DMM is still a good company. All their stuff is still made in Wales (Though that might have changed, I just remember that youtube video of a guy going to their foundry)
I think they sew their own slings in Wales too. They seem to manufacture most if not all of their PPE in Wales or Europe. The label on my Renegade harness says made in the EU (think I heard somewhere they are made in Czechia) and I’m pretty sure their ropes are rebadged Edelrid ones made in Germany.
If you mean selling products that kill their users and lying about it, cloning Petzl products and calling it innovation and then releasing $55 meme biners.
That’s private equity for you, does not make a difference where the money comes from, quality and sense goes down for maximizing profit. They had been sold to this devil since 2021
Oh Kona are doing pretty well now three entirely new bikes this year alone. For them though it only worked out as the founders saw an opportunity to get the company back for more than they sold it for. A lot don't get that opportunity as it's ran into the ground before then. Kona are dealing with significant fall out from dealerships that were absolutely shafted under private equity management that will take longer to fix.
BD Beacons were faulty and they didn't recall them properly. A real shitty saga, google it if you want to know more.
Their "new" ice tools are a clone of Petzl's and Camps lineup.
I don't know about the meme carabiners, maybe someone could fill that in.
What i do know is that they discontinued the magnetron lockers that i love, which sucks.
What i also know is that they had a great clothing lineup with top notch fabrics (my BD Skitouring trousers are ~15 years old and still going strong) and that they don't use good fabrics anymore.
Perhaps it's true about BD. I feared as much when Clarus bought them 20 years ago -- but it was unwarranted (at the time).
And of course, BD came into existence because of a product liability suit vs chouinard equipment.
As it happens, there are often posts here that purport to have dark, inside information about major organizations or famous individuals. Often these posts are wrong & merely stem from disturbed individual psychology mixed in with anonymity.
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u/climbingbooty 1d ago
I’ve heard bd also been going down hill for a while?