GEAR:30

Bison Wool? Bison Down? That’s a thing? Well it’s being used by one company, United By Blue, who started salvaging otherwise wasted bison fibers, and is now incorporating them into a growing range of products.So we talked with Brendan Raugh, senior apparel designer at United By Blue, which sells bison fiber outerwear. We talk about how United By Blue was founded as a waterway cleanup company; how they went on to develop an entire line of apparel around salvaged bison coat fibers; the logistics of creating a new supply chain; how bison fibers compare to sheep’s wool and goose down; what the futures holds for the company and their unique material; and more. TOPICS & TIMES:Brendan’s background & current role (1:35)United By Blue’s mission to clean waterways (2:35)Why use bison fibers? (7:15)Their unique supply chain (11:07)What is scouring & dehairing? (13:45)The different types of bison fibers (16:20)Bison vs. Goose Down (20:31)What is bison fiber apparel best suited for? (22:20)United By Blue’s sustainability practices (33:40) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Full Tilt ski boots are beloved by some (including the likes of Bode Miller, Tom Wallisch, Seth Morrison, and Sammy Carlson), but they get pigeonholed by others who think of them as only being for park rats.So we are joined by Austin Peters, the Ski Boot Engineering Manager for Full Tilt and K2 Ski Boots, to talk about the history of Full Tilt; what makes Full Tilts unique; why you might opt for a Full Tilt vs an ‘overlap’ ski boot; and what’s new for 20/21 (including Sammy Carlson’s new pro model).TOPICS & TIMES:Current Position & Background (3:30)History of Full Tilt (11:00)2-Piece / Overlap Boots vs. 3-Piece Boots (13:45)Swappable Tongues / Adjustable Flex Pattern (15:30)Changes to FT’s flex pattern naming conventions (17:33)Standardizing flex ratings (19:00)What’s changed & what hasn’t? (21:55)New Pro Tongue Liner (25:00)Pro Tongue Liner vs. Wrap Liner (27:25)What sort of skier ought to consider Full Tilts? (30:43)Range of top skiers in Full Tilts (35:03)Boot-fitter-friendliness (40:10)Sammy Carlson’s new Full Tilt pro model (45:52) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Picture Organic Clothing is going way beyond common sustainability practices with things like castor bean oil waterproof membranes and sugar cane waste-derived polyester, and they are attempting to eliminate polybags from their entire supply chain.So Sam Shaheen sat down with Picture’s co-founder, Julien Durant, and their sustainability manager, Florian Palluel to talk about these ambitious projects. And then we go in-depth on the new air-permeable membrane, Xpore, that they are putting in direct competition with Gore Pro and TNF Futurelight.TOPICS & TIMES:Julian & Flo’s background (1:00)Sustainability practices (5:55)Poly Bags (11:14)What are the big sustainability problems you can solve? (22:20)Wearing atmosphere-captured carbon?? (24:10)Castor Bean Oil (28:00)Cost vs. Performance (31:50)Converting sugar cane into polyester? (34:12)Picture Organic’s “Xpore” (36:40) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke Koppa, Kristin Sinnott, and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the new skis, boots and apparel they’ve been testing. We also discuss what skis we prefer for off-piste, icy conditions; the merits of slim fit ski pants; which ski boots are best described as “donkeys”; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:K2 Reckoner 102, 112, 122 (3:00)K2 Reckoners vs. K2 Mindbenders (6:00)Nordica Santa Ana 93 & 98 (8:00)Blizzard Cochise 106 (13:42)Dynastar M-Free 108 (20:40)Rossignol Black Ops Rallybird Ti & non-Ti (25:18)Ski pant fit: slim vs. baggy (29:26)WNDR Intention 110 (35:53)Arc'teryx Incendia One-Piece (38:25)Hawx Ultra 130S; Hawx Ultra XTD 130; Full Tilt (40:32)Hawx Prime XTD 130 (43:10) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with Graham Lonetto, the Alpine Director for the USA at Swix — the company that invented color-coded waxes, and one of the largest manufacturers of ski wax in the world — about different types of waxes and application methods; the most common mistake made when waxing skis; the FIS’s ban on fluorocarbons in waxes; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Graham’s background in ski racing (1:45)Kick Wax vs. Glide Wax (4:00)Base Prep & Top Coat (6:30)Paraffin vs. Liquid vs. Powdered (8:21)Application methods (12:40)What is “water management”? (16:12)How often do pros “burn” their skis? (21:15)The death of hot scraping? (27:20)The push to eliminate fluorocarbons (41:26)DPS Phantom vs. traditional wax? (50:22) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ski boot liners are probably the most overlooked and least appreciated piece of ski gear out there, but they are a critical piece of equipment. So Matt Manser, the product manager of Atomic Ski Boots, is back on GEAR:30 for Part 4 of our “Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots” series, and this time, we’re demystifying the extremely complex, very expensive, and poorly understood category of ski boot liners.We kick off the conversation by brushing up a bit on plastics (specifically, the not-so-straightforward label, “Grilamid”); then we discuss forward lean and ramp angles; and then we jump down the rabbit hole on ski boot liners, and talk about the different types of liners and their pros and cons; the “30 seconds” test and why Atomic views it as so critical; whether it’s smart to shove an aftermarket liner into a high-performance shell; and then Matt talks about a brand new liner from Atomic that incorporates their “Mimic” technology. In the process, we also talk about next year’s Hawx Ultra 130 S alpine boot, and the also-new-for-next-year Hawx Prime XTD.TOPICS & TIMES:Grilamid; Polyamide (PA); Polypropylene (PP) (6:18)Forward Lean (14:06)Ramp Angles (24:33)World