Great gear and hard sends go hand in hand, so it’s no wonder why 2023 was another stand-out year for BD. From sending some of the world's hardest sport routes (nice one Seb!), winning Editor’s Choice in Backcountry Magazine with our new skis (Helio 104’s!) or pursuing our passion for advocacy and diversity in the outdoors, it’s safe to say 2023 was all time. Check out our top hits of 2023 and get stoked on another year of crushing it.
ATHLETE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
It was another banner year for the BD squad on the boulders, crags, big walls and peaks. Here’s a quick roundup of the top athlete accomplishments and stories from this past year.
- Seb Bouin: Six 5.15 ascents, including three first ascents—ACL (9b FA), Bibliographie (9b+), Rei de Bering (9a+/b FA), Move Hard (9b), Jamming Destruction (9a+/b FA), and Lapsus (9b)
- Hillary Gerardi: New FKT on Mt. Blanc!
- Jackson Marvell: First ascent of Round Trip Ticket (M7 AI5+ A0 2700m) on the north face of Jannu over 7 days
- Connor Herson: Maybe the best year of trad climbing EVER??? Air Swedin (13R), Cobra Crack (5.14), Crack of Destiny (5.14), Stélmexw (5.13c), Tainted Love (5.13d R), FFA of Hairline (5.13+, 13 pitches, 2,000’), Blackbeard’s Tears (5.14); Meltdown (5.14c); Spirit Quest (5.14d sport)
- Babsi Zangerl: The Tube (5.14), 50 Words For Pump (5.14c), Pure Imagination (5.14c), Haschen nach Wind 8c (5.14b), Meltdown (5.14c), El Corazon via the Muir Blast (5.13b and Babsi’s 6th Free route on El Capitan)
- Carlo Traversi: From Dirt Grows Flowers (8C/V15)
- Natalia Grossman: Two 1st Place World Cup finishes, 1st place in Boulder and Lead at the Pan American Games, and Olympic qualification!
- Colin Duffy: 2nd place at Bern World Championships Boulder/Lead and Olympic Qualification!
- Jacopo Larcher: Second ascent of Essenz (9a), FA of Couilles de Mammouth (5.14?)
- Hazel Findlay: Hallucinogen Wall (5.13R)
- Will Gadd: Climbed ice in South Africa!
- Alex Honnold: Climbing bike tour from Colorado to Alaska with Tommy Caldwell
- Karina Carsolio: Gold medal at Schlegeis 300 Run
- Oriane Bertone: 1st place at Prague Boulder World Cup, European Qualifier Gold Medal, and Olympic qualification!
- Chaehyun Seo: 2nd place at Brixen Boulder World Cup; Third place in lead at Bern World Championships
- John Jackson: TGR Best Backcountry Film Part
DEI/ADVOCACY
This year we continued our commitment to fostering positive change in the outdoors through our support of key DEI and land advocacy initiatives.
1. AMGA BIPOC Scholarship Programs:
- 6 new SPI program graduates, 4 new Rock Guide 1 program graduates
- Applications open again February 2024 for SPI and Rock Guide Programs
2. Memphis Rox: - Rox Fest - Proud sponsor of the first ever Rox Fest - an alll-are-welcome celebration of community, diversity, and culture featuring education, food, music, camping, climbing, and more - not to mention all proceeds went to support one of our favorite climbing gyms, Memphis Rox.
- Memphis Rox brings rehabilitation, healing and a renewed sense of hope to challenged communities by providing a climbing facility and programs that foster relationships across cultural, racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
- We exclude no one – regardless of ability to pay.
3. Climbing 4 Change Gym to Crag Grant: - Grants went to more than 44 individual participants
- Product grants, outdoor climbing experiences, Affinity Group creation
4. Adaptive Climbing Group: - We funded an advanced training camp for para climbers from the United States and Canada – BD’s funding made it a no-cost training for participants
- We also provide gear to support all of ACG’s programming (indoor and outdoor) across the country
5. Venture Out Project:
- Financially equipped TVOP to lead our largest annual fundraiser (The All of the Above Trail Festival) yet - with more than 200 attendees and $30,000 raised!
- As well as donated significant amounts of in-kind products to be raffled at AOTA - furthering our fundraising efforts and deepening consumer awareness of the TVOPxBD relationship
- Financially supported our first-ever Queer Wilderness Leadership Training (QWLT) at our Basecamp, training 30+ LGBTQ+ individuals from across the country on how to be TVOP ambassadors on and off the trail (aka, our Instructors & Volunteers!)
- Outfitted our Winter 2023 Vermont Ski Weekend with excellent gear, like hats, gloves, microspikes, and headlamps
6. DEI Training : - All BD employees participated in another successful DEI training – Beyond Bathrooms – facilitated by one of our favorite partners The Venture Out Project
- 250K spend in 2023 supporting diversity in outdoor spaces – carrying on our pledge made in 2020 to make a difference within our sphere of influence
Advocacy:
- Access Fund
- BD Employees and athletes participating in Work Week in the Creek
- BD Employees volunteering for trail work with the Access Fund Conservation Team in our local Little Cottonwood Canyon
- Lobbying in DC with the Access Fund Team, BD athletes Timmy Kang and Colette McInerney and BD’s Advocacy and Sustainability Manager Jess Powell, in support of the Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act. Take action here!
- Access Fund Match Campaign - BD matching all donations to the Access Fund in December up to 80K - Salt Lake Climbers Alliance
- Outfitting anchor maintenance crew
- Replacement of 700 bolts
- Golden carabiner event
- Rescue Little Cottonwood Canyon event sponsorship - More than 200K of donations to advocacy partners like Protect Our Winters, Conservation Alliance, Honnold Foundation, Salt Lake Climbers Alliance, and more
TOP PRODUCTS
We’ve been committed to making the best climbing, skiing and mountain equipment and apparel for more than 30 years, and 2023 was no different. From our redesigned line of insulation to the new Vapor Helmet, our latest products continue to push the limits of innovation and technical performance.
