BLISTER | 9.25.23

BelleAire - Best of the Test

"The BelleAire offers a rare on-snow personality, with exceptional edge hold and very respectable stability when on edge. It excels in powder but still handles chop and variable snow quite well, in large part due to its notably damp/non-chattery construction."

Blister's Digital Buyer's Guide

WNDR Alpine selected as SXSW innovation awards finalist

2.26.2024

WNDR Alpine is a finalist at the show's WTF (What the Future) category!

WHAT DO WE MAKE OF THIS?

The BelleTour Wins Backcountry Magazine's Editors' Choice

9.28.2023

"It's stiff torsionally but released out of turns predictably. Insane performance in chop."

Blister Brand Lineup: WNDR's New Skis and snowboards

7.10.2023

Blister's Luke Koppa and Matt Sterbenz dive into everything that's new for the 23/24 winter.

WATCH NOW

Review: the 2024 Intention 108

7.10.2023

"The Intention 108 offers a remarkable fusion of adaptability and solid performance, excelling in all snow conditions and terrain."

Read More

WNDR Alpine's 2024 Hardgoods Lineup

7.10.2023

"'Going from 5 to 13 available products - all of which contain inputs made from renewable, microalgae-derived oils - is a big moment to celebrate for us,' says Matt Sterbenz, WNDR Alpine Founder and GM of Wintersports."

READ MORE

Powder Review: WNDR Alpine Phase Series Apparel

6.28.2023

"I’m constantly on the lookout for clothes that are good for the environment AND still functional and durable. I think I just found the perfect balance."

Read More

This moisture-wicking activewear uses an unexpected secret ingredient

5.30.2023

“Most activewear is made with petroleum based materials—this one uses algae instead."

Read More

Best Snowboards of the Decade

5.24.2023

The BelleAire is a solid board from WNDR built to handle a variety of in-bounds conditions and rider styles. The BelleAire has a wide waist and directional camber with an early rise, creating a confident feel, whether you’re charging fast, laying down big turns, or searching for side hits. It uses microalgae in the core and side walls to increase damping and stability, while reducing the overall weight.

READ MORE

Using Algae to Replace Petroleum in the Outdoor Industry

4.12.2023

“'Historically the outdoor industry has always relied on commodity scale materials from other supply chains,' says Marshland. 'Finally, for the first time in history, we’re designing our own for the end use. And you can actually get much better performance characteristics if you’re designing with the end use in mind.'"

Read More

TGR Reviews the Intention 108

2.14.2023

"WNDR’s products aren’t just 'good for a biobased ski,' they’re just flat out great skis, and it’s cool to see them pushing the industry forward in both directions."

Read More

The Intention 108 Wins Outdoor Retailer Innovation Award

1.19.2023

We're proud to announce that the Intention 108 just won its second major industry award of the season!

Read More

Alex Andrews on the DarkStarts Podcast

12.20.2022

Tune in for a casual conversation with the one and only Frothpuppy.

Listen

The Intention 108 Wins ISPO Award

11.27.2022

"The WNDR Alpine Intention 108 shows that building freeride skis with a reduced environmental impact doesn’t mean skimping on their performance characteristics."

Read More

Nick Russell on the Bombhole

12.14.2022

Listen in for laughs, harrowing tales, and backcountry wisdom from Friend of WNDR and splitboarding boundary pusher Nick Russell.

LISTEN

Algae Bloom

10.27.2022

“We want to eliminate high-carbon emitting materials and align our moral, environmental and humanitarian interests to make sure we aren’t excessively polluting as a consequence of making skis.”

READ MORE

Blister Recommended Skis

10.11.2022

"WNDR Alpine's widest ski is one that, unsurprisingly, really shines in deep conditions, but with a level of adaptability that is rare among ~120mm-wide skis."

Explore the buyer's guide

Editors' Choice: WNDR Alpine Vital 100

10.10.2022

“Inbounds hot laps to long days in the bc, the Vital is an absolute quiver killer.” Our testers don’t bandy about that phrase lightly, but they were hard-pressed to find conditions in which the Reverse Camber Vital didn’t hold up.

Staff Pick: WNDR Alpine Vital 100

07.29.2022

"I prefer to ski fast, on and off-piste, and in the backcountry. These skis excel at cutting through choppy crud with no chatter and float on powder with ease. I haven't been able to outski these skis in any conditions! As well as skiing phenomenally, the materials are high-quality, the graphics improve every season, and they put the environment first and foremost."

