What’s Under Your Tree?

Best Of Adventure - Black Diamond Enforcer glove

Best Of Adventure - Black Diamond Enforcer glove

With the holidays and gift giving season fast approaching, Black Diamond has been fortunate to glean some shiny hardware and accolades from lumps of coal. Specifically, BD has won national awards for product design across categories for their new Freeride Boot line, Skis, Skins, Headlamps and Lanterns, Gloves, Packs, Tents and Harnesses.

Select examples include:

Outside Magazine Gear of the Year (GOY) 2009 – Bandit pack; 2008 GOY – Verdict Ski; Best in category Backcountry Boots Factor AT and Push Telemark boots

National Geographic Adventure – Best of Adventure – Enforcer Glove

Skiing Magazine Best of Winter – BD Factor Boot and Bod harness*

The venerable BD Bod harness

The venerable BD Bod harness

Field & Stream Best in Test Award – Icon Headlamp

Outdoor Award Friedrichshafen – Orbit Lantern

Backpacker Magazine Best All-Around Ultralight Tent – BD Mirage

Backcountry Magazine – Best in Test – BD Factor Boot, BD Push Telemark Boot, Ascension STS skins

Powder Magazine Skier’s Choice – Megawatt Ski (also top scorer in Freeskier, Outside, Backcountry, and Skiing tests)

Climbing Magazine Editor’s Choice – Quantum pack

Of all these awards, perhaps the most exciting and enduring is the BD Bod harness.

Why?

Well, besides personally owning and wearing one since 1988, the Bod debuted in 1986 and is perhaps the best selling harness ever built.

The PR take/irony is not lost that new is not always better.

Worth The Read!

Christian Pondella

“I took this photo of Chris Davenport in Portillo, Chile. We were trying to capture a creative angle while skiing a classic run called the “Super C Couloir.” I mounted my Nikon F5 to my chest with a 16mm fisheye and chased Chris down the run while I triggered the camera with a wire cable in my mouth,” states Christian Pondella.

For those of you who haven’t heard of Christian Pondella, here is the beta. Pondella is an adventure sports photographer who has worked with a wide variety of companies as well as athletes, such as Kästle athlete, Chris Davenport. In a recent interview by Crash Taylor, Pondella gives the reader a glimpse into his life and most recently his adventure to the Alps with Chris Davenport.

Click on the image above to view more of Pondella photographs and his interview with Crash Taylor.

Chris Davenport in Portillo, Chile – Credit: Christian Pondella

Christian Podella – “I took this photo of Chris Davenport in Portillo, Chile. We were trying to capture a creative angle while skiing a classic run called the “Super C Couloir”. I mounted my Nikon F5 to my chest with a 16mm fisheye and chased Chris down the run while I triggered the camera with a wire cable in my mouth.” Nikon F5, Nikon 16mm fisheye, Velvia film —