The object
Yvon Chouinard forged durable chrome-molybdenum steel pitons and sold them to climbers through Chouinard Equipment, replacing softer iron protection. Patagonia’s company history calls Chouinard Equipment the largest U.S. climbing-hardware supplier by 1970; a 2025 National Geographic profile recounts his early piton forging.
01
What Yvon did
forged and sold durable chrome-molybdenum steel climbing pitons through Chouinard Equipment
02
Why it matters
Chouinard’s pitons became foundational U.S. climbing hardware before the company helped popularize less-damaging clean-climbing protection.
03
Living-status check
National Geographic profiled Chouinard and his work in April 2025.