Cup ski racers are weird (28:06)Forward Lean: what should skiers look for? (31:58)The 20/21 Hawx Ultra “S” (38:00)Ski Boot Liners (42:38)The “First Fit” Battle (46:13)Comfort vs Performance (48:13)Foam-injected Liners (57:45)EVA (“Layered Foam”) Liners (1:06:04)3D Liners (1:08:02)Atomic’s “Mimic” liner technology (1:09:14)How often can Mimic liners be reshaped? (1:17:14)Aftermarket Liners? (1:19:47)The new Hawx Prime XTD boot (1:27:03)OTHER EPISODES IN THIS SERIES:Part 1: Plastics (Ep. 54)Part 2: Flex Patterns (Ep. 55)Part 3: Racers & Race Boots (Ep. 60) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Shaheen was recently in Courmayeur, Italy to test the new SCOTT Superguide Freetour in the spectacular mountains surrounding Mont Blanc. After several days of big lines and long tours, he came away thoroughly impressed. So, in the first half of this conversation, he talks with SCOTT’s CMO, Reto Aeschbacher, about the backstory of SCOTT, the challenges of managing large product lines, and the motivation behind their new line of backcountry skis. Then he does a deep dive with SCOTT’s Ski Product Manager,  Franz Marsan, about the new Superguide Freetour. You can also watch this conversation on our Blister YouTube channel.TOPICS & TIMES:SCOTT Sports becoming an “international” brand (5:02)Why make so many different types of products? (6:42)Will we see a SCOTT binding? (12:08)The 2020 Winter Collection (15:41)The New Superguide Freetour (20:00)What is a 3D sidecut radius? (30:51)Superguide 95 vs. Freetour (38:00)New touring boot (40:25) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patagonia’s Glen Morden (Product Innovation, Materials, & Development) and Corey Simpson (Communications) came to Crested Butte to ski with us and to discuss how Patagonia is thinking about sustainability and product performance; how they continue to evolve on this front; talk about a few of their new pieces; their prototyping process; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Future performance innovations (8:00)Sustainability Practices: 5 Years Ago vs. Today (12:20)End-of-life solutions for garments (16:20)Is sustainability a performance characteristic? (22:06)Patagonia’s new Stormstride Kit & Upstride Kit (27:33)“Perceived” Comfort & Breathability (33:11)Simplifying kits (43:44)The death of distinguishing between “hard” and “soft” shells? (46:00)Dressing for the worst-case scenario? (47:50)Patagonia’s prototyping process (52:29)Where will we see the biggest improvements? (57:42) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We sat down at the Outdoor Retailer / SIA show to discuss some of the most notable trends, interesting products, weirdest products, and the thing at the show that caused Jonathan to legally change his name.TOPICS & TIMES:New trends in apparel (3:43)New trends in skis (10:58)Gear we’re most curious to try (14:20)Gear we’re most tempted to steal (31:00)Weirdest thing we saw (39:41) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part 2 of our conversation with SCARPA CEO, Kim Miller, Kim offers his predictions for the ski industry and how SCARPA is positioning itself for the future; discusses which materials they use in their boots and why; shares the lessons learned from the Maestrale 2017 recall; and then unveils a brand-new boot, the F1 LT.To see the new SCARPA F1 LT for yourself, head over to the BLISTER Youtube Channel to watch a video of the conversation.TOPICS & TIMES:How did the popularity of the Maestrale RS shape your line? (1:11)SCARPA’s approach to sustainability (5:55)Ski industry predictions (9:52)Which different plastics are in the F1 & Maestrale XT? ( 16:35)The Maestrale 2017 recall (30:00)Unveiling the new F1 LT boot (34:30) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Lange’s Global Brand Director, Thor Verdonk, about Lange’s use of 'dual core' technology; why “ski boots should be alive”; the brand-new, 3rd generation, Lange XT3; heat-moldable shells; 3d printed boots; the future of Lange; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:What is “dual core” technology? (4:30)Elasticity & ski boot weight (9:27)Which boots are the hardest to develop? (13:53)Heat moldable shells (15:53)Elasticity / “Suspension” (17:30)Lange XT (1st Gen.) (18:45)Lange XT Freetour (2nd Gen.) (19:50)Lange XT3 (New 3rd Gen.) (22:43)What’s next for Lange? (34:13)3D printed boots? (38:50) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week we talked about the best ski gear of the past decade, so now it’s time to make our predictions about what gear will look like 10 years from now? What product categories have the most room for improvement? What ski gear will actually change the most? What gear will change the least? And what are our wildest gear predictions for where gear could be in 10 years? We discuss all of this and more in a roundtable discussion.TOPICS & TIMES:Thoughts on our last episode (2:25)Our gear predictions (17:25)Gear w/ the most room for improvement (34:30)What gear will actually change most? (44:16)Gear that will change the least (50:26)“Women-specific” products? (52:26)Wildest predictions (55:10) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Of the entire past decade, what was the most influential ski, ski boot, and ski binding? What was the best ski? What were the biggest trends? And what was our selection for the Best Product of the Decade? We cover all of this and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Most Influential Ski, 2000-2009 (3:00)Most Influential Ski, 2010-2019 (5:30)Best Ski (13:40)Most Influential Ski Boot (32:30)Most Influential AT Binding (40:58)Best Ski Binding (46:02)Biggest Trends (51:30)Best Product (56:24) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re catching up with Blister reviewer, Paul Forward, about some of the skis, AT boots, and an AT binding that Paul has been spending time on