25 Years: The Evolution of The North Face Summit Series w/ Sage Cattabriga-Alosa & TNF’s Head of Innovation, Cory Olson

The North Face’s iconic Summit Series collection has not only been a part of some of the greatest athletic feats of the past 25 years, it’s also had a major influence on the technical apparel we all use today. In this 2-for-1 conversation, Luke Koppa dives into its backstory, major milestones, and standout pieces with The North Face’s Global Head of Innovation, Cory Olson. He also talks with the one and only Sage Cattabriga-Alosa to get his perspective as an athlete who’s been involved with this series for its entire run — including how he went from hitting backcountry booters in the baggiest clothes he could find, to summiting high-altitude peaks in the most technical gear on the market. RELATED LINKS: Episode Sponsor: Snowbird Episode Sponsor: OpenSnow Enter Our Weekly Gear Giveaways Our Blister Recommended Shops Join Us At Blister Summit 2026 For BLISTER+ Members: Discounted Blister Summit Registration Get Yourself Covered with BLISTER+ CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) TOPICS & TIMES: OpenSnow (2:09) Snowbird (4:25) Weekly Gear Giveaway (6:03) Sage's History w/ The North Face (7:10) Sage’s Ah-Ha Moments w/ Apparel (23:00) Layering Evolution (36:30) Sage’s Standout Products (40:56) Cory Olson’s Role at The North Face (49:52) Historic and Throwback Pieces (54:14) Standouts Materials (56:36) Athlete Feedback & Design Impact (1:01:11) PFAS-Free Apparel: Present & Future (1:05:19) Care & Washing (1:10:20) Himalayan Suit (1:18:58) Summit Series x Streetwear (1:23:30) Future Projects (1:32:01) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic CRAFTED Bikes & Big Ideas Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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25 Years: The Evolution of The North Face Summit Series w/ Sage Cattabriga-Alosa & TNF’s Head of Innovation, Cory Olson is an episode from GEAR:30 by BLISTER.

This episode is 1:34:07 long.

This episode was published on Jan 9, 2026.

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