GEAR:30

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...

What are the most significant developments in snowsports gear of the 21st century? We’ve already covered the ‘Best Skis of the Century’ on GEAR:30, and now, we’re ranking the most important gear and / or technological developments in skiing and snowboarding. And today, you’re going to get the real story of the first rockered ski.

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For BLISTER+ Members: Discounted Blister Summit Registrati...

What are the most significant developments in snowsports gear of the 21st century? We’ve already covered the ‘Best Skis of the Century’ on GEAR:30, and now, we’re ranking the most important gear and / or technological developments in skiing and snowboarding.

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OpenSnow

CARV

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Ep.323 w/ Carv & Marcus Caston

CHECK OUT OUR YOUT...

What can you learn when you analyze hundreds of thousands of ski turns? What does it tell you about ski technique? And what can be learned about the gear you use to make those turns — and the gear we test and evaluate? Luke Koppa discusses all of the above with the team at Carv.

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Carv Digital Ski Coach System

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The skis, ski boots, and bindings made for human-powered ski-touring are very different from the ones built for the resort. But what about the clothes? Raide has been rethinking what apparel for the skintrack vs. the resort should look like, and their new collection is quite the ambitious debut. Luke Koppa discusses it all with Raide founder, Kyle Siegel.

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Carv Digital Ski Coach System

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For BLISTER+ Members: Discounted Blister Summit Registration<...

We’re back on snow! And testing gear! And excited to talk about it! Jonathan and Luke cover several of the standout skis so far; Luke confesses to one of the dumbest things he’s ever done on skis; they discuss underappreciated upsides of early-season skiing; some interesting new outerwear and gloves; and more.

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Our Recommended Shop: Round House Sports Center

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Ge...

Today we spill some tea, break some news, fire off a few rants, and we walk through Moment’s 25/26 lineup, including what Moment CEO, Luke Jacobson, believes to be the most significant changes to the line.

Note: We Want to Hear From You!

Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate yourself for a ‘Gear Therapy’ episode, let us know that, too! You can email us at info@blisterreview.com

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If you’ve worn a puffy jacket in the past 30+ years, there’s a good chance it used PrimaLoft insulation. And they’ve just announced their warmest insulation to date. So today, we get all the details on PrimaLoft UltraPeak from Andrea Paulson, PrimaLoft’s Senior Vice President of Innovation & Technology — and learn a ton about insulation in general along the way. Whether you’re curious about the latest puffy tech or just want to learn more about how to stay warm in the outdoors, this one’s for you.

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...

What are the Top 10 skis of the century? Top 3? #1 Ski? Today, Blister reviewers Dylan Wood, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth reveal their selections, and we also share some of the picks and insights from a number of pro skiers and ski industry professionals.

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Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate yourself for a ‘Gear Therapy’ episode, let us know that, too! You can email us...

What are the Top 10 skis of the century? Top 3? #1 Ski? Today, Blister reviewer, Paul Forward, reveals his very personal picks, plus we share a story from the Blister archives that involves New Zealand farmers and helicopters.

Note: We Want to Hear From You!

Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate yourself for a ‘Gear Therapy’ episode, let us know that, too! You can email us at info@blisterreview.com

RELATED...

Do “women-specific” skis need to exist? What about ski boots? In our conversation today, Leslie Baker-Brown shares her thoughts after leading Blizzard-Tecnica’s Women2Women program for the past 10 years.

Few people have been as deeply involved with women’s ski gear — and the community of women in skiing — as Leslie. Today, she discusses what the landscape looked like 10 years ago; the details of how and why the Women2Women program designs truly women-specific products; the cases where a unisex approach makes more sense; why it’s so hard to find a 130-flex boot if you have small feet; ho...

In Part 3 of our series on the Best Skis of the Century, Luke and Jonathan discuss some of the great answers from our BLISTER+ members and Digital Access Pass subscribers, as well as the selections from various ski designers, pro skiers, and folks from some of our Blister Recommended Shops.

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Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate yourself for a ‘Gear Therapy’ episode, let...

In Part 2 of our series on the Best Skis of the Century, Luke Koppa and Sascha Anastas join Jonathan Ellsworth to dive into the best skis from 23 more brands, and we also discuss some of the best and most notable women-specific skis of the past 25 years.

Note: We Want to Hear From You!

Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate yourself for a ‘Gear Therapy’ episode, let us know that, too! Y...

Today, we are kicking off a new series, where we will debate and try to identify the best skis of the 21st Century from over 30 ski brands. So over the next couple of weeks, you’re going to be hearing our choices, but we are also going to be sending out a survey to our BLISTER+ members, Digital Access Pass members, and a number of pro athletes and product designers around the ski industry. Then, in a few weeks, we’ll discuss how our selections match up with all of your answers. And finally, for the grand finale of this...

