Black Diamond Announces Ski Category Awards & Brand Partnerships For Winter 20 - 21
Black Diamond Equipment, has announced series of earned media awards and product acknowledgments for its winter 2020/2021 ski collection. Additionally, Black Diamond announces partnerships with Protect Our Winters (POW) and Freeride World Tour (FWT) as well as results from its annual precursor to winter fundraiser for the Utah Avalanche Center (UAC).
Coming in on the heels of much Spring 2020 product recognition including an Editor’s Choice from Runner’s World in August for its Distance 15 hybrid pack, Black Diamond carries that momentum into winter with editorial honors from Backcountry, Powder, Freeskier, SKI and Wildsnow.com. Black Diamond’s Winter 20/21 collection offers the skier a choice of award-winning products for a variety of skiing options ranging from everyday powder skiing, to moving fast and light with longer touring objectives or to big mountain freeride lines.
Black Diamond product recognition from this winter’s ski Buyers’ Guides includes:
Backcountry Magazine:
- Editor’s Choice: Helio Carbon 88 ski*
- Gear Guide Select: Cirque 84 ski*, Helio Carbon 95 ski*, Helio 200 binding*, Fritschi Tecton 12 binding, Approach Down Hoody, Dawn Patrol Hybrid Pant*
Powder Magazine:
- Skier’s Choice: Boundary Pro 115 ski
Freeskier:
- Editor’s Choice (Backcountry): Helio Carbon 104 ski*·
Wildsnow.com
- Best Freeride Touring Binding: FRITSCHI Tecton 12
- Best Touring Binding: Helio 145
- Quiver Pick 2020: Cirque 78 Ski
Ski Magazine
- Gear Guide Select: Helio Carbon 104 ski*, FRITSCHI Xenic 10 binding*, Dawn Patrol Hybrid Jacket and Pant*, Coefficient Fleece Hoody*, Spark Finger Glove*
*New Products for Fall 20/Winter 21
“Winning these product endorsements from ski media is a momentum builder for Black Diamond and confirms our design team’s ability to bring the most well-designed products to market,” said Andy Merriman, Black Diamond’s ski category director.
In other pre-winter brand initiatives, Black Diamond announces a new partnership with POW. While the partnership commenced with POW’s “Outdoor State” campaign, in an effort to encourage people to vote, it is an annual partnership which will focus on climate advocacy.
“As a company of climbers, skiers, mountain runners and outdoor enthusiasts, we have always fought for the protection of the spaces we love,” said Jess Powell, Black Diamond’s partnership and event manager. “We are proud to be partnering with Protect Our Winters, who is an ally and leader in the fight for our planet.”
Additionally, Black Diamond and Pieps renewed its partnership with the Freeride World Tour as the official supplier and safety partner of the Freeride World Tour, providing athletes with critical snow safety tools such as airbags, beacons, shovels and probes, as well as gloves and ski packs with custom, co-branded gear.
Powell continues, “Partnering with the Freeride World Tour provides us an opportunity to speak to a growing demographic of younger backcountry skiers and snowboarders whose passion regularly takes them outside the boundaries.”
Lastly, Black Diamond is pleased to announce results from its annual, precursor to winter, September fundraiser for the UAC. This year’s ‘virtual’ event sold nearly 1500 tickets, a 35% increase over 2019, and raised $155,000, 50% more than its intended goal. Thanks to the support of all the event sponsors, 100% of the money raised will go directly to support avalanche forecasting, education and backcountry awareness.