Read More

WNDR Alpine Launches New SpiralMade™ Recycled Material

07.18.2022

Instead of going straight to the landfill, Spiral Plate binding inserts are incorporated into WNDR Alpine's all-new Intention 108 better binding retention strength.

READ MORE

First Look: The WNDR Alpine Intention 108

07.18.2022

In short, they’re using waste from a previous ski to help build a part of a new one, with the goal of reducing the net waste created. It’s a pretty sweet concept, and it reportedly offers greater pull-out strength than the previous maple inserts.

Read More

Preview: WNDR Alpine 2023 Lineup

07.18.2022

The SpiralMade materials show WNDR’s industry-standard commitment to both environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and top-notch engineering that creates some of the industry’s best products.

Read More

WNDR Alpine: Snow Surf Science

07.11.2022

By using their own materials derived from microalgae oil, WNDR Alpine demonstrates how biomanufactured materials, specifically designed for backcountry applications, can deliver improved performance.

Read More

Gear Review: 2022 WNDR Alpine Vital 100

05.22.2022

"I'd recommend this ski to anyone who cherishes the descent and is looking for a winter/spring daily driver, something that performs well in every single condition imaginable."

Read More

Supplier Spotlight: WNDR Alpine

03.11.2022

There is no doubt a (false) belief that products made sustainably or ethically are inferior in quality and performance. WNDR Alpine was founded with a healthy awareness for this fact and they made it a goal to flat out disprove it.

Read More

A New shade of green for the outdoor industry: five sustainability projects trending right now

01.28.2022

Legendary ski shaper Matt Sterbenz and biotech company Checkerspot have masterminded an AlgalTech material, which uses lab-grown microalgae to replace petroleum products in the ski. The result is an all-new, eco-friendly ski construction with remarkable strength-to-weight characteristics."

Read More

Backcountry Brand Welcomes Nick Russell to Team

01.14.2022

"I'm fired up to be joining my teammate Pep Fujas as well as Alex Andrews to work together on innovative products designed for the mountains. Sky’s the limit!"

Read More

Video: Nick Russell Joins WNDR Alpine

01.11.2022

"Well, there's two big pieces of news here. First off, sustainability-focused snowsports brand WNDR Alpine is now making snowboards. Secondly, Nick Russell has made the switch to become WNDR's first snowboard athlete – a perfect mix of shared intentions."

Read More

Nick Russell joins WNDR Alpine

01.12.2022

"He has carved his own path in snowboarding, pushing the boundaries of what's possible while maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Nick is conscious about the products he uses and is constantly surfing the Earth in search of another adventure – an adventure in which he'll need quality products with purposeful materials."

Read More

New Gear for the New Year

12.23.2021

"The Vital 100 works well on New England slopes: The all-mountain ski maneuvers quickly in tight situations, can hold an edge on long arcing turns, and has enough width to handle off-piste conditions."

Read More

Utah company creates skis from algae

11.23.2022

"A Utah-based company is reinventing how skis are made, substituting petroleum products in ski production with an algae-based bioplastic."

Read More

Skiing on algae: How a Utah company wants to eliminate plastic in ski construction

11.22.2021

"Something that could actually make a significant impact is the widespread adoption of algal oils, algal ingredients and algal materials across multiple industries ... with these skis, we're going to inch as close as we can to that, every year."

Read More

Why this Utah brand is using algae to make skis

11.22.2021

"And not only does replacing petroleum with microalgae have benefits for the environment, the team at WNDR Alpine argues that it has benefits for ski quality, too. According to Marshland, petroleum gives ski manufacturers very little control over the structure and functionality of the finished product."

Read More

5-Ski Quiver Selection: Vital 100

11.19.2021

"I love to ski no matter the conditions, and though I always choose steeper terrain above all else, I still love moguls, groomers, slushy spring days, and really any excuse to be on skis. I was impressed by the Vital's downhill performance... it provides a level of stability that inspires confidence, especially in unpredictable or firm backcountry conditions. It’s also a ski that I felt was really easy to maneuver and jump turn with, which is something I am looking for when picking a lightweight touring setup."

