GEAR:30

Luke Koppa, Kara Williard, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about our upcoming test, where we’ll be mounting up more than 20 pairs of the same ski with more than 20 different alpine bindings in the attempt to find out what really separates the most popular alpine (and 50/50) bindings from one another.TOPICS & TIMES:Teasers (0:30)Our Reference Ski: K2 Mindbender 99Ti  (5:30)The Binding Lineup (10:01)More info for Blister Members (25:29)Tangent: Animal Encounters (27:34)What We’re Celebrating (31:19)RELATED LINKS:Our Blister Summit Panel on Ski Binding DesignBlister LabsSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few years ago, Kitsbow undertook an incredibly ambitious plan to move to Old Fort, North Carolina, and bring all of their apparel production to the United States, after years of working with overseas factories. In doing so, they not only found a way to adapt to today’s challenging supply chain logistics, but they also trained an entirely new workforce and spearheaded the revitalization of their new hometown, which had been losing manufacturing jobs for decades. So we talked with their CEO, David Billstrom, about how they did that while weathering a global pandemic; how doing so has been a boon to the brand, their customers, and their local community; and how they hope to be a blueprint for other companies to do the same.TOPICS & TIMES:Covid shields and facemasks (4:57)Moving to North Fort, NC (10:34)The Toyota Way (25:15)Domestic manufacturing & efficiency (31:53)Revitalizing a community (38:05)Employee purchase as a Public Benefit Corporation (52:54)David’s Big Idea (1:00:28)What We’re Celebrating (1:02:20)RELATED LINKS:Ep. 20: How the Outdoor Industry is Helping Fight CovidBlister LabsGear Giveaway / Newsletter SignupBecome a Blister Member / Get our new Buyer’s GuideBlister Mountain Bike Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Naked Sports Innovations’ president and co-founder, Lindsay Dakota, about how the concept of “simplexity” drives Naked’s design process; growing a small brand sustainably; the future of footwear; and how ski racing influenced the design of their new trail shoe.TOPICS & TIMES:The Naked Sports’ Running Band (8:01)Simplexity (11:13)Fit (17:26)Sustainability (19:42)Expanding Naked’s product line (23:40)What is a “cooling face fabric?” (25:04)Working with Vibram (27:48)The Naked T/r Trail Racing Shoe (29:19)How ski racing influenced this shoe (31:57)Small brands & the state of trail running (48:41)What We’re Celebrating (52:01)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Off The Couch podcastBlister PodcastBikes & Big Ideas podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blister reviewer, Drew Kelly — the man with the best turn in Crested Butte — is in the hot seat today, and in this insanely wide-ranging conversation, we talk about choss monsters, cave trolls, geek beaks, Drew’s dating profile, birding, Sweet Nasty, the universe, gear preferences, and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Meet Drew Kelly (2:52)Growing up in New England (4:38)Music, Writing, & Film (12:52)College (14:02)Moving through mountains (17:56)Birding & Dating Profiles (20:35)Ski Gear Preferences (27:36)Backcountry Touring Gear (36:00)Duke PT vs. ATK Freeraider (39:52)Packing for the backcountry (42:37)Choss Monstering (45:02)Favorite Blister Reviewer? (53:25)Favorite Skier & Favorite Runner (55:19)Stupidest thing you've ever done? (1:00:26)What are you better at than Sam Shaheen? (1:02:03)Gear you’re most & least picky about? (1:03:44)Favorite Books, Movies, & Music (1:08:25)Random Review (1:21:16)Best question I haven't asked you? (1:24:09)What We’re Celebrating (1:29:39)RELATED LINKS:Secure Your Spot at the Blister Summit ‘23Subscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Blister Labs update, we sit down with Greg Vanderbeek to talk about how he chose his grad school based on proximity to climbing; starting a custom motorcycle business; what we’re currently working on with respect to mountain bikes at Blister Labs; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Figuring out Greg’s Title (3:49)School & Custom Motorcycles (7:03)Climbing & Mountain Biking (17:25)Skiing (22:37)Blister Labs update (26:00)Why Wheelsets? (33:01)Lab Testing + In-Field Testing (36:30)What We’re Celebrating (46:20)RELATED LINKS:Blister Summit 2023More about Blister LabsVideo: Blister Labs Panel, Blister SummitGEAR:30: Blister Labs with Jeni BlacklockGEAR:30: Blister Labs with Sean HumbertSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke and Jonathan discuss Jonathan’s travels across France & Italy; his visits to the Lange factory and ATK bindings factory; provide updates on our Mtn Bike Buyer’s Guide and Winter Buyer’s Guide; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Italian vs. French Food (2:18)Update: Our Winter Buyer’s Guide (15:20)Update: Our Mtn Bike Buyer’s Guide (22:01)Lange factory & ATK factory (24:51)What We're Celebrating (33:19)RELATED LINKS: ATK Bindings, Pt 1ATK Bindings, Pt 2Rossignol’s Recyclable SkiSki Testing & Ski DevelopmentBlister LabsVideos from