in Girdwood, Alaska. Paul and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss the Volkl Mantra 102; the DPS Koala 119; the new Atomic Backland Carbon AT boot; the Fritschi Xenic lightweight touring binding; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Volkl Mantra 102 (4:40)Mantra 102 vs. Mantra M5, etc. (8:30)DPS Koala 119, 189 cm (13:20)Koala 119 vs. (OG) Moment Bibby vs. Dynastar Menace Proto (16:19)New Atomic Backland Carbon AT Boot (21:03)Scarpa Maestrale XT Boot (27:00)New Fritschi Xenic AT Binding (30:22)Paul’s Advanced Wilderness Life Support course (35:10) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this week, Sam Shaheen visited SCARPA’s North American headquarters to talk with SCARPA’s CEO, Kim Miller, and they had a great conversation that we’ll be releasing in two parts. Here in Part 1, Kim and Sam discuss his impressive career in the outdoor industry; SCARPA’s philosophy of ski boot design; their position within the market; the specifics of the new Maestrale XT; Kim’s thoughts on boot/binding compatibility; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Kim’s storied career & backcountry adventures (4:00)Scarpa’s approach to ski boots (23:35)Kim’s one-boot quiver (32:25)Maestrale XT (42:45)“Frankenboots” (58:30)Boot / binding compatibility (1:02:35) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Sam Shaheen, Luke Koppa, and I addressed some of the questions you have been asking us about ski quivers, and we also discussed the topic of the one-boot quiver. And now, we are running part 2 of this conversation, this time, with our reviewers Kristin Sinnott, Sascha Anastas, and Kara Williard.TOPICS & TIMES:Ski Quivers (3:35)One Boot Quiver? (22:25) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We recently published the 19/20 edition of our reviewers’ personal selections for their 5-ski, 4-ski, 3-ski, 2-ski, and 1-ski quivers. And now, we’re addressing some of your questions related to how we design our quivers; what our biggest takeaways are; the dreaded 1-boot quiver; and more.   And if you’d like to get our recommendations for assembling your own ski quiver, then just become a Blister Member, send us an email, and we’ll remove the guesswork for you.TOPICS & TIMES:Principles for selecting ski quivers (3:50)Why the single-brand ski quiver question? (17:08)Our selections & their relevance / applicability (21:45)Lower vs Higher snowfall areas? (32:22)How do we choose which ski to ride on a given day? (36:00)Mount points (41:22)Separating resort vs. touring 1-ski quivers (46:39)Where’s the LINE Sick Day 104? (49:52)One *Boot* Quiver? (51:13) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DWRs — or “Durable Water Repellent” coatings — play a huge role in the performance of your outdoor gear, and are used on nearly every waterproof garment on the market. But most DWRs are made with chemicals called PFCs, which can be harmful to you and the environment.Nikwax, however, makes products intended to extend the lifespan of outdoor gear, and none of their specialized cleaning, conditioning, or waterproofing products have ever used PFCs. So we talked with Heidi Allen from Nikwax about how DWRs work; the dangers of PFCs; how the industry is attempting to shift away from PFCs; garment care; and more. TOPICS & TIMES:Heidi’s background growing up off-the-grid (1:00)Durable Water Repellent (DWR) overview (2:54)DWRs vs. Membranes? (6:50)Hydrophobic vs. Oleophobic? (11:38)Why do clean garments perform better? (17:15)Alternatives to PFCs (19:06)Environmental & transparency initiatives at Nikwax (27:01)The future of DWRs (31:09)Páramo (33:30) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, about Moment’s entire “Commander” series; why we still need to do a better job educating skiers; how the Deathwish got its name; the history of the Bibby and the Blister Pro; some upcoming changes to the Blister Pro; and more.Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to catch the video of this episode (coming soon).TOPICS & TIMES:Moment Commander 108 (1:28)Moment Commander 98 (5:10)Moment Commander 118 (7:05)Moment Commander 124 (and the Moment Comi) (11:45)Why we need to do a better job educating skiers (15:25)Moment Deathwish (20:35)Moment Deathwish vs. Wildcat 108 (25:49)The history of the Bibby & Blister Pro (28:31)Putting the weight back into the Blister Pro (40:10)Moment Deathwish Tour (49:45)How the Deathwish got its name (53:35) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The North Face is attempting to do something that many have tried, but few have succeeded: compete head-to-head with Gore-Tex in the waterproof / breathable fabric category. So we talked with Scott Mellin, the Global General Manager of Mountain Sports at The North Face, about their new fabric technology, Futurelight; the ideas behind it; what sets it apart in the crowded waterproof / breathable fabric market; sustainability practices related to Futurelight; some stories from athlete testing, and much more. TOPICS & TIMES:Scott’s background in product innovation (5:55)Why was Futurelight designed? (9:20)Futurelight vs. Polartec Neoshell (19:45)“Tuning” Futurelight for different designs (21:22)Durability? (29:55)Athlete testing at The North Face (36:40)Competing with GORE (55:32)Sustainability & Futurelight (59:30)  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our “Reviewing the Reviewer” series, we ask various BLISTER reviewers questions about their backgrounds and gear preferences to give you a more complete picture of the people behind our reviews. And since we like to rank & review things around here, we also give a score to each of our reviewers’ answers, then come up with a cumulative review grade for each of them. In the hot seat today is mountain bike reviewer, David Golay, who shares how he went from playing sports in upstate New York, to researching metal