Black Diamond

Black Diamond Equipment designs and manufactures a wide range of products for climbing, skiing, and mountain sports. For climbing, they produce carabiners, quickdraws, harnesses, active and passive climbing protection, belay devices, helmets, ice tools and piolets, crampons, ice screws, bouldering pads, and big wall equipment. For skiing and avalanche safety, they produce skis, ski bindings, ski boots, poles, and avalanche safety equipment. The company's mountain products include tents and shelters, lighting, trekking poles, and backpacks.

Black Diamond is committed to sustainability and minimizing their environmental impact. They have implemented various initiatives to reduce waste, use sustainable materials, and support conservation efforts.

To determine if a dropped carabiner is still safe to use, you should inspect it for any dings or significant damage. Light scratches and good gate action indicate that it may still be safe for use. However, it's important to remember that only you know the history of your gear, so if you have any doubts about its safety, it's best to retire the gear and not take any risks. Keep in mind that the only way to truly know if a dropped carabiner is still safe is to test it to its breaking point, but this is not practical or recommended for everyday use.

To ensure safety while climbing, it is important to retire aluminum carabiners when they show signs of wear and tear. Here are some guidelines to follow:

1. Check for gate action: If the gate rubs or sticks open, try cleaning and lubricating it. If this does not improve the gate action, retire the carabiner. The same applies to any gate locking mechanism.
2. Check for excessive wear: If the rope-bearing surfaces of the carabiner are significantly worn, retire it. Wearing off the anodization is normal after a few uses, but if you can feel that the surface is too rough, it's time to replace the carabiner.
3. Check for deformation: If the body or nose of the carabiner has deformed, or if the gate rivets have been bent, retire it.
4. Check for nicks or deep scratches: If the carabiner has nicks or deep gouges beyond normal light scratching, retire it. The areas near the nose hook or within an inch of the bending radii of the body are more susceptible to surface damage.
5. Check for exposure to extreme heat: If the carabiner has been exposed to extreme heat, such as in a fire, retire it and destroy it. The heat treatment the carabiner underwent during manufacturing may have been compromised.
6. Check for exposure to harsh chemicals or excessive corrosion: If the carabiner has been exposed to aggressive chemicals, such as battery acid or petroleum-based fuel, or if there is corrosion beyond the normal thin gray/white oxidation layer, retire it. If corrosion starts to affect the gate action, retire it immediately.

Remember, only you know what your gear has been through, and if there is any doubt about the safety of a carabiner, it's best to retire it rather than take a risk. Trust in your equipment is crucial for climbing safely and confidently.

The design of the C4 Camalots includes cam axles that may appear longer than what you're used to seeing. This is intentional, as the amount of play or side-to-side movement of the lobes on the axles is there to allow the lobes to move freely during use. This play is crucial for the proper functioning of the cams in all conditions. Therefore, if you notice this feature, there is no need to be concerned, as it is a deliberate design element.

When placing a Micro Camalot of size .3 and above, retracting it fully or up to 25% can usually provide a solid placement, assuming the rock is good and not too slick or flared. However, for the smaller .1 and .2 Camalots, they may lose their ability to hold a fall when retracted more than 40%. It's important to note that proper placement technique and assessing the rock quality are crucial in determining the reliability of any cam placement.

Sorry, we do not offer the service of retroing old hexes with cables. However, we do offer Aramide 5.5mm cord which is perfect for reslinging Hexentrics.

The B and T ratings on BD picks differentiate the intended use and strength of the ice tool. T-rated tools are designed for steep ice climbing, while B-rated tools are intended for mountaineering and general ice climbing. The ratings are determined by rigorous testing, which includes a 3-point bend test on the shaft, strength tests on the head/shaft interface, and a torque test on the pick. T-rated components have higher requirements and are generally more durable and stronger than B-rated components.

Choosing the right tool and pick depends on personal preference and the type of climbing. For mountaineering, the Raven, Raven with Grip, and Raven Pro are recommended, while the Raven Ultra is suitable for ski mountaineering. For technical climbing, BD's tech tools such as the Cobra or Viper with leashes, or the Fusion or Reactor for leashless climbing, are the obvious choices. T-picks are tougher and more durable, while B picks like the Laser are intended for steep ice and may be less durable. Competence and technique can also affect the durability of the picks.

To sharpen your ice picks, you'll need a round 1/8 inch chainsaw file and a good ski-tuning file. It's also important to have a high-quality pick on hand to use as a reference. Avoid using an electric power grinder, as it can overheat the pick and ruin the temper.

Start by filing the pick end first, trying to restore the original bevel angle without creating a half-moon shape out of the tip. Be careful not to make the tip angle too steep, as it can become very fragile. On the other hand, if the angle isn't steep enough, your placements won't be as secure. Afterward, file the flat hook on the bottom, stroking outward from you.

If there are damaged teeth, use the chainsaw file to repair them. Use the flat side of the chainsaw file to restore the original bevel of about 45 degrees, except on the first tooth. Take your time and use the reference pick as a guide, as filing off too much is worse than filing too little. Note that the pick should be replaced when you start filing past the first 3/8 inch tooth.

To sharpen your ice screws, first, secure wooden blocks in a bench-mounted vise. Next, gather a small flat file (6" flat mill bastard) and a four-inch "ignition file." It's also helpful to have another screw in good condition as a reference.

Start by working on the worst tooth first. Smooth out any burrs on the outside round radius, and ensure that the vertical part of the tooth is free of burrs while keeping the beveled edge intact and trending inward. Sharpen the tooth inward to crush and force the ice shavings inside the screw, restoring the teeth to their original shape with tips in the same plane. Try to remove as little material as possible, and avoid removing the radius in the corner. Touch up any burrs on the threads and pay particular attention to the starting thread. Finally, give the inside diameter a quick shot of WD-40. Always remember to dry your screws with the protective caps removed and use the caps for transit.

The Fang attachment was specifically designed to fit the spike and pommel of the Viper ice tool for optimal strength and durability. Therefore, it is not compatible with any other ice tools from Black Diamond or other manufacturers.

We offer three different size crampon toe bails: Narrow, Regular, and Wide. The Narrow bail fits narrow toe welts on newer-school leather ice boots and smaller sizes of these boots. The Regular bail fits regular toe welts, which are found on 80% of ice climbing boots today. The Wide Toe Bail fits wide toe welts, such as those on double plastic mountaineering boots and ski boots. If you are unsure which bail is right for your boots, please contact our customer service team.

BD headlamps are designed with durable, long-lasting LED bulbs that are not intended to be replaced. The LED bulbs are made of a solid-state construction with no filament or fragile parts, making them much more durable and less prone to burning out compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. In the unlikely event that your headlamp's LED bulb does fail, we recommend contacting our customer service team for assistance with repair or replacement options. However, it's important to note that most BD headlamps come with a limited lifetime warranty, so you may be eligible for a free replacement if the issue is covered under the warranty terms.

The following 6-volt batteries can be used for your Ion or SpaceShot headlamp: Duracell 28L (lithium), Duracell 28A (alkaline), Black Diamond 6-volt replacement (silver oxide), Radio Shack 2cr 1/3 N (lithium), and Kodak K28L (lithium). It's important to note that lithium batteries have a longer shelf life and are less prone to leaking than alkaline batteries, making them a better choice for long-term storage. Always make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions when replacing the batteries in your headlamp.