Brand Drops Pro Climbers for Community Leaders [Video]

Who a brand uses to spread their message and promote their products varies from company to company, but for decades most in the climbing space relied on the best climbers and professional guides. Times have changed, and brands that once relied on cutting-edge climbers are rethinking who they support.

Eddie Bauer is a popular company that was started in 1920 by a Seattle-based climbing guide named Eddie Bauer. For the past 15 years, they had a team of elite climbers and guides. In January, that team, known as Guide Built, was terminated. The team included 11 athletes, of which several are well-known climbers, such as Caroline George, Carla Perez, Paige Claassen and Adrian Ballinger. They were replaced with community leaders, activists, and influencers who work to improve access to the outdoors.

Eddie Bauer released this statement: We have discontinued the Guide Built program and our formal guide-based product development relationships in order to reach a …