Pierre Allain

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Pierre Allain (1904–2000) was a French climber and inventor who helped shape modern climbing gear. He started climbing in the 1920s and, in the 1930s at Fontainebleau, joined a group called the Bleausards that pushed bouldering beyond basic training for the Alps. Their work produced the Allain Angle (V2–V3) in 1934, and Allain later praised bouldering in his 1949 book Alpinisme et Competition.

In 1935, Allain and Raymond Leininger made the first ascent of the north face of the Petit Dru, using a simple kit: a 7mm hemp rope, six carabiners, no crampons, and only one ice axe. He also designed the first rubber-soled soft shoes for serious rock work in the 1930s, known as PAs, which he wore on sandstone and granite climbs, including the north face of the Aiguille du Dru. These shoes influenced future climbing footwear.

In the 1950s he opened a mountaineering store in Paris and introduced lightweight carabiners made from modern alloys, moving away from heavy steel. He also helped develop rappel devices, down jackets and climbing shoes. The EB brand came from Edmond Bourdonneau, who bought the store in 1950. Today, Allain is often remembered for pioneering bouldering at Fontainebleau.