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.

Rurps

"RURP" stands for "Realized Ultimate Reality Piton." Chouinard developed the Rurp in 1959 to fit the thin seams found in Yosemite's walls. The earlier ones were to be strung with cord. Wired Rurps were introduced ca. 1984.

↑ 077: Chouinard Rurp

Made in USA [ca. 1975].
10x26x105 mm.

Lost Arrows

↑ 076: Chouinard Lost Arrow

Made in USA [1963–1964].
40x24x5 mm.
From Michael Oatney, 2023.

↑ 075: Chouinard Lost Arrow

Made in Italy [ca. 1975].
#8, 115x20x6.5 mm.
Interalp Camp

Angles

↑ Set 356-359: Chouinard Angles

Made in USA [1970s].
½, 1, 1¼, 1½

↑ 356: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
½ in., 70x12 mm.

↑ 357: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
1 in., 100x25 mm.

↑ 358: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
1¼ in., 105x30 mm.

↑ 359: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
1½ in., 105x39 mm.

↑ 345: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [ca. 1959].
1½ in, 100x37 mm.
First generation.

Bong Bongs

↑ 104: Chouinard Bong Bong

Made in USA [1960s].
115x50 mm.
One from Michael Oatney, 2023.

↑ 105: Chouinard Bong Bong

Made in USA [1970s].
120x67 mm.

↑ 106: Chouinard Bong Bong

Made in USA [1970s].
110x85 mm.

↑ 107: Chouinard Bong Bong

Made in USA [1970s].
120x107 mm.

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.