Atomic, the winter sports heavyweight thatโs been keeping us upright on the slopes for decades, has just pulled a rabbit out of their hat.
Theyโve teamed up with BLISTER, the outdoor gear experts whoโve ventured into insurance โ yes, insurance โ to offer their international freeski athletes some much-needed injury coverage.
And when I say โmuch-needed,โ I mean it in the same way that a skier needs their ACL intact.
This isnโt your run-of-the-mill โsign here, pay your premium, and good luck with thatโ insurance.
Oh no, this is BLISTER+ outdoor injury insurance, which might as well come with a sticker that says, โFor those who have no regard for personal safety.โ
Atomic is the first outdoor brand on the planet to give their sponsored athletes this kind of backup plan, and itโs about as game-changing as skiing on planks instead of those old wooden boards.
So, whatโs the deal with BLISTER+? Well, for starters, itโs a $0-deductible, $25,000-per-incident policy that follows you everywhere โ from the powdery peaks of the Alps to that dodgy jump you swear you can nail in your local park.
It even includes emergency evacuation, because when youโre hurtling down a mountain at breakneck speeds, the last thing you want is a bill that makes you wish youโd stayed in bed.
Noah Wallace, who spends his days figuring out how to market Atomicโs freeskiing division (and presumably his nights praying the athletes stay in one piece), couldnโt be more thrilled.
โThis new project to provide outdoor insurance coverage to our global Freeski team shows how we are striving to support our athletes in all aspects of their lives.
By doing this, we aim to create a positive impact within the skiing community and set a new benchmark for athlete support,โ said Wallace.
And letโs be honest, a โbenchmarkโ is putting it mildly. This is Atomic saying, โWeโve got your backโฆ and your legs, your arms, and whatever else youโre likely to break out there.โ
Now, BLISTER+ isnโt just for Atomicโs daredevils. This insurance is underwritten by Mutual of Omaha and is available to anyone who fancies themselves a bit of an adventurer, whether youโre bombing down a hill, scaling a rock face, or even just pedalling up a steep incline.
It covers more than 20 outdoor activities, and for $395 a year, youโre protected globally โ no more second-guessing that impromptu trip to the Himalayas.
Tonje Kvivik, one of Atomicโs fearless freeskiers, summed it up nicely: โSkiing comes with risks, and injuries are a part of the reality we face.
Knowing that I have the support of Atomic, along with the financial backing from BLISTER+ if something goes wrong, gives me peace of mind.
This peace is essential not only for performing in the mountains but also for focusing on recovery during rehab.โ
Jossi Wells, another skier who probably canโt remember the last time he saw a slope without thinking, โI wonder if I could flip off that,โ is equally stoked.
He called Atomicโs move a โmonumental shiftโ in the industry and is grateful that Atomic is once again leading the charge in protecting their athletes.
BLISTERโs head, Jonathan Ellsworth, is on a mission to change the game โ and not just for pros.
โWe are on a mission to change the culture of outdoor sports, where millions of people around the world are participating in high-risk activities while being uninsured or underinsured,โ Ellsworth said.
Atomic, by partnering with BLISTER+, has set the new gold standard for what it means to be a sponsored athlete. In other words, when you drop in, youโre covered.
So, hats off to Atomic for not only keeping their athletes on the cutting edge of gear but also ensuring they donโt have to worry about the financial fallout of chasing that next big thrill.
After all, itโs hard to pull off a double cork when youโre wondering if you can afford the hospital visit.