alloys in Australia, to reviewing for BLISTER, and he shares a phenomenal story starring Jed Yeiser (of previous Blister podcast episodes fame).Watch the video of our conversation on our YouTube Channel.TOPICS & TIMES:David’s background (1:26)How did you first get connected with Blister? (7:45)Bike preferences (9:35)Who is your favorite reviewer at Blister? (18:35)Who is your favorite biker and skier? (20:11)What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done? (22:20)What are you better at than Sam Shaheen? (23:35)What gear are you most & least picky about? (24:49)Top 3 favorite books, movies, and musicians (27:08)Give us a random review? (32:10)What’s the best question I haven’t asked you? (33:14) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Marker unveiled their brand-new Duke PT binding, so Luke Koppa, Sam Shaheen, and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss the new binding and where it fits with respect to the Shift MNC and CAST Touring binding.We also discuss some big new changes at GORE; the new GORE-TEX Pro vs. The North Face Futurelight; the appalling behavior of backcountry.com; several new skis from Moment, Blizzard, and Prior; and Jonathan Ellsworth’s New Favorite Thing.TOPICS & TIMES:Jonathan’s New Favorite Thing (3:55)New Marker Duke PT (5:26)Duke PT vs. Shift vs. CAST Freetour System (10:17)New GORE Pro / Big Changes at GORE (12:18)GORE-TEX Pro vs. The North Face Futurelight (18:25)Picture Organic Harvest Jacket (23:55)Backcountry.com’s despicable behavior (25:30)(Jason Blevins’ article on backcountry.com) Moment Deathwish (30:20)Moment Wildcat 108 (31:15)Blizzard Rustler 10 (32:11)Prior Northwest 100 (33:01) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gore-Tex has been the leader in waterproof fabrics for decades, and today, they’re announcing a complete overhaul of their flagship fabric, Gore-Tex Pro. So this week we went to Banff, Alberta, and sat down with the category manager of Gore’s “Pro” line, Mark McKinnie, for an in-depth discussion about the new fabrics. We talk about what makes the new Gore Pro unique; the 3 different versions of Gore Pro; Gore’s intensive validation and field-testing processes; how the new ‘Pro’ fits into Gore’s sustainability goals; and much more.TOPICS & TIMES:The 3 new versions of Gore-Tex Pro (4:35)Fabric performance (5:30)New (and old) membrane structures (11:15)Stretch! (15:40)   Lab validation & real-world tests (19:19) Solution-dyed vs jet-dyed fibers, & why they matter (34:08)Sustainability & the new Gore-Tex Pro (36:23) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do the world’s elite ski racers and their technicians squeeze every drop of performance out of their skis? We sat down with Cameron Smith who runs the race department for Head USA to learn about all the major aspects of ski tuning including base vs edge angles, base prep, and waxing. We also discuss why World Cup racers have 50 skis per discipline; the elusive “speed wagon”; and the delicate balance of science and superstition in ski racing.TOPICS & TIMES:How Cam got started at HEAD (1:00)The art of edge tuning (3:03)Why athletes have 50 skis per discipline (8:09)Superstitions & cinnamon rolls (9:08)The elusive “speedwagon” (10:25)Base angles vs. Edge angles (13:20)What is a second edge?? (20:00)How quickly do skis dull? (22:45)Athlete’s relationships to their tuners (24:50)Polishing stones & the toilet paper test (28:30)De-tuning to avoid hooking (31:57)Base materials & grind patterns (35:07)How to select your wax (45:16)Just how sensitive are pro athletes? (58:12) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we answer a bunch of the questions you submitted, then assess some of the product reviews from several of the other ski review publications — and one gear recommendation website.And fair warning here, we get pretty fired up. Because there are still a lot of fake reviews and extremely misleading product reviews and product recommendation services out there, and this needs to stop.There is a little bit of strong language in this episode, so please don’t listen if that offends you. But we here at BLISTER are far more offended by the fake and / or misleading reviews and product recommendations in the outdoor sports world that are posing as legitimate consumer product information. Anyway, judge for yourself.TOPICS & TIMES:Listener questions (4:21)Do we need reviewers of every size? (37:51)curated.com (46:30)Product reviews from other buyer’s guides (53:05) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We just released our new 19/20 BLISTER Winter Buyer’s Guide, and given that it’s over 200 pages long, there’s a lot to talk about.So we’re going to have a 2-part conversation about the Guide, and here in part 1, we’re going to discuss some of our Blister “Best Of” selections; and some of the products that just missed the cut; some general trends and takeaways from putting this big book together, and we find out the real reason why Luke prefers mittens to gloves.Then, next week in Part 2, we’re inviting you to submit questions about the guide or related to the guide, and we’ll be answering those and covering a few other topics of our own.Click to Send Us Your Questions about the new Buyer’s GuideTOPICS & TIMES:Our BLISTER “Best Of” Awards (5:17)The Best of “Best Of” (23:05)Luke’s Jazz Hands (33:44) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is the 2nd installment of our “Reviewing the Reviewer” series, where we ask various Blister reviewers questions about their backgrounds and gear preferences to give you a more complete picture of the people behind our reviews.Today, it’s the founder of Blister’s turn. So you’re going to be hearing about Jonathan Ellsworth’s life, including being charged by a bear; nearly burning his house down; teaching philosophy; his favorite gear in the world; and of course, the