Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Sustainability Report

The Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z features a thin carbon shaft. Carbon is not as hardwearing as aluminum, as it doesn’t bend and will snap under major stress. The Distance Carbon Z’s folding design is also weaker than a telescoping design. On the plus side, the screw-in tips are replaceable and won’t fall off like a glue-on rubber tip might, and the lack of moving parts means there’s less to maintain mid-hike.

Choosing durable outdoor gear is perhaps the most effective way to reduce environmental impact—the longer it lasts, the less it needs to be produced. Our proprietary longevity rating evaluates overall build quality based on factors such as materials, fabric denier, component durability (including zippers and toggles), real-world performance as reported by our field testers, and our experiences with the brand. Overall, we feel strongly that reducing overall consumption is a cornerstone of sustainability.

The wrist straps on the Distance Carbon Z are made from recycled materials. As of 2025, 50% of Black Diamond trekking poles contain at least 16% recycled content, consisting of 30% recycled aluminum.

Outdoor gear can be made partly or entirely from recycled materials, the most common being nylon, polyester, wool, and down. Some products include a single recycled component or a partially recycled fabric, while others are 100% recycled (generally excluding accessories like zippers, Velcro, toggles, etc.). For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate the amount of recycled materials in a particular product and assign points accordingly.

Black Diamond provides a robust offering of replacement parts for its repairable products, including the Distance Carbon Z.

Providing replacement parts extends a product's lifespan and eliminates the need to purchase a new one. For example, some brands offer replacement lenses for ski goggles, should they become damaged, or provide an extra clip for a trekking pole if it breaks. We scale the points received for this category based on how robust the replacement part offerings are for the product category.

Black Diamond does not appear to work with any third-party factory certifications or audit programs. The company has its own vendor code of conduct, but that alone is not enough to meet our criteria for this category. To meet our responsible manufacturing criteria, we require brands to be part of a third-party program that provides certification and/or annual audits of factories to ensure safe working conditions, fair wages, and a decreased environmental impact.

This criterion evaluates a brand's commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and reducing its environmental impact throughout the production process. Responsible manufacturing is most commonly demonstrated through certifications and membership in programs such as Fair Trade Certified, Fair Wear Foundation, Worldwide Responsible Accreditation of Production, and the Fair Labor Association. We also recognize brands that prioritize local production, such as those that manufacture primarily in the United States or Europe, to reduce carbon emissions, maintain better oversight of working conditions, and comply with strict social and environmental regulations.

Black Diamond uses 35% recycled cardboard for packaging and 100% recycled paper for all apparel hang tags. The company is making efforts to reduce packaging within specific product categories. For example, from 2019 to 2021, packaging for trekking and ski poles decreased by 46%.

Packaging can add significant waste to an outdoor gear purchase and often ends up in landfills. Many brands are using recycled packaging and/or making efforts to reduce packaging altogether. For example, they may use a certain percentage of recycled cardboard or make efforts to use less plastic or paper across their packaging operation. In some cases, brands also use Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, which helps to ensure sustainable sourcing of forest materials.

Black Diamond tracks greenhouse gas emissions using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and has set a goal to reduce its total carbon intensity by 50% by 2030. However, Black Diamond does not publicly share specific details about its company-wide emissions tracking. Its impact report highlights significant reduction efforts at two of its major production facilities through the use of renewable energy and more efficient systems, but it does not provide an overview of the company’s Scope 1, 2, or 3 emissions reductions.

This criterion evaluates whether this brand measures its greenhouse gas emissions, along with its commitment to reduction and transparency in reporting. Typically, we require brands to follow established frameworks such as the Higg Index, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, or The Change Climate Project. Most companies use the widely recognized scope categorization system for measuring brand emissions. Those who earn the most points in this category have emissions reduction goals verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), a global organization that helps companies set greenhouse gas reduction targets in line with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C. To verify their goals through SBTi, companies undergo a rigorous assessment process and continual follow-up to ensure consistent progress towards achieving their targets.

Black Diamond published its first impact report in 2025. The report has a dedicated section on sustainability, which covers information on its preferred material goals, waste reduction, energy efficiency practices, circularity efforts, and more.

An impact report is an important step toward transparency and accountability on the sustainability front. These reports vary in form but generally cover topics such as material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions tracking, waste and water usage, supply chain analysis, and packaging efforts. For our sustainability ratings, we evaluate this criterion based on the depth and quality of the information provided in the report, and how often it is produced. Some brands produce their own impact report, while others are published by their parent company. In practice, we’ve found that reports produced by individual brands include more detailed information about their sustainability efforts.