Yvon Chouinard bought a second-hand coal-fired forge in 1957, and started making hardened steel pitons under the Great Pacific Iron Works name. Their success led him to form Chouinard Equipment, Ltd. He partnered with Tom Frost, and they moved their operation to Ventura California in 1967. The Chouinard product line expanded into a wade variety of climbing and related outdoor gear. In 1971-1972, they introduced Hexentrics and Stoppers. Frost left the operation in 1977, and his name was removed from ice axes and other products that had born the CBouinard-Frost name.
In 1989, Chouinard Equipment was facing a liability lawsuit. Chouinard had to separate the liability of Chouinard Equipment from the deep pockets of Patagonia, which he had founded in 1973. Chouinard Equipment filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to protect the firm's assets. The lawsuit ultimately went nowhere. Peter Metcalf, Maria Cranor and former Chouinard Equipment employees purchased the company assets in 1989, formed Black Diamond Equipment Ltd., and moved the firm to Salt Lake City Utah.
 |  |  |
↑ 412: Chouinard Wart Hog
 |  |
↑ Set 190-192: Chouinard Tubular Ice Screws; 4–10 in.
 |  |
↑ 190: Chouinard Tubular Ice Screw; 13 cm.
 |  |  |  |
↑ 367: Chouinard Tubular Ice Screw; 13 cm.
 |  |
↑ 218: Chouinard Tubular Ice Screw; 17 cm.
 |  |
↑ 191: Chouinard Tubular Ice Screw; 22 cm.
 |  |
↑ 192: Chouinard Tubular Ice Screw; 28 cm.
Chouinard's ice screw ratchets make placing and removing Chouinard ice screws easier than using a hammer to turn the screws. The ratchet first came out in 1983. Chounard introduced a redesiged version in 1984. This had a thicker holding collar and more teeth to the ratchet. Chounard discontinued the ratchet in early 1987.
 |  |  |  |
↑ 017: Chouinard Ice Screw Ratchet
 |  |  |  |
↑ 233: Chouinard Ice Screw Ratchet
 |  |  |  |
↑ 245: Chouinard Ice Screw Ratchet