Black Diamond announces its first ever lineup of rock-climbing shoes

By Amanda Ellis Published August 7, 2017

black diamond climbing shoes bdshoe — Image used with permission by copyright holder

As a climber, you dread shoving your feet back into those slimy, soaked climbing shoes before hopping on the next route. The only thing worse might be the unavoidable stench — the horrible wafting that infiltrates your nostrils as you furiously unpack that suffocated gear pack at the end of an expedition. Black Diamond‘s new line of climbing shoes are the perfect solution, crafted with a unique polyester knit that might just save your sweaty feet — and your nose.

Climbing gear company Black Diamond offers a staple line of tools and apparel soon to include climbing shoes, rounding out its comprehensive mountainside marketplace, which just recently introduced climbing ropes. This new line of shoes has been in the works for two years. After much anticipation, the first two styles will be available exclusively at REI this fall and eventually to additional retailers.

Recommended Videos

The lineup will include a specific type of shoe suited to every category: the Momentum for indoor climbing, the Aspect for trad climbing, and the Shadow and the Focus for aggressive sport climbing. The Momentum stands out as the ideal solution for climbers prone to sweaty feet in hot and humid indoor gym conditions, boasting a polyester-propylene knit that is woven more tightly for strength in certain areas and more loosely in others for added breathability.

The Momentum features a neutral, flat last for comfort during grueling gym and cragging sessions. These all-purpose shoes utilize NeoFriction rubber, and will be available in Velcro, lace-up, and children’s versions. As opposed to more aggressive shoes, the Momentum features stretch where it is needed most and microfiber liners in the toes to mitigate fit while allocating comfort.

The Aspect is a German-style leather lace-up trad shoe boasting a low profile toe ideal for crack climbing, and NeoFriction Force rubber for superior edging. The Shadow and the Focus are designed to be precise, with the Focus featuring NeoFriction Force rubber for technical routes and the Shadow offering a softer NeoFriction Fuse, designated for those pumpy, overhanging routes.

The Aspect, Shadow, and Focus will provide the Momentum’s unique polyester knit weave in their tongues as an added breathability feature. All models are made with rubber injected into 3D molds as opposed to traditional cutting and shaping, improving product consistency across the line.

The Momentum will be available in men’s and women’s sizes for $90 at REI and kids’ sizes for $60. The Aspect will retail for $140, the Focus for $174, and the Shadow for $180. The Momentum is available for pre-order on REI’s website.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Amanda is an outdoor junkie and digital nomad with an insatiable hunger for gear. Based out of Raleigh, NC she travels to…

Outdoors

Best pressure washer deals: Up to $110 off Greenworks and Kärcher

The Greenworks GPW3001 Pro electric pressure washer, placed outside.

If you've been on the internet and seen a bunch of pressure washer clips and are now considering grabbing one yourself, you'll be happy to know that there is a huge range of them to pick from. That includes some great budget-oriented versions to dip your toe in and are still good for cleaning stains and cleaning up stuff. That's why we've gone out and collected some of our favorite washer deals for you below, including some of the best pressure washers for cars, which you do have to be a bit careful with not to strip the paint or clearcoat.
Greenworks Pressure Washer Combo Kit -- $110 $220 50% off

While this Greenworks power washer doesn't have as high a PSI, around 1,900 PSI, it is a lot more portable and a great option if you want something that's smaller and easier to take around with you. It comes with a 35-foot power chord and a 20-foot hose, so you get quite a bit of distance. If you are somewhere rural and need to clean stuff that doesn't have a power cable nearby, this is perfect. Besides that, we also appreciate that this comes with an 11-inch surface cleaner, which isn't something common with a lot of other power washers, even more expensive ones. Just be aware that you do need a My Best Buy subscription to be able to get the discount.

Emerging Tech

Juiced Bikes sold at auction for $1.2 million, report says

The Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2 adds more power, upgraded tires, and an improved battery to the popular moped style e-bike.

Juiced Bikes, the San Diego-based maker of e-bikes, has been sold on an auction website for $1,225,000, according to a report from Electrek.Digital Trends recently reported how the company was showing signs of being on the brink of bankruptcy. The company and its executives had remained silent, while customer inquiries went unanswered and its website showed all products were out of stock. In addition, there were numerous reports of layoffs at the company.Yet, the most convincing sign was that the company’s assets appeared as listed for sale on an auction website used by companies that go out of business.Now, it appears that Juiced Bikes’ assets, including a dozen patents, multiple URLs, and the company’s inventory in both the U.S. and China, have been sold at auction, according to the report. It is likely that the buyer, who remains unknown, can capitalize on the brand and the overall value of the 15-year old company. Founded in 2009 by Tora Harris, a U.S. high-jump Olympian, Juiced Bikes was one of the early pioneers of the direct-to-consumer e-bike brands in the U.S. market.
The company had quickly built a reputation for the versatility of its e-bikes and the durability of their batteries. Over the years, the popularity of models such as the CrossCurrent, HyperScrambler, and RipCurrent only bolstered the brand’s status.Last year, Digital Trends named the Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2 as the best moped-style e-bike for 2023, citing its versatility, rich feature set, and performance.Juiced Bikes’ getting sold quickly might be a sign of what consulting firm Houlihan Lokey says is a recovery in the North American e-bike market.
The industry has had a roller-coaster ride during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: A huge spike in demand for e-bikes had combined with disrupted supply chains to create a supply/demand mismatch of “historic proportions," Houlihan Lokey said.

Branded Content

Adventure time: SUPCASE has the ultimate gear for outdoor enthusiasts

A variety of outdoor gear options for the ultimate wilderness enthusiast.

Scenic view from inside a tent while camping.

You might know SUPCASE for its excellent collection of durable and rugged phone cases. But as it's in the industry of making tough gear for the adventurous sorts, it should come as no surprise that the brand also has a valuable collection of outdoor gear. Just to provide some examples, a multi-functional pocket tool, a rugged and water-resistant equipment case, a durable yet spacious backpack, or even a sleek yet reliable bottle opener.

In fact, there are quite a few options, so many that it could be tough to nail down just one tool or outdoor item you'd need. Naturally, we put together this guide to explore some of the ultimate gear, but you can always peep at them yourself, as well.