GEAR:30

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Outdoor
**GEAR:30**

GEAR:30 is the podcast from BLISTER that dives deep into the details of the most interesting and innovative outdoor gear. You’ll hear Blister reviewers discuss the gear they’re testing, as well as product designers, professional athletes, and some of the gear-obsessed folks from our recommended shops weigh in on gear trends and the equipment they’ve been most impressed with. If you love outdoor gear, you’re going to love this podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest Episodes:

Andrew Alexander King’s Denali Expedition & the Gear He Used Jul 31, 2021

Show notes

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)

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Shaheen’s Denali Expedition & the Gear He Used Jul 23, 2021

Show notes

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:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 5: WaveCel Jul 16, 2021

Show notes

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:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Mt. Rushmore of “Poppy” Skis Jul 09, 2021

Show notes

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:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 4: POC Jul 02, 2021

Show notes

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:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 3: Pret Jun 26, 2021

Show notes

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:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 2: Giro / Bell Jun 18, 2021

Show notes

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:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 1: Sweet Protection Jun 11, 2021

Show notes

In our new GEAR:30 mini-series, we’re talking to key designers in the world of snowsport andbike helmets to stitch together a current state of helmet tech and helmet R&D.

To get things started, we are talking with Ståle Møller, the co-founder of Sweet Protection, about the pros and cons of the two different safety certifications out there; advances in materials & our understanding of head injuries; ventilation; the unique challenges of designing helmets for various activities; and how to know when you ought to replace your helmet.

TOPICS & TIMES:

History of Sweet Protection (4:11)
Safety Certifications: European vs North American standards (10:00)
Rotational forces (16:12)
Weight & Volume (26:35)
Sweet’s New System: 2VI (32:10)
Snow vs Bike helmets (32:55)
Kayaking helmets: different challenges (36:31)
Road bike vs. Mtn Bike Helmets (43:52)
Sweet’s Trailblazer & Trailblazer MIPS mtb helmets (46:51)
Sweet’s Falconer road bike helmet (49:23)
When should you replace a helmet? (51:39)
Sustainability (57:37)

RELATED LINKS:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 6: Ski Boot Suspension May 28, 2021

Show notes

Matt Manser is back to talk about bike crashes and ski boot suspension.

TOPICS & TIMES:

Bike crash stories (2:17)
Ski-boot suspension (11:43)
Damp vs. Plush (14:25)
How to achieve good suspension (21:18)
Ski bindings (28:08)
“Playful” ski boots (30:51)
Cuff Test: compression & rebound (36:01)
What We're Celebrating (48:52)

RELATED LINKS:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Old Principles & New Challenges of Apparel Design May 14, 2021

Show notes

Carl Moriarty was the Design Director at Arc’teryx, and is currently the Design Director at Rapha. We discuss his background and career in the outdoor industry, then dive into several principles of technical apparel design; the pros and cons of various technologies; the challenge of balancing high performance with sustainability; and how being clear on these things can help us evaluate advertising claims about new pieces.

TOPICS & TIMES:

From New Zealand to Australia to Vancouver to London (2:28)
Waterproof / Breathable Apparel (10:32)
Breathable vs. Air Permeable Apparel (15:34)
DWRs & fluorocarbons: truth in advertising (24:07)
What We’re Celebrating (39:52)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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