Black Diamond’s Entry Into a Red-Hot Footwear Category May Be the Best-Looking Yet

The legendary outdoor brand is the latest to drop approach shoes that can just as easily hike up to a 7/11 as to a 5.10.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published June 13, 2025

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Updated June 14, 2025

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I can think of very few fields that see their products get borrowed and repurposed more than the outdoor industry does.

From glacier glasses to insulated jackets, gorpcore pops up in urban settings all the time, which makes sense in a way.

black diamond technician pro full — From tip to tail, the Technician Pro is fully qualified for aggressive approaches and near-vertical scrambles.

Not only does this stuff tend to look great, but it is also overqualified on a technical level, meaning it can tackle literally anything a city can throw at you.

That quality certainly explains the somewhat recent trend of approach shoes — designed to hike up to outdoor features you plan to climb — having an asphalt moment.

Just as not everyone wearing The North Face’s Himalayan Parka is attempting a first ascent, this shoe is equally equipped for the concrete jungle.

The latest brand to take a crack at the genre — on purpose or not — is Black Diamond.

The new Technician Pro looks like the perfect candidate to crush both areas, or just one or the other, depending upon your proclivities.

Backcountry beast

From a technical standpoint, the Tech Pro is pretty loaded.

It boasts a smooth suede upper with ergonomic “running-inspired internal constructions” plus a dual-density hybrid midsole and an engineered thermoplastic polyurethane plate.

black diamond technician pro reverse — The suede upper is stylish but rugged, while the laminated mesh and microfiber suede tongue keep things comfy.

There’s also a hybrid super foam heel with 5mm drop, a refined toe box and a Vibram Mega Grip outsole.

All of that adds up to a shoe that is comfortable and capable of crushing traditional trails but also equipped for closer to serious scrambling, with enough grip for precise edging and smearing on near-vertical terrain.

black diamond technician pro bottom — This beefy Vibram Mega Grip outsole is engineered to provide terrific traction just about anywhere.

In other words, for less aggressive days, you can actually head out with just the shoes on your feet, without needing to throw a pair of actual climbing shoes in your pack.

City kicker

Of course, just as not everyone wearing The North Face’s Himalayan Parka is attempting a first ascent, this shoe is equally equipped for the concrete jungle.

That tough upper and burly outsole are perfect good for a full day of city strolling — maybe even with a little parkour thrown in for good measure.

Not only will they remain super comfortable, they’re much more durable than your average sneaker, meaning they’ll stand up to months of sidewalk abuse.

Meanwhile, the styling jibes with everything from shorts to jeans to technical pants, while sending a message to any clued-in observers: I may not be scrambling up a mountainside, but I totally could be if I wanted to.

Availability and pricing

The Black Diamond Technician Pro is available now for both women and men for $200.

Black Diamond Technician Pro

$200 at Black Diamond

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.