Since we started talking directly with climbing manufacturers and brands, we’ve been asking them tons of questions. We definitely talk most about the new gear they’re creating, but we always want to know what they’re doing to make gear (and the gear making process) more eco-friendly and sustainable. Years ago, most brands had no answer for us. Now, lots of brands have looked into different aspects of sustainability but aren’t necessarily ready to make changes that affect the final product outcome. It is still extremely rare for climbing companies to publicly announce sustainability goals or to showcase environmentally-conscious products. Really, that type of outspokenness is still considered very progressive behavior in the Outdoor Industry in general (if you want to dive into that more, read this Sustainability article I penned for Climbing Mag earlier this year).
Edelrid has always stood out as an exception when it comes to openly discussing their sustainability efforts. They are the only climbing company we know of that has rigorously audited their sustainability efforts and improvements for over 5 years. They’ve been tracking everything from power and water use to how much gas is burned by their reps when traveling to retailer sites.
We spent over a month with Edelrid earlier in 2017 and we dove deep into questions about sustainability and how that relates to the climbing gear they’re producing. We discussed what are they doing now, where are they going in the future, and what’s holding them back. We filmed some of these conversations and this video starts to cover those answers:
(If you can’t see the embedded video above, use this direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=343BAmuNw5M)
We hope this video inspires you, as it does us. We’d love to continue the conversation and hear your thoughts about the sustainability of climbing gear.
We want to know: What can we, at WeighMyRack, do to help you make more environmentally responsible gear choices? Is there anything you want to know? Are there any messages you’d like us to pass on to the manufacturers and retailers?
Together we have a powerful voice. Let’s shape this industry to reflect our values and move towards an environmentally focused future.
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Alison Dennis
Alison (she/her) runs WeighMyRack from her 17' travel trailer. She is currently touring the US and would love if you contacted her to meet up to talk about climbing, climbing gear, or if you have any fun and/or ridiculous adventure in mind.