Black Diamond Equipment Hires Tim Bantle to Lead New Apparel Initiative

SALT LAKE CITY, May 9, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Diamond, Inc. (Nasdaq:BDE), a leading provider of outdoor recreation equipment, active lifestyle products, and a leading global climbing and freeride ski brand, announces the hiring of Tim Bantle as Director of Apparel. Bantle comes to Black Diamond with a wealth of technical apparel expertise as the former Business Unit Director – Technical Outerwear and Equipment at Patagonia.

"We are extremely excited to have Tim join our team at Black Diamond," states Peter Metcalf, Black Diamond CEO. "His diverse work experience is built upon passion as an athlete and end-user which gives him exactly the sort of sports intimacy that is essential at BD. He is the ideal candidate to head up our apparel team."

Bantle joins Black Diamond as the next step of his 10-year tour de force in the outdoor industry, serving as an outdoor educator with Trails Wilderness School of Jackson, Wyoming, before starting a 7-year-career at Patagonia, where his career progressed quickly and steadily from Sales Representative to Product Line Manager, and onto Business Unit Director, where he led the team responsible for all technical outerwear.

Graduating Summa Cum Laude from St. Louis University in 2001, Bantle was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received his B.A. in Philosophy. He is a native of the mid-west.

"Black Diamond Equipment is an admired and trusted company with a long commitment to design, innovation and engineering excellence. Applying that same commitment and dedication to apparel will be an outstanding project. I'm excited to be joining BD and its stellar team of passionate professionals at such a promising time for the company," explains Tim Bantle.

About Black Diamond Equipment

Celebrating its 21st Anniversary, Black Diamond Equipment Ltd. is a manufacturer of equipment for climbing, mountain sports, and freeride skiing. By consistently building innovative, standard-setting products and actively preserving the mountain/canyon environment, Black Diamond has assumed a leadership role in the international outdoor community. For more information on Black Diamond visit www.BlackDiamondEquipment.com.

About Black Diamond, Inc.

Black Diamond, Inc. (the "Company") is a leading provider of outdoor recreation equipment and active lifestyle products. The Company's principal brands are Black Diamond® and Gregory®. The Company develops, manufactures and globally distributes a broad range of products including: rock-climbing equipment (such as carabiners, protection devices, harnesses, belay and devices, helmets and ice-climbing gear), technical backpacks and high-end day packs, tents, trekking poles, headlamps and lanterns, gloves and mittens, skis, ski bindings, ski boots, ski skins and avalanche safety equipment. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Company has more than 475 employees worldwide, with ISO 9001 manufacturing facilities both in Salt Lake City and Southeast China as well as a sewing plant in Calexico, California, distribution centers in Utah and Southeast China, a marketing office in Yokohama, Japan, and a fully owned sales, marketing and distribution operation for Europe, located near Basel, Switzerland. For more information about us and our brands, please visit www.blackdiamond-inc.com, www.blackdiamondequipment.com, and www.gregorypacks.com.

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 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.  

CONTACT: Warren B. Kanders
         Executive Chairman
         Tel 203-428-2000
         warren.kanders@bdel.com
         or
         Peter Metcalf
         Chief Executive Officer
         Tel 801-278-5552
         peter.metcalf@bdel.com
         or
         Investor Relations:
         Liolios Group, Inc.
         Scott Liolios or Cody Slach
         Tel 949-574-3860
         BDE@liolios.com

Image: Black Diamond, Inc. Logo

Released May 9, 2011