Best Skis of the Century from Each Brand, Part 1

Chris Davenport walked over to Blister HQ from Aspen to talk about how he thinks about ski gear and his own personal preferences. We also discuss monoskiing; which gear he is most and least picky about; ski width; mount points; weight; and whether Shane McConkey would be into these GEAR:30 conversations.TOPICS & TIMES:Chris’ 1st comp: the CB Extremes (3:44)Old skis & how they've changed (7:46)Chris’ gear preferences (9:57)Chris’ ski quiver + light gear vs heavier gear (13:23)Chris’ ski boot quiver (18:25)Where do you look to save weight? (30:28)What gear are you the pickiest about? (36:05)Least picky? (38:11)Would McConkey be into GEAR:30? (42:00)Mount points (43:28)Which ski were you on the most the last 2 years? (45:58)Sidecut vs. rocker profile? (50:04)Being on the right gear for the day (58:59)Topics for our next talk (1:01:21)RELATED LINKS:Blister Recommended Shop: Gear WestBecome a Blister Member Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Aug 20211h 5min

Andrew Alexander King tells us about his experience on Denali and some of the most important gear he used.TOPICS & TIMES:The planning (1:32)The Between Worlds Project (3:32)The training (5:51)The surprises (11:41)The gear (18:16)The climb (30:51)What's next (57:54)What We're Celebrating (1:06:26)RELATED LINKS:Our prior podcast on The Between Worlds ProjectBecome a Blister Member Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31 Jul 20211h 8min

This spring, Sam Shaheen and four of his friends took on the very big challenge of a Denali expedition. So in this conversation, we get the debrief from Sam, discuss what he and his crew learned in the process, and go over some of the most important gear he used (including a homemade unicorn nose guard), and of that gear, what worked well and what didn’t. TOPICS & TIMES:The idea of Denali (3:34)Group dynamics (9:40)Summiting (17:43)The Gear (30:22)Hotdog party & Sam’s celebrity (53:42)Sam’s magic red light (57:25)What We're Celebrating (1:02:13)RELATED LINKS:Andrew Alexander King & The Between Worlds ProjectBecome a Blister MemberBlister Bike Buyer’s Guide Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

23 Jul 20211h 4min

This week we’re talking with the co-founder of WaveCel, Dr. Steve Madey. We discuss the origins of and the development of WaveCel; Steve makes what might be the best case we’ve ever heard about why rotational forces play such a critical role in brain injuries; and we discuss how WaveCel compares to MIPS and Koroyd. TOPICS & TIMES:What is WaveCel? (2:08)Development of WaveCel (7:06)Woodpeckers, head injuries, & rotational forces (17:25)Current iteration of WaveCel (28:38)Koroyd and WaveCel (30:51)Lawsuit (32:51)A few specific WaveCel helmets (36:31) What’s next in helmet tech? (38:26)What We’re Celebrating (41:32)RELATED LINKS:Blister Bike Buyer’s GuideCurrent State of Helmet Tech, pt. 1Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 2Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 3Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 4Become a Blister Member Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16 Jul 202143min

Previously on GEAR:30 we laid out our Mt. Rushmore of Ski Suspension. Now, we’re moving to the opposite end of the spectrum to talk about the poppiest skis we’ve been on. We define some terms, talk about some of the characteristics that can help make a ski more poppy; and we work our way through a whole bunch of skis. Check it out, and let us know what skis you think are most deserving.TOPICS & TIMES:Update on Luke’s diet (3:08)What is “Pop”? (6:11)Our Mt Rushmore of Pop (17:28) Low-Speed Pop (30:19)Mid-Range Pop (34:21)High-Speed Pop (38:00)Other Notable Skis (40:22)What We’re Celebrating (44:49)RELATED LINKS:Recommended Shop: Powder Hound, AKOur conversations w/ Powder Hound’s Eric HelmbrechtBlister Bike Buyer’s GuideBecome a Blister MemberMt Rushmore of Ski Suspension Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Jul 202150min

We talk with the Head of Product at POC, Oscar Huss, about headforms — the things they stick into helmets to mimic your head before smashing up helmets in testing; the numerous variables that need to be considered when setting up a way to test “safety”; the different considerations that go into designing kids helmets; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Background of POC (2:29)Oscar’s background (7:34)More on certifications standards & tests (10:46)Optimizing for 1 standard vs. passing multiple standards (19:54)Testing for car impacts (25:22)Headforms (27:37)Customizing & tuning helmets (36:00)Kids helmets (45:51)Cyclist visibility (51:55)POC’s Kortal helmet (56:52)What We’re Celebrating (1:05:16)RELATED LINKS:Blister Bike Buyer’s GuideCurrent State of Helmet Tech, pt. 1Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 2Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 3Become a Blister Member Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2 Jul 20211h 7min

We talk with the president & CEO of Pret Helmets about Pret’s approach to helmet design; the “dart test” portion of the safety certification process; the prospects of implementing customizable helmet liners; why Pret places such an emphasis on ventilation; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Steve Bellefeuille’s background (2:46)Safety Standards & the Dart Test (13:16)Fit & Ventilation (17:45)MIPS myth? (19:07)Fit and Shape (26:02)Customizable Helmets? (29:18)Biggest advances today (32:29)Pret’s Cirque & Fury helmets (35:54)The "safest" helmet (38:59)What We’re Celebrating (43:25)RELATED LINKS:Blister Bike Buyer’s GuideCurrent State of Helmet Tech, pt. 1Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 2Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 4Become a Blister Member Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

26 Jun 202145min

We talk with Rob Wesson about Giro’s approach to various helmet safety standards and certifications; the differences between a $65 helmet and a $260 helmet; the pros and cons of adding a chin bar to a full-face helmet, or a large visor to an enduro bike helmet; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Giro / Bell background + Rob’s background (4:05)Overview of the helmet market & sales (5:05)How Giro handles the different safety certifications & standards (13:00)Where have the biggest advancements in helmet tech been made? (19:28)Where are consumer priorities these days? (24:04)$65 MIPS vs $260 MIPS helmet (28:00)Full-face helmets, Enduro helmets, etc.(32:04)spherical shape - aerodynamics - and safety as it relates to shape (34:04)What We’re Celebrating (40:02)RELATED LINKS:Blister Bike Buyer’s GuideCurrent State of Helmet Tech, pt. 1Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 3Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 4Become a Blister Member Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18 Jun 202141min