Black Diamond B.D.V. Hoody and Pants

Durability

The Schoeller fabric is also extremely durable. I wore the pants constantly for about fifteen days of desert climbing, the most abrasive and destructive climbing around, and it took scumming my way up an off-width on day fifteen with a phone in my pocket to wear even the smallest hole in the fabric. Suffice it to say I’m impressed.

The face fabric of the B.D.V. hoody and pants was initially somewhat stiff, not unusual for a soft shell, but softened nicely after a few days of use. I would say the B.D.V. is one of the stretchiest soft shells I’ve worn,which I think is a large factor in the durability of the fabric.

Features and Issues

The B.D.V. kit is designed to be minimalist and lightweight for climbing, and as such, does not have an excess of niceties like pit zips, crampon patches, or chest pockets. The pants do not have expandable cuffs to fit over ski boots or grommets on the lower cuff to make gaiters out of shock cord.

(I asked BD about this and they stated future versions of the B.D.V. pants will likely have grommets due to customer and athlete feedback.)

I think the lack of grommets on the current iteration make the B.D.V. pants less suitable for winter pursuits since there is no way to lock the cuffs down over boots and keep snow from filling the boot tops, not to mention that the cuffs are not big enough to fit over ski boots (although they fit easily over a pair of mountaineering boots).

Aside from the cuffs, I was very impressed with the features the pants did have. Two zippered hand pockets, one zippered back pocket, and one velcro thigh pocket held everything I wanted to carry for multi pitch climbs. I was able to fit a camera, some chapstick, and two Clif Bars easily into the pockets which made a backpack unnecessary.

The ladder-lock belt is a low-profile solution to loose pants under a harness or pack. Unlike a traditional belt buckle that can loosen under a load, the ladder-lock buckle uses a series of sewn loops like to a daisy chain, and a plastic hook which does not loosen.

I also really appreciated both the size of the zippers and the double zipper heads on the fly. The zipper pulls on the fly and all the pockets are oversized, making for easy use even with gloves on. The double zippers on the fly also make going to the bathroom easy with a harness on, a crucial feature for long alpine climbs.

The B.D.V. Hoody is, if possible, even more stripped down than the pants. A single chest pocket and half-length zipper are the only real features on the hoody. The chest pocket is plenty large enough to carry a phone or camera and snacks, or a pair of light gloves. The hoody also stuffs into the chest pocket and will easily clip to a harness.

I did experience mild frustration when wearing the jacket unzipped without the hood; without the tension of the zipper, the weight of the hood pulled the zippered opening uncomfortably far back on my chest and shoulders.

The cuffs of the hoody are the only other place where I have a significant gripe with the design. Like most other Black Diamond outerwear layers, the B.D.V. Hoody cuffs have a wide elastic strip across half the cuff, rather than a more common narrow elastic ring around the entire cuff or a velcro closure tab.

I have a love/hate relationship with this design. I think it is excellent when not wearing gloves; the wide elastic feels very soft directly against skin and stays high on my forearms when pulled up. However the cuff is very difficult to put on or off over gloves, making the B.D.V. less suitable for ice climbing than a shell with adjustable velcro cuffs or a simple elastic loop.

Bottom Line

The Black Diamond B.D.V. hoody and pants have quickly become my favorite rock climbing soft shells. I include the caveat of ‘rock climbing’ because I think one of the primary reasons to wear most soft shells is the versatility that typically comes with them. I have worn my Knifeblade jacket ski mountaineering, alpine climbing, ice climbing, and backpacking, and have never felt it lacking. The B.D.V. kit on the other hand, is strictly climbing specific due to its lack of features and lower waterproofing.

If you’re looking for a single soft shell kit to do it all, I’d advise looking into pieces with more versatile features like the Patagonia Kniferidge (replacement for the discontinued Knifeblade) or the NW Alpine Fast/Light. But if you are looking for an excellent climbing specific soft shell, that breathes incredibly well, I highly recommend the B.D.V. kit.