our Blister Summit 2022Subscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Few people spend as many days as we do testing skis on snow. But Rossignol’s AJ Kruajitch definitely does. So Jonathan Ellsworth spent a day at Les Deux Alpes going through AJ’s testing process, then talking with him and Jake Stevens about the similarities and differences in our approaches.TOPICS & TIMES:Introducing Jake & AJ (2:51)Brand development since 1907 (17:13)The testing process: similarities & differences (20:17)“Band of Tasters” (40:10)Accounting for different tastes (48:05)What We’re Celebrating (56:10)RELATED LINKS:Blister LabsVideos from our Blister Summit 2022Subscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A recyclable ski? Jonathan sat down with David Bouvier to talk about Rossignol’s new “Essential” ski; discuss the origin of the project; the challenges posed by making the circular economy of a ski a priority; who this Essential ski is for; and how this project will influence other Rossignol products.TOPICS & TIMES:David’s role(s) at Rossignol (2:52)Rossignol’s history (4:04)The “Essential” ski (7:01)Stats on ski waste and landfills (11:17)David’s product-development history (14:15)More details on Essential (22:26)Biggest challenges (28:24)The 7 materials (39:06)A new way forward (47:36)When & where will the ski be available? (48:42)RELATED LINKS:Blister LabsVideos from our Blister Summit 2022Subscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two of our conversation with ATK CEO (and one of ATK’s chief product testers), Davide Indulti, we discuss ATK’s current binding lineup; the design differences between their four collections: Race, Speed Touring, Touring, & Free Touring; how Davide thinks ATK bindings stack up against the competition; some new products that are in the works; and more.TOPICS & TIMESOverview: ATK’s 4 binding categories (1:33)ATK Kuluar binding (5:14)Kuluar vs. RT & Crest bindings (10:11)ATK Raider 12 (12:34)Testing products 80-90 days per winter (15:22)Brakes Placement: Front vs. Rear (19:30)ATK Raider 12 cont.  (23:10)ATK Freeraider bindings (31:14)Downhill performance differences (35:47)Sneak Peeks (42:39)Releasability (50:45)ATK vs. Salomon & Marker bindings (56:46)What We’re Celebrating (1:00:57)RELATED LINKS:ATK Bindings, Part 1Blister LabsVideos from our Blister Summit 2022Subscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Italian company, ATK Bindings, has been taking the tech-binding world by storm. And in this first podcast that the brand has ever done, we talk with ATK CEO (and son of ATK’s founder), Davide Indulti, about the surprising origins of this family business; a pivotal moment in ATK’s history; where ATK saw the biggest opportunities to improve tech bindings; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:ATK, Ferrari, & the family business (2:18)Decisive moment in ATK’s history (15:02)Room to improve tech bindings? (22:00)2010 RT binding (33:49)“Performing through lightness” (36:55)What We’re Celebrating (49:28)RELATED LINKS:Blister LabsVideos from our Blister Summit 2022Subscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Blister Labs update, Sean Humbert joins us to talk about the movie Real Genius; flies; ski testing and dynamic modeling; math and slarving; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Growing up in Tahoe (4:46)Sean’s engineering background (8:27)From flies to robotics (24:55)Blister Labs (29:32) Ski testing & dynamic modeling (35:38)Edge angles, load cases, & stability (50:02)RELATED LINKS:Blister LabsVideos from our Blister Summit 2022Subscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, in another edition of our Reviewer Reports series, we’ve got a wide-ranging conversation with Kristin Sinnott, Dylan Wood, Kara Williard, Drew Kelly, and Luke Koppa, where we cover everything from the setups Drew used while touring for several weeks in Alaska this spring, to a whole bunch of skis that all of us have been using this spring — in both the backcountry and the resort. We also touch on some new outerwear, get an update from Kara on some heated socks, and discuss some unique gear and tricks Kristin’s been using to ski with her son.TOPICS & TIMES:Drew’s AK Ski & Boot Setups (4:31)Tecnica Zero G Tour Scout W (7:35)Faction Mana 2 & Mana 3 (13:51)Trail Magik Kid Carrier & Jelly Bean Bribes (20:10)Plum Pika and Blizzard Hustle 10 (25:14)K2 Mindbenders (27:30)Salomon S/Lab MTN Summit + ZipFit GFT Liner (36:18) Strafe Lynx Pullover & Willow Half-Bib (39:03)Heated Socks & Gloves (42:59)RELATED LINKS:Videos from our Blister Summit 2022Blister LabsSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with Spark R&D founder, Will Ritter, about the current happenings at Spark; compare the splitboarding and backcountry skiing communities and gear trends; go over design highlights from their current lineup; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Bozeman backcountry conditions (3:54)Spark R&D: Background (5:52)Spark’s new building (7:35)Current supply chain & shipping logistics (13:00)Splitboarding State of the Union (19:40)Ski Touring Gear vs. Splitboarding Gear (23:36)Touring gear that never sees the backcountry (28:45)Weight preferences & the “gram race” (32:38)Spark R&D’s latest product developments (35:41)Biggest improvements across the industry? (40:58)What We're Celebrating (52:00)RELATED LINKS:Videos from our Blister Summit 2022Blister LabsSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideGEAR:30 Ep. 27 w/ Spark R&DGEAR:30 Ep. 28 w/ Spark R&DCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with DPS’s VP of product and operations about the recent history of DPS; discuss some of the specific skis in their lineup; hear a defense of carbon fiber; define a new rule for product design; clarify DPS Phantom; & more.TOPICS & TIMES:Thomas’ engineering & product background (5:06)DPS: state of the union (11:55)Carbon fiber (19:18)22/23 DPS skis (23:54)Embarrassment & Design Principles (35:01)Phantom (40:04)Blister Labs (50:35)What We’re Celebrating (52:50)RELATED LINKS:Videos from our Blister Summit 2022Blister LabsSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with Rachel and Drew Harding from The Spokane Alpine Haus about the highlights and challenges of this past season; skiing with kids; heated socks; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Recap of the season (2:59)Family ski dynamics (8:16)“I’m sorry…” (17:04)Layering (27:12)Heated socks? (33:25)What We're Celebrating (47:22)RELATED LINKS:Blister Summit Panel SessionsSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideGEAR:30 ep. 160: The Spokane Alpine HausCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan talks about our most recent Blister Summit panel sessions; our upcoming Blister ‘Brand Lineup’ videos; an event this weekend; what we’re celebrating; & more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Summit Panel SessionsSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideWatch: Spirit of the PeaksCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke and Jonathan discuss new skis, ski boots, liners, and apparel from Faction, Salomon, ZipFit, Dynastar, Renoun, Majesty, Strafe, Lange, and more. Plus gas-station food and owls.TOPICS & TIMES:New Ski / Prototype (5:41)Gas-Station Food (10:31)192cm & 182cm Dynastar M-Free 108 (20:19)Majesty Skis Dirty Bear XL (24:09)Renoun Endurance 98 vs. 88 (27:36)Faction La Machine Mega, Mana 2 & 3, Dancer 2 & 3 (31:26)Clarification: Lange RS vs Lange RX (36:00)ZipFit GFT touring liner (39:08)Salomon S/Lab MTN Summit (43:43)Apparel: Strafe Recon Kit, Strafe Nomad, & Flylow Knight Anorak (48:11)What We’re Celebrating (53:05)RELATED LINKS:Episode Sponsor: Bentgate MountaineeringBlister ‘Crash Course’ Video: SnowbladingBlister Summit Panel SessionsSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with Bode Miller about his new company, Peak Skis and their new “Keyhole Technology”; revolutionizing ski manufacturing; his vision for Scarpa ski boots; his take on the Winter Olympics; and a whole lot more.TOPICS & TIMES:Bode on the Winter Olympics (3:30)Peak Skis (10:07)Peak skis line up: 6 models (14:40)“Keyhole Technology” (18:23)Scarpa ski boots partnership (30:45)Crystal Ball: Peak Skis in 10 years? (39:25)Alpine-X (48:58)More on Peak Skis (59:51)What We’re Celebrating (1:05:44)RELATED LINKS:Episode Sponsor: mountainFLOWGEAR:30, ep 163: Bode on Ski Design, Boots, & OpticsBlister Podcast, ep 154: Bode on Education, Mental Prep, & TechnologyBlister Summit Panel SessionsSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re talking new gear and gear trends with Lucas Evans and Jeff Perry of Gear West, our Blister Recommended Shop in Long Lake, Minnesota.TOPICS & TIMES:Shop overview & Lucas & Jeff’s backgrounds (2:30)Consumer interest this season? (8:42)Splitboarding performance vs solids (10:46)Uphill skiing (15:12)Nidecker’s new binding (21:58)Skis, ski boots & flex patterns (25:05)Unisex vs. women’s specific skis (38:30)RELATED LINKS:Our previous Gear West GEAR:30 podcastBlister Summit Panel SessionsSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideOUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Ellsworth was in the Cascade mountains of Washington this week with K2 skier, McKenna Peterson, and K2 ski designer, Jed Yeiser, and after a great day of skiing, we sat down to talk about ski developing and prototyping; ski testing; our ski-binding shootout; biathlons; flip flips; & books.TOPICS & TIMES:Skiing the Cascades (6:05)Arc — K2's R&D Center (9:42)Testing conditions / the snow (20:50)K2 Dispatch 120 (29:39)The testing process (31:29)Our alpine ski binding shootout (38:40)Flip flops (50:14)Biathlon (54:35)Books & WiFi passwords (59:30)What We’re Celebrating (1:06:28)RELATED LINKS:Episode Sponsor: mountainFLOW Eco WaxEpisode Sponsor: Powder Hound, AKStuff We Like (March 2022)Blister Summit Panel: Ski Binding DesignSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideOUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff the Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kristin Sinnott, Kara Williard, and Sascha Anastas talk about some of their highlights from the Blister Summit and discuss a bunch of the gear they spent time on from Fischer, Salomon, Dynastar, Renoun, Rossignol, and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Summit Recap & Highlights (3:33)Panel Sessions (10:49)Advice from pros (13:52)The gear demos + discussion with participants (14:47)Skis: Fischer Ranger series (22:27)Salomon Stella 106 (24:42)Dynastar E-Pro 99 Women’s (26:57)Renoun Endurance 98 (28:26)Rossignol Sender 104 TI (29:42)Differences in skis & what was available (31:14)Boots, apparel, & backcountry skiing (33:24)What We’re Celebrating (40:40)RELATED LINKS:Subscribe to our Weekly Gear Giveaway / NewsletterBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideEp. 