Pitons: Chouinard

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 1968, during a trip to Italy to participate in the Trento Mountain Film Festival, 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 (and later Black Diamond). This equipment was sold by CAMP with the double marking of the logos CHOUINARD and CAMP and, through 1980, the additionale logo of the INTERALP sales agent. All Chouinard equipment marked "Made in Italy" or "Italy" was manufactured by CAMP.

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.

Offsets

Chouinard produced two concurrent series of offsets: Knifeblades and Bugaboos. I never understood why they needed different names. Their 1965 catalog offered one of each. The number of offerings increased, reaching two Knifeblades and six Bugaboos in their 1972 catalog. This chart is from that catalog:Later catalogs varied the number offered.

Later catalogs varied the number of Bugaboos offered. Sometime between 1981 and 1984, Chouinard increased the standard Knifeblade's thickness from 3/32" to 1/8" (2.4 to 3.2 mm.). It now matched the thick Knifeblade in thickness, making "thick" now mean "longer" when applied to Knifeblades. The other Knifeblade and Bugaboo sizes remained unchanged.

The original Knifeblades and Bugaboos had a single hole. Chouinard added a lightening hole in 1971.

Knifeblades

↑ Set 639, 130: Chouinard Knifeblades; Standard, Thick

Made in USA.
Alloy steel.
Stamped with Chouinard 〈C〉 logo and "U.S.A."

↑ 639: Chouinard Knifeblade; Standard

Made in USA [1970s].
Weight: 37 g.
Overall Length: 75 mm.
Effective size: 35x24x2 mm.
Ground tapered blade with a hole to reduce weight. Clip the offset eye.
Alloy steel.
Stamped with Chouinard 〈C〉 logo and "U.S.A."
The second hole was added in 1971.

↑ 668: Chouinard Knifeblade; Standard

Made in USA [ca. 1984].
Weight: 40 g.
Overall Length: 76 mm.
Effective size: 35x24x3 mm.
Ground tapered blade with a hole to reduce weight. Clip the offset eye.
Alloy steel.
Stamped with Chouinard 〈C〉 logo and "U.S.A."
Sometime between 1981 and 1984, Chouinard increased the standard Knifeblade's thickness from 3/32" to 1/8" (2.4 to 3.2 mm.). It now matched the thick Knifeblade in thickness, making "thick" now mean "longer" when applied to Knifeblades.

↑ 130: Chouinard Knifeblade; Thick

Made in USA [1967–1970].
Weight: 63 g.
Overall Length: 87 mm.
Effective size: 45x23x3.3 mm.
Ground tapered blade.
Alloy steel.
Stamped with Chouinard 〈C〉 logo and "U.S.A."
Donated by Phil Lucas, 2023.

Bugaboos

↑ 669: Chouinard Bugaboo; Short Thin

Made in USA [ca. 1984].
Weight: 4 g.
Overall Length: 87 mm.
Effective size: 45x23x4 mm.
Ground tapered blade with a hole to reduce weight. Clip the offset eye.
Alloy steel.
Stamped with Chouinard 〈C〉 logo and "U.S.A."

↑ 670: Chouinard Bugaboo; Short Thick

Made in USA [ca. 1984].
Weight: 93 g.
Overall Length: 91 mm.
Effective size: 50x23x4.8 mm.
Ground tapered blade with a hole to reduce weight. Clip the offset eye.
Alloy steel.
Stamped with Chouinard 〈C〉 logo and "U.S.A."

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 〈C〉 logo.

↑ 616: Chouinard Angle; ½ in.

Made in USA [1970s].
Weight: 56 g.
Overall Length: 103 mm.
Effective size: 70x12 mm.
Plated Alloy Steel.
Stamped with the Chouinard 〈C〉 logo.

↑ 357: Chouinard Angle

Made in USA [1970s].
1 in., Effective size: 100x25 mm.
Alloy Steel
Stamped with the Chouinard 〈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 〈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 〈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 〈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 〈C〉 logo.
From Mike Gerbman, 2025.

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 〈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 〈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 〈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 〈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 〈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.