Today we’re talking with Hoji and Stinius Skjøtskift about the creation of Stinius’ new pro model, the 4FRNT Sinister. There are lots of great stories in this one, plus you’ll find out why a number of us at BLISTER are extremely intrigued by this ski.

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Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate yourself for a ‘Gear Therapy’ episode, let us know that, too...

Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about our big new book, the Blister 25/26 Winter Buyer’s Guide, including the big takeaways, trends, and controversies. (Plus, stick around to hear Luke’s insane bear story at the end.)

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Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate yourself for a ‘Gear Therapy’ episode, let us know that, too! You can email us at info@blisterreview.com

CHECK...

We see new brands pop up all the time, but what happens when your idea is so novel that it essentially births an entire sport and industry? That was the case when Thor Tingey and his mom, Sheri, started Alpacka Raft.

So today, Thor and Luke Koppa discuss the unique challenges and advantages this scenario presented; how and why Thor and Sheri were able to craft these ultralight rafts themselves; the ways in which the packrafting industry has evolved and grown over the years; Alpacka’s manufacturing operation in the United States and how that’s changed with...

Today we’re spilling the beans on the new dates - and new location — of Blister Summit 2026. Then we give a quick update on our Winter Buyer’s Guide Update, and wrap up with an important challenge to all outdoor brands.

Note: We Want to Hear From You!

Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate yourself for a ‘Gear Therapy’ episode, let us know that, too! You can email us at info@blister...

Today’s episode contains a number of “firsts”; like the fact that we are going to be talking about a product launch that we didn’t know was happening until we sat down to record this conversation, and that’s just the beginning. So tune in to hear about a new collab between the splitboard binding company, Spark R&D, and ATK bindings. Or tune in to hear Jonathan caught completely off guard multiple times.

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Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a...

Luke and Jonathan discuss some of our favorite gear we’ve been using this summer, and I make the argument for the single greatest piece of summer gear — so let us know if you agree. But we begin by discussing our Weekly Blister Survey question, and bottom line: we think half of you might be crazy??

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Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate you...

Today we’ve got some big news and announcements for you: we’re releasing our first-ever Blister Mountain Bike Guide, and we’re doing it in a way that we don’t think has ever been done in the bike (or ski) world. We’re also talking about the state of buyer’s guides in 2025, and you’ll get the latest updates on our 25/26 Winter Buyer’s Guide — which you can pre-order now.

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Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like...

Jonathan talks with Sito Luis Salas, the CEO of NNormal, about NNormal founder, Kilian Jornet, and his recent performance at Western States, and they also discuss the NNormal name, its origin story, and its well-defined principles. NNormal is a company we predict you’ll be hearing about more and more in the coming years, and in this conversation, you’ll see why. 

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Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d...

Jonathan talks to the reigning FWT champion, Marcus Goguen, about the gear he skis on to film, rip around the resort, and yes, win the FWT. We also talk about his new YouTube series (it’s must-see-TV), and Marcus breaks news about his new project that comes out in October.

Note: We Want to Hear From You!

Please let us know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover or a guest you’d like us to have on GEAR:30. Or if you’d like to nominate yourself for a ‘Gear Therapy’ episode, let u...

Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss the latest with respect to public lands and the revisions to the reconciliation bill; share more news about Peak Skis; and preview some new gear they’re going to be talking about and testing in the very near future.

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Luke Koppa on Public Lands Sale

GEAR:30 ep. 353: Our Thoughts on Peak Skis

Jason Blevins’ article on Peak Skis

TOPICS & TIMES:

Skratch Labs (1:30)

New BLIS...

Today, Jonathan lays out more fully his thoughts about the Peak Skis debacle; Luke Koppa offers his perspective too; and they discuss Jonathan’s initial comments made here on GEAR:30 back on May 23, what he’s been up to and learning since then, and what we think needs to happen going forward.

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Skratch Labs

BLISTER+ Get Yourself Covered

Jason Blevins’ article on Peak Skis

GEAR:30 ep 191: Bode on Peak Skis

GEAR:30 ep 163: Bode on Crosson Skis

Peak's Crowdfunding Form C Doc

TOPICS...

Today, we head south to the snow, and back behind the counter at Outside Sports in New Zealand. We talk about the gear and innovations they're stoked on; what it takes to keep a mountain town business thriving; sustainability from a local shop’s perspective; business strategies for adapting to the unpredictability of climate change; and a whole lot more.

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Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

Blister Recommended Shop: Outside Sports 

Ep.260: A Guide to Skiing in New Zealand with Outside Sports

TOPICS & TIMES 

Consumer-Driven Conversation (4:54)

Mo...

In this panel conversation from Blister Summit 2025, we discuss why all of your outdoor apparel recently changed — and how that will impact your own experiences.

Specifically, we’re talking about the ban on PFAS chemicals; why they’d been so extensively used in outdoor apparel (and far beyond); the real-world performance differences between them and new PFAS-free alternatives; and what you need to know to make the most of your own apparel.