186: Luke & Jonathan on 12 New Skis from the Blister SummitCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTSBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cody and Jonathan review some news, then talk about 5 gear myths; cookware; coffeemakers; & more.TOPICS & TIMES:Diversity, Fairness, & the Olympics (10:10)Equal Pay: USA Soccer (17:36)Gear Myths Myth 1: Stiff boots (20:36)Myth 2: Light gear (or heavy gear) is always better (30:51)Myth 3: You need 100% waterproof apparel (41:41)Interlude: Cookware (49:50)Myth 4: High DIN settings (57:13)Myth 5: Less-advanced skiers are fine skiing anything (1:04:53)What We’re Celebrating (1:11:51)What We’re Reading & Watching (1:13:52)Moccamaster vs. Jura (1:23:45)RELATED LINKS:Episode Sponsor: Willi’s Ski ShopsSubscribe to our Weekly Gear Giveaway / NewsletterBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideBlister Podcast: Benj Alexander’s Bid to Become Jamaica’s 1st Olympic Alpine Ski RacerCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTSBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth give a quick recap of the Blister Summit, then discuss a dozen of the skis we spent time on at the event.TOPICS & TIMES:Blister Summit (3:20)New (pink) Flylow gear (9:32)Kastle ZX115 (11:21)Moment Wildcat 116 (14:01)Fischer Ranger 102 & 108 (16:19)Wagner 109 & Will’s custom 105 (20:49)Line Blade Optic 114 (27:31)Icelantic Saba Pro 117 (30:04)K2 Dispatch 120 (33:11)K2 Dispatch 110 (35:11)Rossignol Sender 104 Ti vs 106 Ti (37:15)What We’re Celebrating (42:19)RELATED LINKSEpisode Sponsor: Vertical PlaygroundOur GEAR:30 episode with VPGSubscribe to our Weekly Gear Giveaway / NewsletterBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTSBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re giving you an update on the topics we’ll be discussing at our upcoming Blister Summit, and telling you who the athletes, founders, product designers, and snow safety experts are that we’ll be discussing these things with. Then, in case you missed it, we’re reposting one of our favorite conversations we’ve ever had on product design in innovation, which ran previously on our Off The Couch podcast. It’s a must-listen for anyone interested in design and innovation.TOPICS & TIMES:Summit A, Feb 21st (0:40)How We Review Gear (2:48)Ski Bindings (3:15)Athlete Panel (4:51)Ski Design (5:28)Blister Labs (8:10)AUA: Ask Us Anything (9:37)Summit B, Feb 25th (10:09)How We Review Gear (10:10)Ski Boot Design (10:45)Backcountry Safety & Safety Eqpt. (12:11)Athlete Panel (14:31)Women in the Ski Industry (16:52)Product Design & Innovation (19:33)What is Speedland? (24:27)Nike Basketball (26:32)Kevin Fallon’s background (29:09)Dave Dombrow’s background (32:51)How did you get jobs at Nike, Under Armour? (36:04)Why do brands fail at moving into other product categories? (48:24)Starting Speedland (53:56)Trail shoe design (58:57)Incorporating dual BOA dials (1:08:45)Pricing & Value (1:13:59)Removable carbon plate (1:18:02)1st shoe: SL:PDX (1:19:56)Speedland’s ‘Give Back’ program (1:26:07)Optimizing for specific environments (1:27:37)Price & Hyper Performance (1:29:28)runspeedland.com (1:33:26)RELATED LINKSDrew Petersen’s film, Ups + DownsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Weekly Gear Giveaway / NewsletterBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTSBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kara Williard spells out the case for custom insoles in your ski boots, and discusses the Blizzard Black Pearl, Volkl Secret 96, & Salomon Stance 88W. Eric Freson talks about his trip to Canada and the WNDR Alpine Reason 120, 4FRNT Renegade, the Lange RX 130 LV, and the Salomon Shift Pro 130. And Luke Koppa talks about the new Line Blade Optic 96, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, and Moment Deathwish 104.TOPICS & TIMES:Update: Blister Summit (0:00)Custom Insoles (6:34)WNDR Alpine Reason 120 & 4FRNT Renegade (22:53)Shampoo update from Luke (30:13)Line Blade Optic 96 (31:23)Blizzard Black Pearl 97, Volkl Secret 96, Salomon Stance 88W (36:20)Lange RX 130 LV (39:39)Moment Deathwish 104 (46:10)Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95 (49:40)Salomon Shift Pro 130 (53:02)What We’re Celebrating (59:20)RELATED LINKS:Episode Sponsor: Backcountry EssentialsEpisode Sponsor: mountainFLOW.comBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Weekly Gear Giveaway / NewsletterBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTSBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How