I was pleasantly surprised when I saw norda tease their latest collab with Black Diamond on social media. Black Diamond grew out of Chouinard’s passion for technical gear that can enable movement in the mountains. norda was formed as a modern brand with the same passion around technical expertise and movement with a particular bent for trail running.

I had a chance to connect with Dan Rowe, Black Diamond’s Principal Design and Special Projects Design Lead. I asked him some questions about the recent collab and how to intersects with design, iteration, collaboration and movement.

I hope you enjoy.

Black Diamond and norda are two technical- and design-oriented brands in the outdoor space. How did this collab come about?

Joe Grant is the natural link between Black Diamond and norda. As an athlete with both brands and someone who has spent years contributing to Black Diamond’s product process, from working with the design team to putting product through its paces in the mountains, he brought an intimate understanding of both worlds. His connection to norda opened the door, but what made the partnership feel natural was the mutual recognition that both brands approach product with the same level of intention: deeply considered, field-informed, and built for people who move in the mountains.

Given the technical approach of both companies how did your teams riff together on ideas, materials, color selection, etc.?

There was an immediate mutual respect between the two design teams and the way each approaches product, but finding the spirit of the collaboration took time and flowed organically. Both brands share a deep connection to the mountains and a belief in creating products that are purposeful, considered, and without anything superfluous. Joe was an important part of that connection, not only as the link between the brands, but through his approach to the mountains and his respect for the beauty of running in natural places.

By working together, we found a natural crossover between norda’s focus on material innovation and Black Diamond’s history in distance products. The collaboration became about finding the right way to bring those perspectives together and create something true to both brands.

What surprised you the most working with the norda team?

We were really inspired by norda’s approach to materials and saw an opportunity to bring that thinking into some products we had already been working on and testing for some time. The collaboration gave us a chance to really hone in on those products, with the BD and norda teams, along with Joe, working closely through materials, construction, and details. It became a true product development process, with both teams bringing their experience and perspectives to refine the product and make sure every element had a purpose.

How long was the process of bringing this collab to life? How did you iterate on ideas together?

Joe was a driving force in developing and testing the Black Diamond Distance 15L pack when it originally launched, and some of the norda team were already familiar with the pack. Joe had also been using a prototype Distance 15L made from Challenge Ultra, an ultralight and highly durable material, for more than a year. That became a natural starting point for the collaboration. With norda’s focus on material innovation and Joe’s experience in ultradistance running, we saw an opportunity to take a product both teams already understood and push it further, reducing weight without giving up durability.

Joe also brought the Distance Carbon Z FKT trekking pole into the conversation. Both products reflect Black Diamond’s focus on weight, function, and durability for long days in the mountains. As designers, we are always exploring materials, processes, and details that do not always find their way into regular inline products. This collaboration gave us a chance to bring some of those ideas to life, including the custom laser etching on the FKT poles that is unique to this collaboration.

I also really love the Mini Mission Duffel. BD designer Derick Noffsinger designed our large Mission Duffels with a very thoughtful construction that uses the full cuttable width of the material yardage, helping reduce waste. We took that same construction philosophy and applied it to Challenge Ultra 400X, a material that is both extremely durable and lightweight, to create a versatile 30L duffel. I have been using the prototypes since we started working on it and genuinely love the result. It is one of those products where the material, construction, and function all come together in a really simple way.

What things did your team learn that you are going to carry forward into your own products?

At Black Diamond we see an opportunity to build better products for mountain athletes through this partnership, and that takes time. Rather than treating this as a one-off collaboration, this is an ongoing relationship where we can continue to learn from each other, explore new materials and construction, and develop products together.

I received samples of the Distance 15L pack and and the Distance Carbon Z FKT poles from Black Diamond and I’m quietly impressed by the craft, quality, and execution on both items. The pack uses high-performance Challenge Sailcloth in an understated colorway. The carbon poles have clever technology that makes them compact, quick to assemble, and highly performant.

It’s exciting when two technical and design-conscious brands come together to make something highly functional and beautiful.

If this kind of thing is your jam, then look no further: shop the Black Diamond × norda collection.

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