A controversial image of Chris Sharma in prAna’s spring 2019 catalog ignited outrage among the caving community. But it also helped bring an important issue into the mainstream.
Update: Following this story, prAna removed the image of Chris Sharma from its catalog and replaced it with a message from its president, Russ Hopcus. View it here.
On page 52 of prAna’s spring product catalog is a photo of brand ambassador Chris Sharma wearing flip-flops while wrapped around a large cave structure in Mallorca, Spain. And the caption seems to poke fun at the situation:
“Sure, prAna ambassador @chris_sharma could map new routes with his eyes closed. But can he do it in the dark, in a cave, in flip-flops? Spoiler alert: Yes, he can.”
Unfortunately, the structure he wrapped himself around is a stalactite. This cave feature that takes hundreds or thousands of years to form and is so sensitive that its surface reacts with the oil on our fingers. The brand has since removed the image and replaced it with an image from prAna president, Russ Hopcus.
This may not be obvious to the common prAna customer. But cave stewards immediately took to social media to voice concern that the image may inspire irresponsible and destructive behavior in these delicate places. The backlash was swift, and prAna promptly responded to address the seriousness of the issue.
Here’s what you need to know.
Chris Sharma Caving in Flip-Flops
After the catalog went live, the controversial image quickly found its way to the Facebook group Crappy Caving. Members immediately castigated the company and athlete.