Black Diamond
Clarus Corporation · United States
Black Diamond Equipment is a climbing, skiing and mountain gear maker based in Utah, formed in 1989 from the assets of Chouinard Equipment. According to the sources consulted it has been owned by Clarus Corporation since 2010.
| Formed | 1989 |
|---|---|
| Leader of 1989 buyout | Peter Metcalf |
| Owner | Clarus Corporation (since 2010) |
| Headquarters | Holladay, Utah, United States |
| European base | Innsbruck, Austria |
| Website | blackdiamondequipment.com |
What is Black Diamond?
Black Diamond Equipment makes climbing, skiing and mountain gear: carabiners, quickdraws, harnesses, protection including Camalot cams, belay devices, helmets, ice tools, crampons, ice screws, bouldering pads and big wall equipment. It also offers skiing and avalanche safety equipment, tents, shelters, lighting, trekking poles and backpacks.
History
The company dates from 1 December 1989, when a group of former Chouinard Equipment employees led by Peter Metcalf, with outside investors, bought the assets of Chouinard Equipment, which had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy that year. Yvon Chouinard had begun hand forging pitons in Yosemite Valley in the late 1950s. The company moved to the Salt Lake City area in 1991.
Ownership and acquisitions
Clarus Corporation acquired Black Diamond in May 2010 for 90 million US dollars and also owns Pieps and ClimbOn! Skincare. Black Diamond itself acquired Bibler tents (1997), Franklin (1998), Ascension skins (1999) and Gregory Mountain Products (2010), the last of which was sold to Samsonite in 2014. The sources consulted do not mention any later sale of Black Diamond.
Business model and distribution
Black Diamond Equipment Europe was established in Reinach, Switzerland, in 1996, and the European headquarters moved to Innsbruck, Austria, in 2016. In 2006 the company set up Black Diamond Equipment Asia in Zhuhai, China, as a secondary manufacturing site and global distribution hub.
Why it matters
Black Diamond is a core brand in safety critical mountain equipment, and its lineage from Chouinard Equipment connects it with the origins of modern American climbing and outdoor retail.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Black Diamond Equipment?
Per the sources consulted, Clarus Corporation acquired Black Diamond in May 2010 for 90 million US dollars. No later sale is reported there.
Where is Black Diamond from?
Black Diamond is an American brand based in Holladay, Utah. It was formed in 1989 from the assets of Chouinard Equipment.