things he’s better at than Sam Shaheen.And we are also putting up a video of this conversation here and on our YouTube channel, so if you want to watch Sam Shaheen in full payback mode, or watch Luke Koppa putting up his dukes, go check it out.TOPICS & TIMES:Random Review: Babybel Cheese (3:38)Jonathan’s Background (6:15)Why did you start BLISTER? (18:15)Who’s your favorite reviewer? (25.48)What’s the most interesting thing that’s ever happened to you? (28:03)Who’s your favorite skier? (32:17)What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done? (37:52)What are you better at than Sam Shaheen? (42:03)What gear are you most & least picky about? (44:55)How many times have you almost died? (52:05)What are your ski preferences? (54:27)Dream podcast guest? (57:41)Top 3 favorite books, movies, and musicians (1:01:25)What’s the best question we haven’t asked you? (1:04:40) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve been working on a special project with Folsom Custom Skis, and it’s finally time to discuss the details about the new Blister Pro 104 with Folsom’s Mike McCabe.We also talk about Folsom’s (insane?) new plan to build and deliver custom skis in 2-3 days; go over some highlights from the 19/20 Folsom lineup; and we ask Mike how much of a nightmare it was to work with us on this project.TOPICS & TIMES:Folsom’s new pop-up store in Aspen (2:05)2-3 Days: custom skis built & delivered?? (5:20)19/20 Folsom lineup highlights (10:52)Backstory of the BLISTER Pro 104 (13:05)The prototypes: good & bad surprises (18:25)Final product design details (29:00)BLISTER Pro 104 vs other Folsom skis? (35:46)D.E.V. Tech ! ! ! (42:16)Was working with us a nightmare? (43:34) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For centuries, hemp has been cultivated around the world and used to make just about everything: rope, clothing, paper, currency, sails — even the earliest American flags. But in 1937, the United States effectively banned the cultivation of hemp, and since then, hemp has faced an uphill battle of public perception and viable production in the US.Just last year, however, Congress passed the Farm Bill, which re-legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp. So we spoke to Rob Jungmann, one of the pioneers of hemp apparel in the United States and the owner of Jungmaven apparel, to discuss Rob’s history in the hemp textile industry; the many uses for hemp (including eating it and building houses with it); how hemp differs from cotton in textiles; and shooting hemp T-shirts with a shotgun (seriously).Check out the rest of our “What You’re Wearing” series here.TOPICS & TIMES:Anti-hemp propaganda (5:40)The battle for hemp legalization (9:15)The future of the U.S. hemp industry (13:31)Is there an ongoing hemp stigma? (15:30)The many uses & history of hemp (16:40)“Hempcrete” for building houses?? (18:13)What are hemp’s textile qualities? (21:04))Why blend hemp & cotton? (24:08)Shooting t-shirts with guns (26:10)Environmental benefits of growing hemp (31:26)Eat hemp every day (*Dr. Dre voice*) (35:44)Future of hemp apparel (40:08) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Misconceptions about down are everywhere — fill power, proper care, and animal welfare are all often wildly misunderstood. So today, in part 3 of our “What You’re Wearing” miniseries, we talk to Matthew Betcher of Allied Feather & Down, a company that works with and supplies down for some of the biggest names in the outdoor industry. (There’s a good chance your down jacket is stuffed with Allied down.) Matthew and I discuss down’s fascinating entrance into the outdoor industry; the physical characteristics that make down such a high-performance fiber; the myths about “fill power” caused by marketing strategies; why and how you should DEFINITELY wash your down apparel; animal welfare & the Responsible Down Standard; and much more. Have a garment containing Allied down? Check out trackmydown.com to learn about where it came from.TOPICS & TIMES:Klaus Obermeyer ‘inventing’ the down jacket (2:40)What does a “fill-power” rating actually mean? (8:03)Duck Down vs. Goose Down (24:15)How Down is different than feathers (30:21)Tips for washing your down!! (36:55)Animal Welfare (49:40)The Responsible Down Standard (56:27)Down-proof fabrics (59:20)Trackmydown.com (1:06:04)The future of down (1:07:10) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4FRNT Skis founder, Matt Sterbenz, recently launched WNDR Alpine, a company that’s incorporating biotech into skis. So we sat down with Sterbenz and WNDR’s brand manager, Xan Marshland, to discuss the creation of and the future plans for WNDR Alpine; its relation to the biotech company, Checkerspot; and we dive deep into the details of their new ski, the Intention 110, which is available now for pre-order.To learn more about WNDR Alpine and its relation to the Berkely-based biotech company Checkerspot, check out our latest BLISTER Podcast with Sterbenz and Checkerspot’s co-founder & CEO, Charlie Dimmler.TOPICS & TIMES:Matt’s background & founding 4FRNT (3:08)Xan’s background (8:36)What is WNDR Alpine? (16:20)The first ski: the Intention 110 (22:00)Why start with a backcountry ski? (22:32)Comparable skis to the Intention 110? (29:22)Materials (41:08)Weight (49:34)Mount point (56:54)Price (1:00:06)Bindings (1:04:50)Where to see the skis & ship dates (1:07:07)Future plans for WNDR? (1:08:54) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are more and more companies making products out of wool? In part two of our “What You’re Wearing” miniseries, we’re taking a closer look at the fabric that was once most associated with itchy old sweaters and fancy suits, but that’s now being used in some of the most comfortable and highest-performing apparel on the market. But how exactly does wool naturally suppress odor? How does the species of sheep affect the