|
kagunkie
Jul 2, 2001, 5:34 PM
Post #1 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 14, 2000
Posts: 731
|
Black Diamond used to be called Chounard climbing equiptment and was probably some of the best you could get although expensive. It was innovative and very high quality. The design of most of the stuff was usually simple and functional with many tehc. breakthroughs. Now its under different controll and with all the new competition in the marketplace it just aint what it used to be, its still some of the best but there are a few failures too. So be carefull you may be paying top dollar for average gear in some instances.
|
|
|
|
|
kagunkie
Jul 4, 2001, 2:07 AM
Post #2 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 14, 2000
Posts: 731
|
Iv always liked BD biners and still prefer them, but with all the competition in the market nowadays some of the others are pretty good too. Chounard has always meant high quality and still does but there are a few flops too. I just bought a harness this year and Im very dissapointed. The gear racking is half way around my back theres no belay loop and it hurts after only a short time wearing, those leg loops suck. Dont they make a chalk bag bigger than a thimble? The pins are good but overpriced. The Camalots are great but who has sixty-seventy dollars per unit. I dont want fluff I want good ol Chounard back I know they have always been overpriced but they were always the best the US had to offer. Now Im not so sure.
|
|
|
|
|
climb512
Jul 4, 2001, 5:17 AM
Post #3 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 19, 2001
Posts: 468
|
BD stuff i find to be no better and sometimes worse than others,and always overpriced. kagunkie,you are correct they were the best when they were chounard. i still have a set of those stoppers from early 80's
|
|
|
|
|
jhundrup
Jul 4, 2001, 3:47 PM
Post #4 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 17, 2001
Posts: 410
|
koolkitty: it is Petzl, not Pretzel
|
|
|
|
|
kagunkie
Jul 4, 2001, 6:01 PM
Post #5 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 14, 2000
Posts: 731
|
Pretzel makes those ascenders dont they?
[ This Message was edited by: kagunkie on 2001-07-04 11:02 ]
|
|
|
|
|
gearweenie
Oct 19, 2002, 8:44 PM
Post #6 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 14, 2002
Posts: 107
|
You are right, they used to be good. Now its all cheap. The guys at Neptune told me the axes were now made in Taiwan.
|
|
|
|
|
smokey
Oct 22, 2002, 1:53 PM
Post #7 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 21, 2002
Posts: 21
|
Wrong.
|
|
|
|
|
rckfreek
Oct 22, 2002, 2:07 PM
Post #8 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 4, 2002
Posts: 149
|
I have to say some of their cheaper gear could be better but that is why they make better stuff too. I have their Chaos harness about $85 and it is a bit spendy but it is super comfy and works very well.
- Rock Freek -
|
|
|
|
|
tradclmbr
Oct 22, 2002, 2:42 PM
Post #9 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 4, 2002
Posts: 238
|
I have to agree with BD harnesses being somewhat of a disappointment. I bought one this year and although its fairly comfy, it has some annoying features or lack there of. Someone I climb with bought a petzel harness for the same price and now Im green with jealousy. Because of the price tag, it will be my harness for the next couple years
|
|
|
|
|
punk
Oct 22, 2002, 3:03 PM
Post #10 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 28, 2002
Posts: 1442
|
The only one harness I like from BD is the alpine bod which is NO frill mountaineering/ice-climbing harness and the new legs buckles is the best invention from them in the harness department yet
I agree with the motion that not everything from BD is a hit but they do have some things that they have no match in the market
|
|
|
|
|
dencio
Oct 23, 2002, 11:50 AM
Post #11 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 2, 2002
Posts: 74
|
ahhhh, a harness thread...
they may not compare with the shoe threads by sheer number of posts but these harness threads are catching my attention of late because am myself about to purchase my own...
so i say keep cranking out these harness threads!
|
|
|
|
|
nbrown
Oct 23, 2002, 12:35 PM
Post #12 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 12, 2002
Posts: 328
|
I have a Black Diamond Rave harness and I like it a lot. It is a lot better than the Blue Water I used to have.
|
|
|
|
|
billcoe_
Oct 23, 2002, 3:34 PM
Post #13 of 13
(3697 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 30, 2002
Posts: 4694
|
Seems to me that Black Diamond/Chouinard has always had a selection of amazingly awesome, and shitty gear simutaneuosly (who here remembers foamback jackets and other waterproof "non-breathable" raingear? They have often copied great designs from other companies that were not as good as the origonals.
Pick and choose what you want. Their cams are the best IMO: it is a great design. They have always been on top of the game for carabiners. I haven't seen the recent harness's, I prefer Petzel for harness's and biners. I think my opening statement would apply to most companies out there (Probably not Metoleous though), including Petzel. In fact I read the other day on RC.com of a DMM locking biner breaking in a solo fall.
Pick and choose pick and choose adn don't be afraid to toss the old and get new.
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
|
