Innovative gear designed by Black Diamond Equipment® has long been trusted by climbers, skiers and mountaineers. A brand respected for their innovative designs, Black Diamond has now put 60-years of outdoor experience behind the creation off their technical apparel collections: Alpinism, Hiking & Trekking, Rock Climbing and Gym-to-Crag.
Black Diamond has partnered with specialist textile brands to incorporate only the highest performing fabrics in their new apparel collections. These include stretch-woven fabrics from Schoeller®, insulating and quick-drying fleeces from Polartec®, synthetic insulation materials from PrimaLoft®, light-weight wind-resistant Pertex® shells and the best in waterproof-breathable GORE-TEX® fabrics.
“Apparel is not simply ‘clothing’,” says Simon Larsen, Managing Director of RAM Mountaineering, the South African distributor of Black Diamond products.
“Black Diamond’s apparel should be considered ‘gear’, just like backpacks, carabiners, ice axes and trekking poles. Athletes put as much trust in the clothing they wear as the equipment that enables them to find their limits and test their limits in their chosen discipline.”
The collections feature products that are intuitively designed and rigorously engineered by the company’s athlete-employees. Their approach to creating Black Diamond products is to use, design, engineer and build equipment and apparel for life outdoors.
RAM Mountaineering has brought the latest range of Black Diamond technical apparel into South Africa.
“It is hard to choose favourites from the four collections of men’s and women’s apparel,” says Larsen.
From the women’s range, Larsen highlights the Flow State Hoody for its stretchy, windproof and highly breathable Windstopper® Soft Shell fabric. This versatile jacket doubles up as an athletic, windproof shell and an insulating midlayer. It can be worn on its own or under a waterproof jacket if the weather turns.
The Alpine Start Hoody, which uses Schoeller stretch-woven softshell fabric is Larsen’s top choice from the men’s range. This ultralight fabric is breathable and weather resistant and the top’s gusseted construction allows complete freedom of movement.
“Our weather has been so changeable that we’ve had snow and low temperatures in November,” he says. “Jackets need to move with you and protect against the elements – especially cold, wind and rain. This range does just that.”
Black Diamond’s technical apparel collections are available from Drifters Adventure Centre in Sandton City, Johannesburg and Drifters Xtreme Sports, 27 Somerset Road, Cape Town. Black Diamond logo wear can be found at climbing gyms.
Visit www.rammountain.co.za to view available products and www.on-the-edge.co.za for climbing and equipment news as well as community stories.
GIVEAWAY
Black Diamond is giving away men’s Black Diamond CoEfficient Jackets on Adventure Racing (www.AR.co.za) and ClimbZA (www.climbing.co.za) during December 2014. Made from Polartec® PowerDry® High Efficiency fleece, this jacket is an insulating, fast-wicking and highly breathable midlayer.
THE WINNER
Schalk van der Merwe is the winner, selected by Lucky Draw. He wins this Black Diamond CoEfficient Jacket.
Black Diamond CoEfficient Series from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.
Why Black Diamond equipment? Situations of Consequence from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.