should a ski boot actually fit? What does it feel like to have a “properly fitting” ski boot? And how do you achieve that? We’re discussing these questions and topics with Sebastian Steinbach, who is a boot fitting instructor in Europe for Masterfit University, and the owner of the freeride ski shop, Black Sheep Sports, in Munich, Germany.TOPICS & TIMES:Blister Summit update (2:56)Sebastian’s boot-fitting background (5:37)Biggest Mistake When Buying Ski Boots (12:56)Shell fit (16:37)Alpine ski boots & running shoes (19:17)Your instep (29:33)Does "performance fit" always mean "tighter"? (35:29)Pressure vs Pain (47:05)Aftermarket liners & custom insoles (1:03:45)What We’re Celebrating (1:11:49)RELATED LINKS:Episode Sponsor: mountainFLOW eco-waxBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideOUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister PodcastOff The CouchBikes & Big Ideas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss a ton of next season’s new products, and some of the most intriguing product categories. TOPICS & TIMES:Lightweight Boots (3:30)Supercapacitor airbags (24:56)Volkl (32:25)Dalbello (39:17)Salomon (41:21)Blister Summit (43:58)Line (45:07)Atomic (48:51)K2 (53:09)Scarpa (56:55)Dynafit (59:17)Faction: from Dictator to Dancer (1:01:03)What We're Celebrating (1:01:49)RELATED LINKS:Episode Sponsor: Bentgate MountaineeringBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We were recently in Sun Valley, Idaho, hanging out at Sturtevants, one of our Blister Recommended Shops, and talking with Sturtevants owner, Olin Glenne about Rotarun Ski Area (which could serve as a blueprint for local ski hills in other places); Olin’s lifelong love of skiing; the skiing in and around Sun Valley, and some of his favorite gear.TOPICS & TIMES:Intro & powder skiing (4:30)Rotarun Ski Area (10:00)Sun Valley & coaching McKenna Peterson (14:30)Skiing & DJ’ing (18:11)Surtevants’ operation (28:55)Mountain biking around Sun Valley (33:00)Ski gear (36:20)Ski boots (50:40)What We’re Celebrating (1:06:05)RELATED LINKS:Episode Sponsor: mountainFLOW Eco WaxIntroducing: Blister LabsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are excited to introduce you to a very big new initiative at Blister: Blister Labs. Blister Labs is a new partnership between Blister, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the brand-new, state-of-the-art engineering facility at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado. Joining me to talk about why we believe that Blister Labs represents a significant new development in the outdoor industry is Dr. Jeni Blacklock, who is the director of the Rady Partnership Program between CU Boulder and Western Colorado University.TOPICS & TIMES:What is Blister Labs? (2:17)The Rady Engineering Facility at Western (6:21)CU Boulder’s involvement (8:04)New standards? (11:29)Key faculty: Greg Vanderbeek & Sean Humbert (14:16)Jeni’s current position & background (22:38)Working at a bike shop and the NIST (31:37)Some of Jeni’s recent work (41:05)Blister Labs & the new “Outdoor Industry Engineering” program (43:23)RELATED LINKS:Video: Blister LabsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Ellsworth and Blister Summit director, Kristin Sinnott, discuss the ins and outs of our upcoming Blister Summit; why we’re including free professionally guided backcountry tours; which brands will be there; when to arrive & where to stay; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:What is the Blister Summit? (1:15)Logistics & guided backcountry tours (5:15)When to arrive / more logistics (8:51)Mt Crested Butte (11:45)Where to stay (12:41)Brands that will be there (14:57)Protocols for Covid (18:12)What we’re most excited about (21:22)Come meet pro athletes & Blister reviewers (26:56)RELATED LINKS:Blister Summit: What, Where, WhenBlister Summit Registration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Manser, Atomic’s ski boots product manager, is back to discuss Jonathan’s trip; Matt’s Jura coffee maker; our scotch & rye whiskey tasting sessions; skiing Zauchensee and Kitzsteinhorn on the Atomic Redster G9 RS, X9 S, and X9 WB; ski boot terms (and unconditional love); and some modifications we made to Jonathan’s ski boots — which you might want to consider for your own.TOPICS & TIMES:Jura coffee (6:09)Scotch & Rye Whiskey (8:26)Trip Report: Austria (18:27)Skiing the Atomic Redster G9 RS, X9 S, X9 WB (26:03)Johnny Dapp (32:33) Atomic’s factory (35:29)Ski boot terms (40:11)Modifications to Jonathan’s Redster CS ski boots (48:35)What We’re Celebrating (1:06:06)RELATED LINKS:Episode sponsor: mountainFLOWAll of the previous GEAR:30 episodes with Matt ManserBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, about what’s been going on at ON3P, and we walk through the brand’s 22/23 lineup of skis.TOPICS & TIMES:Overview of the past year + Scott’s brother (3:45)Supply chain issues & materials (11:21)Custom skis & unisex branding (19:29)Top sheets (26:25)#blameandrus (28:25)Ski Lineup:Park Skis (35:18)Magnus and 1000 Skis (39:27)Jeffrey 110 & 102 (46:11)Woodsman 102 & 110 (50:35)Billy Goat 110 & 118 (57:10)Touring skis (1:04:08)Wrenegade 102 & 110 (1:10:16)What We’re Celebrating (1:14:09)RELATED LINKS:Episode Sponsor: Blacksheep SportsGEAR:30 episode: Shop Talk: Blacksheep SportsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Forward and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the backcountry gear Paul’s been testing around Girdwood, Alaska, including skis from Moonlight and Movement; bindings from Moment and Dynafit; skins from G3 and Pomoca; and Scarpa boots. We also discuss current trends (fads?) in ski poles, and the underrated value of a good snow saw.TOPICS & TIMES:Deep Pow & Fast GroomersSKIS:Moonlight Cruiser (6:15)Movement Alp Tracks 106 (12:26)BINDINGS:Moment Voyager XIV (13:40)Dynafit Superlite 150 (20:12)CLIMBING SKINS: G3 Minimist vs Pomoca (29:54)Ski Poles: Trends & Fads? (35:14)Snow Saws (47:34)BOOTS: Scarpa F1LT & Alien RS (50:53)What We’re Celebrating (58:26)RELATED LINKS:Episode Sponsor: mountainFLOWEpisode Sponsor: PowderHoundGEAR:30 episode: mountainFLOWGEAR:30 episode: Shop Talk: PowderHoundBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MountainFLOW is disrupting the ski and snowboard industries by producing high-performing products that are also biodegradable and more sustainable than the conventional products in their categories. So we talked with founder, Peter Arlein, about the environmental impacts of ski wax; his appearance on Shark Tank; the upcoming ban on fluorocarbon waxes at the highest levels of ski racing; and Peter reveals mountainFLOW’s brand-new product, which we think is going to have another significant impact on the ski industry.TOPICS & TIMES:Background of mountainFlow (3:39)Wax & its environmental consequences (10:13)Going on Shark Tank (14:43)Ski wax misconceptions (19:56) ‘Deck of cards’ analogy (21:53) More interest from backcountry or resort riders? (23:57)Ban on fluorocarbons (25:42)Ceramic Nano Technology (27:15)New Product Reveal (30:47)MountainFLOW bike chain lube (36:15)What We’re Celebrating (38:42)RELATED LINKSAvocadoJonathan’s Sleep ExperimentGetting Here: Gunnison & Crested ButteBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Weir from Bentgate in Golden, CO, is back to discuss advances in backcountry skis; draw comparisons between some high-profile touring boots; and reassess the pros, cons, & compromises of various AT bindings.TOPICS & TIMES:Update on Bentgate (3:29)Boots: Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro vs Dynafit Radical Pro (8:41)Scarpa F1 LT (19:03)Advances in backcountry skis (22:29)AT Bindings (26:49)“Low Tech” bindings (29:48)Dynafit Rotation bindings (35:21)CAIC fundraiser (39:06)Supply chain realities (42:19)What We’re Celebrating (45:19)RELATED LINKSJohn Weir, GEAR:30, Ep. #120Getting Here: Gunnison & Crested ButteBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to professional skier, Hadley Hammer, about the gear she’s most & least picky about; her own gear preferences; some of the keys to happiness; and we fight about The Queen’s Gambit.TOPICS & TIMES:The Queen’s Gambit (3:04)Binge-listening to GEAR:30 (11:55)What gear are you the pickiest about? (18:03)Inclusion, Diversity, & Ski Boots (22:36)Inbounds skis & ski length (29:56)Hadley’s background (34:12)Backcountry skis: design priorities (38:20)Line Pandora 104 & 110 (42:26)Mount points (47:55)Least picky about? (53:48)What We're Celebrating (1:08:51)RELATED LINKSGetting Here: Gunnison & Crested ButteBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re pulling back the curtain on ski testing, and to provide their wealth of experience in this arena are The Ski Monster co-founder & CEO, George Michaelsen, and Matt Berkowitz, who is now the brand director of The Ski Monster and who has participated in too many ski tests to count. We discuss good ways and bad ways to conduct gear tests; how and why The Ski Monster has been able to ramp up the amount of gear testing they’re doing; and why not all gear tests are created equal.TOPICS & TIMES:George Michaelsen’s questionable life decision (6:21)Matt Berkowitz’s ski industry background (10:28)Ski Monster update (17:05)How industry ski tests work (19:06)Ski tuning & ski testing (42:00)Different reviewers & reviewing (53:58)What We’re Celebrating (1:10:00)RELATED LINKSEpisode Sponsor: AvocadoJonathan’s Sleep ExperimentGetting Here: Gunnison & Crested ButteBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss our 21/22 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide and some corresponding industry trends and category highlights. They also talk snowblades, clarify our Buyer’s Guide ‘Best Of’ Awards, and go on a rant or two.TOPICS & TIMES:Early-season turns & the new Nordica Enforcer 104 Unlimited (6:21)Our new glossy Buyers guide (11:27)Weight Trends (13:25)Unisex vs. ‘women-specific’ trend? (21:56)Alpine ski boots (22:54)Rant: ski stiffness & stability (29:52)Grip Walk soles (34:11)‘Best Of’ awards clarification (36:58)What We’re Celebrating (43:48)RELATED LINKSEpisode Sponsor: AvocadoJonathan’s Sleep ExperimentBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, is back on GEAR:30 to talk about Moment’s 21/22 lineup of skis; the