Kolin Powick knows about as much as anyone when it comes to cams, carabiners, and quickdraws because he’s a crucial part of climbing’s history. As the Director of Product at Black Diamond for over 20 years, he used his engineering experience to develop some of the most impactful climbing equipment of all time.

In this episode, Nils probes Kolin about the current state of climbing and the impact of indoor climbing on the greater community. The pair also dive into Black Diamond’s unlikely beginnings as a continuation of brand that stemmed from Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard.

Learn everything about the vertical world in our Climb Guide: https://www.backcountry.com/service/climbing-gear-guide

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro
1:14 – Climbing Roots In BC
5:56 – Relocating To Salt Lake City
8:52 – Getting Started At Black Diamond
13:59 – Black Diamond History
17:06 – QA & Product Development
22:53 – R+D Influences
28:28 – QC Lab Reports
36:37 – Gym Climbing Influence
41:28 – Trail Running Thoughts
45:08 – Outro

Check out the featured products here:

Black Diamond Camming Devices: https://www.backcountry.com/black-diamond-camming-devices
Black Diamond Quickdraws: https://www.backcountry.com/black-diamond-quickdraws
Black Diamond Chalk, Bags & Buckets: https://www.backcountry.com/black-diamond-chalk-chalk-bags-chalk-buckets

Everything Black Diamond: https://www.backcountry.com/black-diamond

Backcountry Climbing Gear & Apparel: https://www.backcountry.com/backcountry-climb
Everything Climb: https://www.backcountry.com/climb

Climbing Shoe Guide: https://www.backcountry.com/service/climb-shoe-guide

Shop The World’s Biggest Gear Closet: https://www.backcountry.com/

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Connect with a Gearhead: Call 1-800-409-4502 or chat with us online.

What makes Backcountry the best place to gear up? One-on-one Gearhead expertise. The greatest selection of outdoor gear, apparel, and accessories out there. And the tools to elevate your entire outdoor experience, from training smarter and sending harder to toasting at après. Harnessing the insights of our Gearhead® Experts, we also build our own products for ski, camp, MTB, fly fish, and more pursuits, including exclusive collabs with industry leaders. Backcountry is the place to Venture Beyond.

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