Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Outdoors

Dirtbag Summer: Black Diamond

Austin Parker
By

Dirtbag climbers and road trippers are notorious for two things: smelling like they haven’t had a shower in weeks (probably closer to months) and picking bomber gear and apparel that will last through hard seasons’ worth of use. When we’re out on training rides, climbs, and runs here in Utah’s Wasatch Range, hometown brand Black Diamond is almost a standard uniform for dirtbags of all kinds. Of course, with hundreds of miles of trails, dozens of world famous climbs, and a handful of ten and eleven thousand foot peaks within sight of their headquarters, it’s easy to see where Black Diamond get’s their mantra of “Live, Climb, Repeat.” If your adventures this year take you off trail and into the high country, you couldn’t ask for a better line up of high altitude ready gear.

Related: Pack It In: Climbing Essentials | Jimmy Chin’s Meru

Recommended Videos

B.D.V. Pants ($189)

The B.D.V.’s are the new standard for mountain travel. Made of a burly Schoeller stretch-woven softshell material, they are further treated with award winning Nanosphere DWR at the fiber level, ensuring they repel everything from summit thunderstorms to stains. The built in ladder-lock belt sits flat under a climbing harness, and articulated knees help when you’re sending that mandatory heel hook on your latest project climb. These are the pants any seasoned alpine adventurer should be reaching for.

Stone Duffel 42 ($90)

Built for hauling gear to your favorite crag, we found the Stone Duffel to be the perfect bag for all our odds and ends on summer road trips. It’s hauled everything from a full rack of cams to a weekend’s worth of extra clothes (and beer). Simple construction and extremely abrasion resistant 1260-denier nylon round this pack out nicely.

Hot Forge Hybrid Hoody ($249)

From early mornings in the alpine to chilly nights in your favorite mountain town, the Hotforge Hybrid Hoody is Black Diamond’s premier four season layering piece. In the body of the jacket insulation is a 70/30 split of hydrophobic down and Primaloft insulation. Heavily exposed areas on the hood, shoulders, and sleeves have straight synthetic Primaloft Gold. It packs into its internal mesh pocket, so you won’t have an excuse to leave it at home on your next hike.

Ion Headlamp ($25)

We spotted this headlamp at last year’s OR Show and fell in love. The Ion is powered by two AAA batteries, and packs in eighty lumens of output. The innovative swipe on/off makes it hard to accidentally turn on in your pack, but easy enough to operate with gloves on. Dual white and red (night vision saving) modes can be swapped easily with right and left swipes. The tiny package makes it easy to throw in your work bag as a back up, or in your pocket for a sunset climb.

Technician Shirt ($59)

This comfortable button up short sleeve is at home on serious slab climbs in Boulder, CO, but looks equally cool making the rounds in your Monday morning sales meetings. Breathable cotton-poly fabric provides the right balance of quick drying and temperature control. A generous cut and climbing specific underarm gussets help you move without restriction when your hike turns vertical. Don’t blame us when you’ve stopped wearing anything else this summer.

Images Courtesy of Black Diamond

Austin Parker
Austin Parker
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Austin Parker is a former contributor at The Manual Parker is a powder skier and sport climber and is no stranger hauling…
Garmin, Seiko, G-SHOCK, and more: Our picks for best outdoor watches in 2024
Our picks for the best outdoor watches for men
Man on bike in Apple watch

If you're an outdoor enthusiast, you need the perfect wrist companion for all of your adventures. Whether you're biking and hiking on rugged terrain or simply tracking your fitness goals, you need a watch that keeps time, looks stylish, and can handle your activities. We've created a list of the best outdoor watches, including brands like Garmin, Seiko, G-SHOCK, and Suunto.

We've focused on features like GPS tracking, construction, and top-tier technology to bring you what we think are the top outdoor watches at the moment. Whether you're a seasoned explorer, a fan of going to the gym, or someone who appreciates these types of manly watches, there's a timepiece to suit every taste and lifestyle, including yours. Each of these watches brings its own bit of flair to the world of outdoor watches, from Seiko to the famously tough G-SHOCK brand.
The best outdoor watches for men

Read more
From $350 to $1,399: The 5 best outdoor pizza ovens in 2024
ooni koda pizza oven review

Whether you're just starting on the craft of pizzas or you're a veteran who wants to make them in your backyard, you're going to want an outdoor pizza oven. If you have one, you can make your own delicious pizzas for your parties, and even try your hand at different recipes every night for your family's meals. However, with all of the options that you can shop, it may be overwhelming to narrow down your choices to the best outdoor pizza oven for you. To help you out, we've rounded up this list, with explanations on why we're going with these recommendations.

The major advantage of outdoor pizza ovens over traditional ovens is that they're capable of reaching higher temperatures in less time, which is necessary to get a perfectly cooked crust without burning the toppings. With an outdoor pizza oven, cooking will be done in a few minutes, for the ability to make pizzas pretty quickly so your family and friends won't wait for long. The best outdoor pizza ovens offer more than just this though, so if you're looking for something in particular, read on to find the cooking tool that you may have been looking for.
The best outdoor pizza ovens in 2024

Read more
The best long-distance bike trails across the U.S.
Bikepacking trails or new places to adventure on two wheels
Sunset at the Continental Divide in Colorado Rocky Mountains

Bikepacking, more commonly known as bicycle touring, is a self-supported trip in which participants spend days, weeks, or even years traveling across regions, countries, and continents via bicycle. One of its greatest perks is the opportunity to explore amazing places.

Whether you’re traveling to a new city or region, there’s no better way to do this than on two wheels. You can cover more miles when pedaling using your bike shoes rather than walking and, unlike driving, you’re still connected to your environment -- no carbon footprint, just fresh air.

Read more