new Moment factory; the new Deathwish 104; snowblading; & more.TOPICS & TIMES:Moment’s new factory (4:51)Supply chain issues? (11:35)New Deathwish 104 (15:25)Deathwish (22:12)Wildcat skis (25:23)Commander skis (29:16)Touring Skis (35:14)Deathwish Tour vs Wildcat Tour (37:56)Sales of standard vs touring skis (39:44)Voyager binding on which skis? (41:27)Women’s Sierra Tour & Bella Tour (48:53)Women’s Hot Mess, Sierra, Bella (52:04)Frankenblade (54:54)Blister ‘Crash Course’ Snow blade video (57:27)Chipotle Banana (1:04:17)What We’re Celebrating (1:09:21)RELATED LINKSOff The Couch podcast: Tessa ChesserGetting to Gunnison-Crested Butte: FlightsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once upon a time, a couple of friends who were scheming to get some gear for their own adventures ended up creating a phenomenal outdoor shop. We talk to Trygve Sande and Rune Kvalsnes about the origins of Vertical Playground; their trip with Hoji where the idea of the 4FRNT Raven was born; the ski touring and mountain biking scene in central Norway; some of their favorite gear; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Vertical Playground today (4:23)Origins story (8:40)Ski touring culture in central Norway (14:08)Hoji, Sterbenz, & the birth of the 4FRNT Raven (19:07)Touring bindings (35:35)Mountain biking & summers in Oppdal (43:46)The future of Vertical Playground? (49:08)What We’re Celebrating (56:00)RELATED LINKS:Vertical PlaygroundEpisode Sponsor: AvocadoJonathan's Sleep ExperimentGetting to Gunnison-Crested Butte: FlightsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Pete Wagner about three big new things happening at Wagner Custom Skis, where everything is built right in Telluride, Colorado.TOPICS & TIMES:Wagner’s new “Summit” skis (4:45)Summit 106 (15:56)Summit 107 (19:42)Summit 97 (21:30)Factory skis vs. the full custom process (22:49)Current consumer trends? (25:18)Avalanche cores (27:13)New James Niehues collab (33:42)Next Level Skiing podcast & Jonathan’s neck (35:36)What will you do for the next Blister Summit? (43:19)RELATED LINKSSee Wagner’s “Summit” skisVideo: Wagner’s “Avalanche CoresWagner’s Niehaus Collab SkisGetting to Gunnison-Crested Butte: FlightsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with Greg Klein, president of Willi’s Ski and Snowboard Shops, which is family owned and operated with several locations in the greater Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania. We talk about what brought Greg’s father (Willi) to PA; Seven Springs Mountain Resort; the key ingredients of a great ski shop; ski length & ski width; Willi’s women’s program; shop beer vs. shop pizza; & more.TOPICS & TIMES:Greg’s father, Willi (4:47)The mid-Atlantic ski scene (8:20)Willi’s women’s program (13:03)How else are you making skiing more accessible? (15:30) The *actual* business of a ski shop (21:35)Kickball (24:02) The culture at Willi’s (25:56)Ski length & ski width (32:53)City shops vs. Mtn Town shops (49:03) Final Thoughts + Shop Pizza (57:22)What We’re Celebrating (1:00:30)RELATED LINKSRecommended Shop: Willi’s Ski ShopsGetting to Gunnison-Crested Butte: FlightsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we sat down with McKenna Peterson, one of the stars of Matchstick Productions’ new film, The Stomping Grounds, to discuss her personal gear preferences; what ski equipment she’d most like to see get made; the topic of women-specific gear; the best ways to get more women involved in skiing; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Recommend Shop info: Blacksheep Sports (00:57)Kristin Sinnott on the Blister Summit (3:00)Praise / Roast of K2’s Jed Yeiser (9:01)What gear are you most particular about? (12:53)Skis (25:37)Ski length & which skis are you on most on most? (28:07)Backcountry skis: what are your design priorities (33:15)Telemark interlude (38:00)Women-specific gear (42:55)Bindings (55:14)Ski poles & avy packs (1:04:46)What We're Celebrating (1:08:51)RELATED LINKSRecommended Shop: Blacksheep SportsGetting to Gunnison-Crested Butte: FlightsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Manser is back for a deep dive on Atomic’s new 21/22 lineup, and we also discuss ski boot design and construction in general; the “Frodo Pro”; “Complete Tech” vs. “Hybrid Tech”; Immanuel Kant; Omar Little; and he offers his take on Bode Miller’s recent GEAR:30 thoughts on ski boots.TOPICS & TIMES:Manser on Bode Miller on ski boots (8:24)Atomic ski boots range walkthrough (17:42)Redster Ti & STi (21:44)Redster Club Sport (30:02)Hawx Ultra vs Redster Club Sport (44:25)Atomic’s Mimic Liner & Professional Dualstrap (49:27)Atomic’s Professional Series (53:01)Hawx Ultra XTD & Prime XTD (1:08:10)Hawx Prime XTD “CT” vs “HT” (1:23:32)Crazy thing about tech inserts (1:30:19)What We’re Celebrating (1:47:58)RELATED LINKSGetting to Gunnison-Crested Butte: FlightsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideA Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 1: PlasticsA Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 5: Atomic’s Professional Series Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is