Black Diamond Reports Preliminary Record Q3 2011 Sales of $42 Million, Up 24%

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 11, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Diamond, Inc. (Nasdaq:BDE) (the "Company" or "Black Diamond"), a leading provider of outdoor recreation equipment and active lifestyle products, reported preliminary third quarter sales for the period ended September 30, 2011.

While earnings will not be announced until prior to its conference call, Black Diamond expects to report third quarter consolidated sales of approximately $42 million, an increase of 24% compared to $34 million in the third quarter of 2010.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2011, Black Diamond expects to report consolidated sales of approximately $109 million, an increase of 20% compared to pro forma sales of approximately $91 million for the same period in the prior year, which includes the results of Black Diamond Equipment and Gregory Mountain Products prior to their acquisitions by the Company in May 2010.

"Strong global demand for our products, consistent execution in sales and marketing, and the strength of our operational platform drove another outstanding quarter," said Peter Metcalf, president and CEO of Black Diamond. "Looking ahead, we expect our global operational model to provide a strong platform for organic growth as we pursue acquisition strategies designed to advance Black Diamond as one of the world's most respected and leading active outdoor equipment and lifestyle companies."

Management will provide further results in its third quarter earnings press release and conference call, which will be announced at a later date.

About Black Diamond, Inc.

Black Diamond, Inc. is a global leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of innovative active outdoor performance products for climbing, mountaineering, backpacking, skiing and other active outdoor recreation activities for a wide range of year-round use. The Company's principal brands, Black Diamond® and Gregory™, are iconic in the active outdoor industry and linked intrinsically with the modern history of these sports. Black Diamond is synonymous with performance, innovation, durability and safety that the climbing, mountaineering, skiing and backpacking communities rely on and embrace in their active lifestyle. Headquartered in Salt Lake City at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, the Company's products are created and tested on some of the best alpine peaks, crags and trails in the world. These close connections to the Black Diamond lifestyle enhance the authenticity of the Company's brands, inspire product innovation and strengthen customer loyalty. The Company's products are sold by leading specialty retailers in the U.S. and 40 countries around the world. For additional information, please visit the Company's websites at www.blackdiamond-inc.com, www.blackdiamondequipment.com, or www.gregorypacks.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures

The Company reports its financial results in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). This press release contains the non-GAAP measures combined and pro forma sales. The Company believes that presentation of certain non-GAAP measures, such as combined and pro forma sales, provide useful information for the understanding of its ongoing operations and enables investors to focus on period-over-period operating performance, and thereby enhances the user's overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance relative to past performance and provides, to the nearest GAAP measures, a better baseline for modeling future earnings expectations. The Company cautions that non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the Company's reported GAAP results. Additionally, the Company notes that there can be no assurance that the non-GAAP financial measures combined and pro forma sales are comparable to similarly titled financial measures by other publicly traded companies.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks and uncertainties. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, the overall level of consumer spending on our products; general economic conditions and other factors affecting consumer confidence; disruption and volatility in the global capital and credit markets; the financial strength of the Company's customers; the Company's ability to implement its growth strategy; the Company's ability to successfully integrate and grow acquisitions; the Company's ability to maintain the strength and security of its information technology systems; stability of the Company's manufacturing facilities and foreign suppliers; the Company's ability to protect trademarks and other intellectual property rights; fluctuations in the price, availability and quality of raw materials and contracted products; foreign currency fluctuations; our ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards; and legal, regulatory, political and economic risks in international markets. More information on potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results is included from time to time in the Company's public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to the Company as of the date of this release, and speak only as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

CONTACT: Company Contact:
         Warren B. Kanders
         Executive Chairman
         Tel 1-203-428-2000
         warren.kanders@bdel.com

         Peter Metcalf
         Chief Executive Officer
         Tel 1-801-278-5552
         peter.metcalf@bdel.com

         Investor Relations:
         Liolios Group, Inc.
         Scott Liolios or Cody Slach
         Tel 1-949-574-3860
         BDE@liolios.com

Released October 11, 2011