finished product? And is wool actually more environmentally friendly than other fibers?To answer these questions and more, we’re talking with Josh Vaughan, head of Wholesale Sales at Icebreaker. We walk through every step of making wool garments (from sheep to shirt); discuss some exciting new uses for wool in apparel, and Josh provides some incredibly in-depth answers about the secrets behind wool’s unique natural properties.Topics & TimesHow climate affects wool quality (2:55)The process: from herding sheep to the final fabric (9:03)How & Why is wool blended with other fibers? (18:40)Environmental benefits & drawbacks of wool (24:02)Wool from other animals? (32:04)Can wool be recycled? (36:13)Why is wool odor resistant? (38:12)Thermoregulation vs. Insulation (40:15)Why is wool more commonly knit than woven? (43:53)Icebreaker’s transparency report (45:03)Two biggest misconceptions about wool (49:00) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crosson Skis is a small, new company building skis outside of Seattle — and they are making some very big claims.So we talk to their founder, Chase Englehart, about the origins of Crosson; what makes their skis different — and better — than what’s out there; manufacturing skis in Tukwila, WA; working with athletes like Bobby Brown and Banks Gilberti; and their 19/20 lineup.Topics & TimesThe Crosson Backstory (2:03)What makes your skis different / better? (12:44)Park Ski: Rogue (22:14)All-Mountain Skis: Imperium & Raider (28:11)Powder Ski: Marauder (30:21)Weight (31:23)Crosson bases & custom base structures (35:19)Price, Warranty, & Added Value (39:22)Materials & what they’re doing in-house (44:34)Their press (46:04)Why manufacture in Tukwila? (48:55)Their athletes: Banks Gilberti & Bobby Brown (51:17)Where to check out or buy Crosson Skis (54:59) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do elite ski racers like Marcel Hirsher, Mikaela Shiffrin, Bode Miller, and Daron Rahlves “feel” their gear, and their ski boots in particular? Matt Manser and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss how some of the all-time greats are superhumanly attuned to the slightest changes of a binding or ski boot.They also discuss Forward Lean (how to measure it, whether lots or less of it is better, etc.); ‘static’ power straps vs. ‘elastic’ Booster Straps; whether WC skiers or WC DH mtn bikers are pickier about their equipment; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Marcel Hirscher & Bode Miller’s insane attunement (4:11)How many boots does Marcel bring to a race? (18:46)WC ski racers vs. WC DH bike racers (22:40)Mikaela Shriffin’s boot preferences (33:20)Which racers wear the stiffest boots? (36:40)Forward Lean / measuring forward lean (44:27)‘Static’ power straps vs ‘elastic’ Booster Straps (59:24)Why it’s so hard to name ski boots (1:12:03) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, & Sam Shaheen argue about the new Volkl Mantra 102 and how it compares to the M5 Mantra; discuss with more civility the Line Vision 98; Dalbello Lupo Pro HD ski boot; Camp Nano 22 vs. Orbit Wire carabiners; and close with several extremely random reviews.This episode is presented by Tribe Alpha & GEAR:30 listeners get a special discount!Tribe Alpha is great ecommerce for the great outdoors, and can help you improve the performance of your ecommerce site. With more than 25 years of web experience, Tribe Alpha has a long and successful history working with retailers in the outdoor industry, and will help you grow your ecommerce business.GEAR:30 listeners: visit tribealpha.com/gear to receive a 10% discount off their standard pricing. TOPICS & TIMES:Volkl Mantra 102 (3:13)Volkl Mantra 102 vs. Volkl M5 (13:40)Line Vision 98 (22:29)Carabiners: CAMP Nano 22 vs. Orbit Wire (24:57)Dalbello Lupo Pro HD (28:30)Sam’s review of Luke Koppa (31:13)Review: buying furniture (33:41)Review: new Lion King movie (35:48) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are launching a new series called, “Reviewing the Reviewer,” and the idea is pretty simple: we’ll be asking various Blister reviewers questions about their backgrounds and gear preferences, to give you a more complete picture of the people behind our reviews. And since we like to rank & review things around here, we will be scoring each of our reviewers’ answers to come up with a review grade for each of them.I sat down with Luke in Blister HQ and asked him about where he grew up and what he was into as a kid; his gear preferences and what gear he is most picky about and least picky about and why; then ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, wrote in with a number of questions for Luke; and I also asked Luke things like: who his favorite BLISTER reviewer is, and I got him to rank his siblings from most favorite to least favorite, before wrapping up with some questions about Luke’s favorite books, music, and movies.This episode is presented by Tribe Alpha — tribealpha.com/gearTribe Alpha is great ecommerce for the great outdoors, and can help you improve the performance of your ecommerce site. With more than 25 years of web experience, Tribe Alpha has a long and successful history working with retailers in the outdoor industry, and will help you grow your ecommerce business.Bonus: GEAR:30 listeners get a special discount. Just visit tribealpha.com/gear to receive 10% off their standard pricing.TOPICS & TIMES:Random Review: Orange Vanilla Coke (5:52)Luke’s Background (7:02)How did you first get connected with BLISTER? (19:05)What are you ski preferences? (22:30)Who is your favorite reviewer at BLISTER? (25:13)What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done? (26:32)What are you better at than Sam Shaheen? (37:07)What gear are you most & least picky about? (38:11)Questions from ON3P’s Scott Andrus (43:07)Rank your siblings from favorite to least favorite (50:07)Top 3 favorite books, movies, and musicians (52:29)Give us a random review (1:03:19)What’s the best question I haven’t asked you? (1:04:32) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much do you actually know about the clothes in your closet, and the stuff you wear to go play in the mountains? Today we’re introducing our “What You’re Wearing” miniseries, where we’ll be shining a light on the most foundational part of apparel: the fibers.In part one, we dive into the world synthetic fibers with Sara Ellis from Gore (the makers of GORE-TEX) to discuss everything from the performance and environmental impact of synthetics compared to natural fibers; the crazy new material that Gore developed with Underarmour; what’s on the horizon in terms of waterproof / breathables; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Synthetic vs. Natural fibers (2:15)Where do synthetic fibers come from? (8:08)Which synthetics are the most durable? (9:17)Polyester vs. Nylon (12:18)What are the environmental issues associated with synthetics? (14:38)The story behind Gore’s new ePTFE baselayer with Underarmour (24:05)Gore’s current (and upcoming) waterproof / breathable lineup (36:54)What’s the biggest misconception about synthetics? (52:12) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to DPS Skis founder, Stephan Drake, about the new DPS 19/20 product lineup, and about two new skis — that incorporate a brand-new construction — they are introducing for their DPS “Dreamtime” event, which officially runs from July 15th to August 1st.Stephan also breaks news about their “Koala” skis, gives an update on the DPS ski boots that he and I spoke about back on Ep. 38 of the Blister Podcast, and shares some new developments with DPS Phantom base glide treatment.TOPICS & TIMES:Building skis in Salt Lake City, Utah (2:45)What is “DPS Dreamtime”? (7:17)Foam & DPS’ new construction (11:01)DPS Wailer 100 RP vs 112 RP (25:10)DPS’s “C2“ vs “RP” (29:30)The redesigned DPS Wailer 106 (35:12)DPS freestyle skis / DPS Koala 119 (36:25)Update on the DPS Ski boot (41:10)Update on DPS Phantom (44:27)Other Conversations We’ve Had with Stephan:Blister Podcast, Ep. #38: DPS Skis Founder, Stephan Drake (4.17.17)Blister Podcast, Ep. #59: DPS Phantom & the End of Ski Wax (11.1.17)GEAR:30, Ep. #22: New DPS Skis & Products with Stephan Drake (7.20.18) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week on GEAR:30, we talked plastics with Atomic Ski Boots product manager, Matt Manser. Here in part 2, we talk with Matt about the messy world of flex ratings; progressive vs. linear flex patterns; the actual differences between some brands’ 120 and 130 rated boot; how Atomic arrives at their own flex ratings; the next areas of innovation that Atomic is focused on, and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Flex Patterns & All the Feels (4:13)“Progressive” vs. “Linear” flex patterns (5:10)The mess that is Flex Ratings (13:13)How Atomic arrives at their own flex ratings (17:24)How brands make a “110” vs. “120” vs. “130” etc. (27:34)Colorways & Geopolitics (34:20)Why a standardized flex rating probably won’t happen (35:55)The damping / “suspension” of a boot (42:32)Weight & Damping (47:04)Next areas of innovation for Atomic boots? (55:08) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ski boots are made of plastic, and different plastics feel and perform very differently from one another. So we get deep into the details with Atomic Ski Boots product manager, Matt Manser, to help you figure out which plastics are used in your ski boots, and the pros & cons & general performance characteristics of different plastics — which will help you understand why you might like or dislike your current boots, and what you ought to be looking for in your next pair.TOPICS & TIMES:What has been the focus of your recent work in ski boots? (2:10)The 3 main families of plastics: PP, PU, and PA (6:57)“PP” — Polypropylene (11:15)How recycled plastics are used in the production process (19:18)“PU” — Polyurethane (23:06)Low-grade PU: Recycled PU (26:53)Mid-grade PU: PU-Ester (27:53)High-grade PU: PU-Ether (31:33)Colors: how they affect plastics’ performance (33:44)What is Desmopan? (38:32)“True Flex” PU — Atomic’s proprietary PU (44:26)How to make a lightweight boot out of heavy materials (49:40)“PA” — Polyamide (53:58)How to verify which plastics your boot is made of (1:00:24) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BLISTER Editors Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa discuss their time this week at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, including mind-boggling new technologies like titanium-coated fibres; inventive sustainability stories involving recycled medical supplies; and noteworthy trends — both good and bad. TOPICS & TIMES:Rumpl Puffy Blankets (1:08)Gore-Tex Infinium Fibers (3:08)Topo Designs’ new apparel & packs (6:37)Mystery Ranch Skyline 23 Pack (9:11)Sunski Sunglasses (10:40)Patagonia Storm Racer Shell (12:35)Rab Mythic Ultra sleeping bags (14:34)New Gore-Tex Paclite Plus (17:53)Black Diamond Z4 Cams (20:02)Saola Shoes (23:05)Notable trends (26:16)Products we wanted to steal (29:34)Weirdest / most alarming booths (30:55) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Things get a little loose in this roundtable conversation, and kind of go off the rails. So consider yourself warned. But there are a few gems in here, including our group review of the ON3P Woodsman 108; Luke Koppa’s take on the new Tecnica heat-moldable hiking shoe, the Plasma S; Kristin Sinnot’s and my conversations about two new ski boots we’re excited about, and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Review: Hard Seltzers (2:30)Salomon S/Max 120 W (6:20)K2 Mindbender 99Ti (9:45)Tecnica Plasma S Hiking Shoe (16:47)Nordica Promachine 120 (21:34)Fjallraven Keb Eco-Shell Jacket (27:39)Maui