difficult to overstate the innovation that Eric Pollard has brought to modern skiing, and in this conversation, you’ll get to hear more about how Eric sees the world and finds himself pursuing new directions. We also talk about graphics; Season’s all-black topsheets; and each of the models in Season’s ski lineup. TOPICS & TIMES:From ‘Drawn from Here’ to Season (3:27)1st time meeting Austin Smith (8:14)Principles behind Season Eqpt (11:33)Skiers vs Snowboarders - (14:45)Graphics / Season’s black topsheets (18:01)Teams (34:07)Season’s ski lineup (38:50)Aero - design concepts (42:14)Mount points (46:13)Hypothetical: coming up now vs when you did (48:16)More on the Aero (55:57)Ski width (1:01:38)Kin (1:06:35)Nexus and Forma (1:10:52)What else are you working on now? (1:15:40)What We’re Celebrating (1:19:40)RELATED LINKSGetting to Gunnison-Crested Butte: FlightsBlister Summit RegistrationSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideBlister Podcast: Eric PollardBlister Podcast: Season Co-Founder, Austin Smith Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We had Bode on the Blister Podcast (ep. 154) talking about education, mental preparation, and more, and that is a not-to-be-missed conversation. This time around, we dive deep into gear talk, and Bode makes clear that his different and creative ways of thinking weren’t just hallmarks of his approach to racing, they define his approach to skis, ski boots, bindings, and eyewear, too.TOPICS & TIMES:Race ski design priorities (5:09)Materials & Tennis analogies (10:48)More on race skis (14:02)Ski Boots (18:30)Raichle & Full Tilt boots (23:42)Ski boot flex patterns (35:15)Ski bindings (39:18)Eyewear & Optics (41:24)Update on Crosson skis (57:15)What We’re Celebrating (1:03:37)RELATED LINKSSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideBlister Podcast #154: Bode MillerRevo x Bode Miller Black Collection Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flylow founder (and certified gear nerd) Dan Abrams is back to talk about the skis and ski boots he’s interested in for the coming season; Flylow’s mountain bike apparel; and what’s new in the Flylow lineup for Winter 21/22.TOPICS & TIMES:The skis & ski boots Dan is considering (4:01)Update on Flylow’s mountain bike apparel (14:53)Production logistics & mic drops (19:09)Winter gear, bibs, & a confession(26:25)Koan: “You don’t break in the garment…” (37:37)More gear confessions (43:05)Up & coming athlete on your radar? (44:44)What We’re Celebrating (52:43)RELATED LINKSSubscribe to our Newsletter & Gear GiveawaysBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s GuideDan Abrams on Next-Gen MaterialsDan Abrams on How to Start & Grow an Outdoors Brand Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth answer listener gear questions; share some info about our new winter buyer’s guide; and Luke shares with us some good news, but also presents new reasons for us to worry about him.TOPICS & TIMES:Info on our new Buyers guide (3:14)Q: What’s your favorite ski ever? (10:24)Q: Best way to communicate with a boot fitter? (15:27)Q: More accessible skis vs. more demanding skis (22:45)Q: Impact of ski mass relative to width? (33:18)Q: Big ski brands & sustainability (41:08)Q: Favorite ski graphics? (48:06)Luke’s cry for help (51:10)What We’re Celebrating (56:31)RELATED LINKSBecome a Blister Member / Get our Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re talking with Rachel and Drew Harding, the owners of The Spokane Alpine Haus, about the ski scene in Spokane, Washington; the Alpine Haus’ massive equipment leasing program; interesting ways to destroy skis; kid’s gear; and more. TOPICS & TIMES:Rachel & Drew’s origin story (2:10)The ski scene in Spokane (11:38)The 5 ski areas and how they differ (14:44)The shop & the Spokane community (18:36)Their leasing program (22:50)Their damage policy (36:54)Kid’s equipment (43:20)What We’re Celebrating (53:54)RELATED LINKS:The Spokane Alpine HausBlister Summit VideosBecome a Blister Member Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are airing the panel session on ski design that we held at the Blister Summit. We talk to the designers behind the skis from Blizzard, Folsom Custom Skis, Rossignol, Dynastar, and Wagner Custom Skis to get their respective design philosophies; discuss current trends in ski design; debate whether skis are being dumbed down today; determine once and for all whether stated sidecut radius numbers are fake; & more.TOPICS & TIMES:Different approaches to ski design 01:46Jed Duke, Blizzard Skis 02:25Mike McCabe, Folsom Custom Skis 5:08Pete Wagner, Wagner Custom Skis 9:32Thor Verdonk, Rossignol & Dynastar 11:10Rank the top 3 innovations in ski design today 14:50Are skis being dumbed down today? 24:15How much has the manufacturing process changed? 33:06Women’s skis 40:06Current demand: specific touring skis vs. “50/50” skis 49:39Are stated sidecut radius numbers fake? 57:41Which ski design trends do you like best? 1:06:31Which ski design trends do you like least? 1:10:07RELATED LINKS:Blister Summit VideosBecome a Blister Member Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.