Pitons: Chouinard

Chouinard Equipment started producing equipment in 1957, By the late 1980s, the company had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Former Chouinard Equipment employees purchased the company assets in 1989, and formed Black Diamond.

Denis Pivot of C.A.M.P. provided the following information on C.A.M.P.'s relationships with other manufacturers:

CAMP - Chouinard

In 1968, during a trip to Italy to participate in the Trento Mountain Film Festival, Yvon Chouinard visited the CAMP factory in Premana with Hermann Huber (Salewa). Following this visit, an agreement was reached for CAMP to manufacture ice axes, pitons, Hexentrics and Stoppers for Chouinard (later Black Diamond). This equipment was sold by CAMP with the double marking of the logos CHOUINARD and CAMP and the addition of the logo of the INTERALP sales agent. All Chouinard equipment marked "Made in Italy" or "Italy" was manufactured by CAMP.

Lost Arrows

↑ Set 076, 440-444, 075: Chouinard Lost Arrows

↑ 076: Chouinard Lost Arrow

Made in USA [1963–1964].
Weight: 55 g.
Overall Length: 84 mm.
Effective size: 40x24x5 mm.
Raised "LOST〈C〉ARROW."
From Michael Oatney, 2023.

↑ 440: Chouinard Lost Arrow

Made in USA [1963–1964].
Weight: 59 g.
Overall Length: 82 mm.
Effective size: 40x25x4 mm.
Raised "LOST〈C〉ARROW."
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

↑ 441: Chouinard Lost Arrow

Made in USA [1963–1964].
Weight: 61 g.
Overall Length: 84 mm.
Effective size: 45x25x4 mm.
Raised "LOST〈C〉ARROW" and "U.S.A."
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

↑ 442: Chouinard Lost Arrow

Made in USA [1963–1964].
Weight: 66 g.
Overall Length: 87 mm.
Effective size: 45x24x4 mm.
Raised "LOST〈C〉ARROW" and "U.S.A."
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

↑ 443: Chouinard Lost Arrow

Made in USA [1963–1964].
Weight: 55 g.
Overall Length: 89 mm.
Effective size: 50x20x5 mm.
Raised "LOST〈C〉ARROW."
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

↑ 444: Chouinard Lost Arrow

Made in USA [1963–1964].
Weight: 88 g.
Overall Length: 119 mm.
Effective size: 75x20x7 mm.
Raised "LOST〈C〉ARROW."
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

↑ 075: Chouinard Lost Arrow

Made in Italy [ca. 1975].
Weight: 113 g.
Overall Length: 156 mm.
#8, Effective size: 115x20x6.5 mm.
Interalp Camp
Raised "LOST〈C〉ARROW" and "ITALY." Blade has a raised "8" and is stamped "INTERALP and "CAMP."

Angles

↑ Set 356, 357, 382, 358, 345, 359: Chouinard Angles

Made in USA [1970s].
½, 1, 1¼, 1½
Alloy Steel

↑ 356: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
½ in., Effective size: 70x12 mm.
Alloy Steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo.

↑ 357: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
1 in., Effective size: 100x25 mm.
Alloy Steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo, and "U.S.A.."

↑ 382: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
1 in., Effective size: 100x25 mm.
Sometimes the rivet shears while driving an angle, as this one shows.
Alloy Steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo, and "U.S.A.."

↑ 358: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
1¼ in., Effective size: 105x30 mm.
Alloy Steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo, and "U.S.A.."

↑ 359: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
1½ in., Effective size: 105x39 mm.
Alloy Steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo, and "U.S.A.."

↑ 345: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [ca. 1959].
1½ in, Effective size: 100x37 mm.
First generation.
Alloy Steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo.

Bong Bongs

Alloy Steel Bong Bongs

Chouinard introduced steel Bong Bongs by 1960. The initial ones, of which I have no examples, did not have the extra holes that reduce weight and provide more clipping options. All of mine have these extra holes. Chouinard discontinued their steel Bong Bongs in 1971 after noting that aluminum Bong Bongs caused less rock damage than steel Bong Bongs.

↑ 445: Chouinard Bong Bong

Made in USA [1960s].
Weight: 200 g.
Overall Length: 152 mm.
Effective size: 115x50 mm.
Alloy steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo only.

↑ 104: Chouinard Bong Bong

Made in USA [1960s].
Weight: 104 g.
Overall Length: 153 mm.
Effective size: 115x50 mm.
Alloy steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo, and "U.S.A.."

↑ 105: Chouinard Bong Bong

Made in USA [1970s].
Weight: 279 g.
Overall Length: 152 mm.
Effective size: 120x67 mm.
Alloy steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo, and "U.S.A.."

↑ 106: Chouinard Bong Bong

Made in USA [1970s].
Weight: 366 g.
Overall Length: 153 mm.
Effective size: 110x85 mm.
Alloy steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo, and "U.S.A.."

↑ 107: Chouinard Bong Bong

Made in USA [1970s].
Weight: 435 g.
Overall Length: 153 mm.
Effective size: 120x107 mm.
Alloy steel
Stamped with the Chouinard diamond-C logo, and "U.S.A.."

Aluminum Bong Bongs

Chouinard made aluminum Bong Bongs as early as 1961. Noting that aluminums caused less rock damage than steel Bong Bongs, they discontinued the latter in 1972.