Jim North Star Sunglasses (29:10)ON3P Woodsman 108 (31:40)Smashburger’s Black Bean Burger (34:47)Larabar flavors (37:33)Dirtbag Chic (39:17) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GPS communication devices can be the difference between life and death in remote places. So we talk with Bivy’s Pitt Grewe about the different types of technology and devices on the market; how these devices can affect decision making; satellite networks; complicated payment plans; and … Pitt’s impressive skills as a DJ.TOPICS & TIMES:Pitt’s background in the outdoor industry (1:21)Bar Mitzvahs and the Humpty Dance? (5:32)The differences between GPS devices (10:13)When should you bring a GPS device? (13:53)Providing peace of mind for friends & family (21:28)Garmin vs. Spot vs. Bivystick: the state of the market (25:44)After you push the SOS button, what happens next? (31:26)(Confusing) payment plans of various GPS devices (37:50) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Saturday, Sam Shaheen skied three different lines in one day on the Colorado 14er, Torrey’s Peak. Jonathan Ellsworth sits down with Sam to discuss the details of this “Torrey’s Peak Triple Crown”; the ‘D-Scale’ of rating ski descents; the gear, apparel, and food he used on the mountain; and the safety and decision-making process throughout the day. We’ve also included a complete list of the gear, apparel, and food that Sam used on the day in the the shownotes to this episode.  TOPICS & TIMES:Torrey’s Peak Triple Crown (1:03)What is the D-scale? (3:45)What did Sam pick for skis? (14:04)Bindings (18:00)Skins (19:40)Poles (20:53)Pack (21:20)Apparel (22:39)Food (27:04)Avalanche forecasts vs. decision making in the field (33:10) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Ellsworth talks about testing the ON3P Woodsman 108 and Black Crows Navis while heli skiing with Eleven Experience in Iceland, and Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa talk about their time on the Volkl Mantra 102 & Revolt 121, Faction Candide 5.0, and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Heli Skiing at Deplar Farm, Iceland (1:15)ON3P Woodsman 108 (5:00)Volkl Mantra 102 (13:25)Volkl Revolt 121 (17:05)Faction Candide 5.0 (20:51)HEAD Raptor 140 RS (24:12)Fischer Ranger 99 (25:49)Salomon QST 99 (27:16)Icelantic Nomad 105 (31:08)Black Crows Navis (33:02)Liberty Origin 106 (36:45) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supercapacitors, Venturi valves, and scary-high currents — this week we discuss airbag design and technology with Black Diamond’s Director of Design Engineering.TOPICS & TIMES:Pete’s Background at BD (1:10)Why is BD using 3 different airbag technologies in 19/20? (2:55)Supercapacitors, pt. 1 (7:30)Jetforce technology and design (11:03)Airbag standards testing (16:04)Alpride E1 — Supercapacitors pt. 2 (18:54)Alpride canister systems (27:19)Pete’s airbag pack of choice (35:45) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk to Patagonia’s senior material developer, Pasha Whitmire, about how Patagonia designs, develops, and tests their technical fabrics; myths surrounding waterproof / breathable materials; why the future of fabric development lies in sustainability; the advantages and disadvantages of working with big names like Gore-Tex; and a whole lot more outerwear geekery.TOPICS & TIMES:The “Killer Wash” and Patagonia’s other fabric tests (3:50)The relationship between fabric and garment (12:50)Waterproof laminates — 3L? 4L?? 5L?!?! (19:00)What comes first: concept or material? (22:43)Designing fabrics to be recycled (23:45)Gore-Tex — challenges and advantages of working with the fabric juggernaut (29:44)Biggest misconceptions about waterproof / breathable fabrics (34:52)Why the future of fabric tech is green (46:08)Other brands that Pasha is excited about (48:04)Sam and Luke’s article on Outerwear CareOuterwear 101Outerwear 201Information on Breathability Testing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to ON3P founder, Scott Andrus, about the 19/20 ON3P lineup, building skis for Michael Jordan & Tinker Hatfield, and we break quite a bit of news along the way.TOPICS & TIMES:ON3P’s 10-yr anniversary & the ON3P name (2:41)Building custom ON3Ps for Michael Jordan & Tinker Hatfield (5:22)Wrenegade Lineup (12:00)Metal Wrenegades (13:18)Metal Jeffrey & Woodsman?? (18:30)ON3P Touring Skis (19:22)How Scott’s trying to help people understand skis specs better (21:04)Jeffery and Jessie Lineups (23:30)Mount Points, Part 1 (26:24)Woodsman Lineup (29:21)Mount Points, Part 2 (31:55)Sidecut Radius: why it does — and doesn’t — matter (36:08)ON3P custom skis (40:35)Scott’s Random Review selection for us (43:02) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Near-death experiences, avalanche airbags, and changing risk tolerance — this week we talk to mountain guide and Mammut’s safety expert, Doug Workman, about life and survival in the mountains.TOPICS & TIMES:Doug’s background in the mountains (2:18)Does safety gear affect risk assessment? (3:55)How an airbag saved Doug’s life (12:15)Are airbags becoming “required” backcountry gear? (22:34)An unfair hypothetical: airbags or transceivers? (25:12)The importance of good partners in the backcountry (29:40)Doug’s favorite guiding experiences (32:33) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Shaheen, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about new goggles; new skis; which ski companies made the biggest impressions on us this season; funniest answers so far to our BLISTER Survey; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:New Goggles: high-end, price-point, and awful ones (5:50)Armada ARV 106Ti & 96Ti (16:00)Which ski companies stood out the most to us this season? (14:25)Some favorite answers from our Blister Survey (29:40)Some very random reviews (35:10) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.