Read More

Blister Buyer's Guide: WNDR Alpine Vital 100

11.09.2021

Thanks to its combo of maneuverability and reliable edge hold, the Vital 100 makes for a great 1-ski quiver that you'd use for everything from moderate pow days in tight trees to steep, technical spring lines.

Read More

How the Brand Behind the Algae Skis is Changing Ski Manufacturing for the Better

08.16.2021

A pioneer in ski design, Sterbenz had been playing with ski geometry for years through his innovation as the founder of 4FRNT, but now he was eager to shake up the industry with different materials (which until then, had remained relatively unchanged).

Read More

Emerging Gear: The Reason 120

07.09.2021

"If you think July is too early to be thinking about your winter setup, you'd be wrong."

Read More

Pep Fujas Gives FREESKIER the Exclusive rundown on wNDR Alpine's all-new Powder Ski, the Reason 120

07.08.2021

"On a personal level, my first order of business when I joined WNDR Alpine was to create a 120-mm waisted ski that I could take to Japan and bounce my way through the depths."

Read More

WNDR Alpine Launches New Pow Ski: The Reason 120

07.08.2021

"I skied the 120 and loved it. Very surfy and intuitive. Playful but not extremely light. It felt similar in suspension to the 110 but much looser and more surfy. I really liked that ski."

Read More

WNDR Alpine Builds Skis With Algae

02.17.2021


"When Checkerspot approached me with the ambition to develop modern polyurethane from algal-derived oil inputs, and that we could tune materials specific for the applications, I was like, 'I had no idea that was even possible.'"

READ MORE

The Vital 100 Wins An ISPO Award and Sustainability Achievement

01.25.2021


The Vital 100 from WNDR Alpine shows what is possible in the ski industry of the future. The backcountry ski is not only light and stable, it also impresses with its very good edge grip.

READ MORE

Uphill or Downhill, New Eco-Friendly Gear

12.16.2020

"In Berkeley, California, just a few hours from the snow-covered slopes of the many Lake Tahoe area ski and snowboard resorts, scientists with a company called Checkerspot are growing microalgae in stainless steel tanks - to make skis."

Read More

WNDR WINS FAST COMPANY INNOVATION BY DESIGN AWARD

09.30.2020


Intention 110 ski is the winner of the Fast Company 2020 Innovation by Design Award in the Sports and Recreation category.

READ MORE

WNDR Alpine’s 20/21 Lineup with Matt Sterbenz, Pep Fujas & Xan Marshland

08.09.2020


Matt, Pe and Xan came to Crested Butte and sat down with us in Blister HQ to fill us in on WNDR Alpine’s new materials.

READ MORE

The Gear Closet: Bike-to-ski equipment designed to excel on the long haul

07.22.2020


The skis, bikes, bags, trailers, and more relied on during a 16-day, self-supported sufferfest in the Pacific Northwest.

READ MORE

WNDR Alpine Launches Backcountry Ski With Biomanufactured Performance Material

07.15.2020


Checkerspot has unveiled the Vital 100 ski by its outdoor consumer brand WNDR Alpine featuring Checkerspot’s new Algal Cast and Algal Hard Foam polyurethane materials..

READ MORE

WNDR Alpine Bio-Based Ski Materials Are Eliminating Waste From Ski Production

07.08.2020


WNDR Alpine marks first anniversary with enhanced Algal Tech and Vital 100.

READ MORE

WNDR Alpine Takes a Whole New Approach to Ski Manufacturing

02.15.2020


Matt Sterbenz, the founder of 4FRNT skis and WNDR Alpine, has broken new ground in the world of ski manufacturing.

READ MORE

What’s It Like to Ride Skis Made of Algae?

02.11.2020


Last summer, 4FRNT founder Matt Sterbenz flipped the ski manufacturing industry on its head when he announced that he was working on a new backcountry ski made with algae.

READ MORE

Biotech hits the Backcountry: Checkerspot & WNDR Alpine (Ep.98)

08.26.2019


What does biotech have to do with backcountry skiing? And what does microalgae have to do with skis?

READ MORE

Are Matt Sterbenz And WNDR Alpine The Future Of Backcountry Skiing?

08.04.2019


Short answer: While there’s a lot of work to do, WNDR Alpine might well be bringing about a serious revolution in the snowsports industry.

READ MORE