ski poles featuring SwitchRelease™ breakaway strap technology.
GlideLite Skins:
- GlideLite mohair/nylon mix skins featuring a redesigned construction offering 20 percent weight savings and a new innovative, lightweight tip loop system.
Black Diamond Equipment’s Fall 2016 collections will be on display at booth #6009 at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City, Utah, from January 7-10, and at ISPO Munich from January 24-27, 2016.
I will be checking out the Black Diamond booth at Outdoor Retailer in January, and will get a close-up look at all the new product to bring back a full report, so check back in a few weeks.