It's worth mentioning that as Kolin and his team were developing this post over the past few weeks (which is the culmination of years of testing and documentation), we became aware of some discussions in a couple online climbing forums and blogs filled with rumors and misinformation about BD crampons and the people who work here. We watched the discussion—dominated by a handful of posters with well-documented personal vendettas against us—devolve into a series of irrational personal attacks, lies paraded as insider knowledge, and misleading and bullying of fellow forum members who voiced support for BD or asked for facts to support the claims. As the vitriol became more and more erratic, personal and baseless, we realized it would be best not to engage in such dialogue that is unconstrained by facts or respect.
Fortunately, KP and his crew continued developing this post, and we feel this serves to bring all the facts to the table. This QC Lab provides the technical data and crucial manufacturing insights for climbers who want to be fully and properly informed on crampons: how they are designed, how they are built, the materials used, how they are tested, why they break, how often they break, and how to increase their lifespan.
We realize that to some people, to innovate is to disrupt; it makes them uncomfortable. This is nothing new. When we made the climbing world's first wiregate carabiner or carbon fiber ice tool, there were doubters who were spooked by the nonconformity and innovation of our designs and materials. And now? Those radical designs and revolutionary materials have become iconic standards of innovation in climbing equipment. Building our crampons out of stainless steel is just another step down that path of innovation.
Climbing is not merely our business—it's our life, it's our passion, it's what we do—and all of us here at Black Diamond Equipment are obsessively dedicated to innovating, designing and building the absolute best gear possible in support of you, our fellow climbers. Stainless steel crampons have become, by far, our best selling models of all time—a point of pride we share with every climber, from paid professional to weekend warrior, who uses our crampons. We appreciate your feedback, your vision, and your stoke, and are continually humbled by the summits and climbs you have achieved with our equipment.