GEAR:30 BLISTER

At Blister Summit 2024, we got a state of the union on the present and future of ski boot design from 3 people with a wealth of experience in this world: Eric “Hoji” Hjorleifson, Matt Manser, and Greg Klein. They cover everything from the reception and performance of BOA boots to Hoji’s new Dynafit Ridge Pro boot; cold feet (literal & metaphorical…), and much more.
RELATED LINKS:
Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+
Blister YouTube Channel
Blister Recommended Shops
TOPICS:
Intro 4:12
BOA Ski Boots: How’s It Gone So Far? 5:36
Weight: Still a Big Factor?13:27
Hoji’s New Dynafit Ridge Pro Boot 25:20
“Welcome Fit” 39:06
Footbeds & Boot Shell Plastic 45:31
Upper-Cuff BOAs? 54:09
Selling Shells w/o Liners? 56:34
Solutions for Cold Feet? 1:02:40
“True” size-22 Shells 1:04:57
Throat / Instep Fit 1:06:47
Canting & Cuff Alignment 1:09:11
“Custom” Boots 1:11:20
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
CRAFTED
Bikes & Big Ideas
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch

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We’re back with Eric Helmbrecht, co-owner of Powder Hound in Girdwood, AK, to discuss Alaska’s banner El Niño season; the gear he enjoyed most; the gear Kara Williard brought to Girdwood; what’s changed at Alyeska Resort since joining the Ikon pass; the reliability of various AT & alpine bindings, and more.
RELATED LINKS:
Shop Talk: Powder Hound, Girdwood, AK (Ep.133)
Shop Talk: Celebrating 10 Years of Powder Hound in Girdwood, AK (Ep.222)
Trends, Favorite Gear, and Most / Least Durable Products, with Eric Helmbrecht of Powder Hound AK (Ep.41) 
Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+
Blister Recommended Shops
TOPICS & TIMES
Alaska’s Epic El Niño (3:07)
Eric’s Favorite Gear (4:55)
Kara’s Gear for AK (7:05)
BOA Boots (10:57)
Ski Tuning Upgrade (13:17)
Ski Racing in AK (17:03)
Alyeska on the Ikon Pass (20:03)
Eric’s Trip Recommendations (25:19)
Alpine Bindings (28:01)
Binding Reliability & Longevity (30:56)
Eric’s Preferences (40:53)
AT Bindings & Trends (44:40)
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
CRAFTED
Bikes & Big Ideas
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch


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Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the new skis they’ve been testing this spring
RELATED LINKS:
Blister Rec Shop: Powder Hound
Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+
TOPICS & TIMES:
Intro & Updates (2:36)
Blizzard Anomaly 88 (9:50)
K2 Omen Team (20:00)
Blizzard Anomaly 94 (23:32)
Armada Declivity X 102 & Declivity X 108 (33:58)
Moment Commander 102 (40:46)
Line Pandora 99 & Pandora 106 (49:14)
Black Crows Corvus (57:38)
Rossignol Sender Free 118 (1:03:57)
Crashes & Close Calls (1:10:07)
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
CRAFTED
Bikes & Big Ideas
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch

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After years in the backcountry and a near-death experience, IFMGA Guide, Jeff Banks, wanted to build a tool that could simplify and improve the decision-making of any backcountry user. The result is Aspect Avy. 
Kara Williard sat down with Jeff to discuss how this app compares to and complements other backcountry tools; key features such as Adaptive Slop Shading and “No Go Zones”; how it accounts for human factors; different types of risk; the general state of tech in the backcountry; and more.
RELATED LINKS:
Download Aspect Avy for FREE
Blister Rec Shop: Boulder Orthotics
Get Covered: BLISTER+
VIDEOS: BLISTER YouTube Channel
Invest in Aspect Avy
TOPICS & TIMES:
Jeff’s Background: IFMGA & Nordic (3:10)
Jeff’s Near-Death Experience (6:15)
Intro to Aspect Avy (9:18)
Adaptive Slope Shading (10:31)
No-Go Zones, Coaching Tool, & Runout Zones (13:21)
Human Factors (19:17)
Adaptive Tools (23:20)
Who’s It For? (30:32)
Tech & Backcountry Skiing (46:26)
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
CRAFTED
Bikes & Big Ideas
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch


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What’s in and what’s out in ski design? And how have U.S. ski companies been doing over the past few years? At Blister Summit 2024, we discussed this and much more with Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, and Icelantic Skis founder, Ben Anderson. We cover notable trends; why skis cost what they do; the challenges of manufacturing skis in the U.S.; whether a core-shot-proof ski is possible, and more.
And, if you’d like to check out the video of this conversation, then head over to the BLISTER YouTube channel to watch this, plus other panel sessions from all of our Blister Summits, plus new brand lineup videos, etc.
RELATED LINKS:
Blister Rec Shop: Lone Pine Gear Exchange
Get Covered: BLISTER+
VIDEOS: BLISTER YouTube Channel
TOPICS & TIMES:
Introductions 3:21
Manufacturing Challenges 8:08
Ski Costs vs. Ski Prices 14:10
Exciting New Ski Materials? 26:01
Audience Questions 35:50
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
CRAFTED
Bikes & Big Ideas
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch

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This week, Jonathan, Luke, Kara, Kristin, and JBobb were testing a bunch of skis, boots, snowboards, and apparel in Taos Ski Valley. But it was more than just a review trip, since it was also the first time back at TSV for several of us who previously spent many seasons there — which meant there were a lot of feelings.
So in this conversation, we discuss a number of the carving-oriented and narrower all-mountain skis we were on this week; Luke’s food choices; the heated debate between Taos’ Chair 2 (West Basin) vs Chair 12 (Kachina Peak); and more. 
RELATED LINKS:
Blister Recommended Shop: Powder Hound AK
BLISTER+ Membership: Learn More & Sign Up
VIDEOS: Blister YouTube Channel
TOPICS & TIMES:
We’re Back! (5:45)
The Great Debate: Taos’ Chair 2 vs. Chair 12 (11:27)
Luke’s Green-Chile Cheeseburger (25:00)
Morning Groomers & Carving Skis (30:53)
Afternoon Steeps & All-Mountain Skis (44:31)
Crashes & Close Calls: Jonathan’s Latest (1:05:54)
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:
Blister Cinematic
CRAFTED
Bikes & Big Ideas
Blister Podcast
Off The Couch


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