To cover all of this, we brought together an excellent panel of industry professionals, including Eric Wallis (Patagonia), Dan Abrams (Flylow), Tom Mason (Ortovo...

In past years, we’ve done a series called ‘Bikes vs Skis’ where we’ve posed the question: Which bike company is most like which ski company? But this year, we’re zooming out a bit, and instead are putting up the whole ski industry vs the bike industry. In part 2 of this conversation, we take a look at the state of ski shops vs bike shops; what each industry is doing to grow participation and engagement in their sport; gear trend wins and fails; and we weigh in on which industry has the brighter future. You’ll hear from Blister...

In past years, we’ve done a series called ‘Bikes vs Skis’ where we’ve posed the question: Which bike company is most like which ski company? But this year, we’re zooming out a bit, and instead are putting up the whole ski industry vs the bike industry, to identify the significant similarities or differences; assess the relative health of each; and see how the trends in one might align with trends in the other. Today, you’ll hear from Blister reviewers Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, David Golay, Simon Stewart, Kara Williard, and Xan Marshland.

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Today, you — our prestigious GEAR:30 listeners — provided the questions, and Jonathan Ellsworth and Luke Koppa are offering their answers.

Topics include our go-to backpacks for ski-touring; how a given brand’s size, location, and ethos factor into our own purchasing decisions; what skis to get if you’re spending a lot of time cruising slow-speed groomers; when and how to replace ski boot liners when they wear out; and we answer one of the most frequent questions we get: what were our favorite skis this season?

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Skratch Labs: Fuel Up, Hydrate, & Recover ...

Jonathan talks to BLISTER members, Bobak Farzin and Lukas Friedli, who recently teamed up to take on the famous Haute Route. We talk about their trip; the gear they used; what gear worked well; what worked less well; and they offer some great advice for anyone thinking about doing any multi-day ski touring trip, or anyone interested in the Haute Route itself.

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Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

TOPICS & TIMES:

Introductions (2:33)

Background on the Haute Route (10:40)

Ski Selection (19:11)

Ski Boot Selection (23:06)

Bindings Selection (26:21)<...

Luke Koppa, Kristin Sinnott, and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss what they’ve been getting up to lately, and the gear they’ve been using to do so. Luke recaps his first trip to Palisades Tahoe, being there during Level 1’s mind-blowing SuperUnknown event, finally experiencing the iconic Wildflour Bakery, and some of the skis that stood out throughout the week. Kristin covers her recent trip down to the tropics, and Jonathan goes over some of the touring skis, boots, and bindings he’s been liking. We also dive into ski socks, the particular socks each of us used most this season...

What new thoughts and ideas emerge when you bring together in conversation makers of hybrid ski bindings and AT bindings and snowboard bindings and splitboard bindings? Well you’re about to find out, because at Blister Summit 2025, Jonathan Ellsworth led a conversation along these lines with Will Ritter of Spark R&D; Royal White, from Burton; Andy Merriman, from ATK Bindings; and Steven Waal, from the very new company, AlpenFlow Design. Enjoy, this is a great one.

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Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

TOPICS & TIMES:

Exploring the Evolution of Bindings (3:11)

...

If you think all goggles are the same, well, think again. At our Blister Summit 2025, Jonathan Ellsworth spoke with Steven Kennedy (Giro), Ted Ligety (Shred Optics), Stefan Stahl (Glade Optics), and Gabriel Lobbi (Provuu) about some different approaches — and solutions — to the problem of seeing well on snow.

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Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

TOPICS & TIMES:

Introductions (4:15)

Different Approaches to the Problem (7:00)

Photochromic & VLT (11:34)

High-Contrast Lenses (17:08)

Lens Shapes (19:53)

Goggles & Helmet Fit (24:11)

Flat-Light Optimization (28:48)

What's the Best Question I Ha...

In this episode, Luke Koppa sits down with Kara Williard, Jonathan Ellsworth, and the strikingly handsome Justin Bobb to talk about the many skis Jonathan and I opted to take out during closing weekend at CBMR; Kara’s powder-filled winter trips, and the two skis and single boot she used throughout; and Justin’s latest, crazy biking / skinning / snowboarding adventure + some of the boards and boots he’s been testing. Finally, we dive into some ski-touring boots discussions, and Jonathan tells us about his surprise visit from Cody Townsend.

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Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+ Member...

Today we are sharing the first of our Blister Summit 2025 panel sessions, and we’ve got a great one to kick things off. We’re asking the pros — Hoji, Ted, Anne, and Jess — how they go about assessing and testing ski and snowboard gear, and what advice they have for the rest of us? Plus you’ll hear Ted share one of his favorite (but questionable??) ways of testing skis.

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Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+ 

BLISTER YouTube Channel

TOPICS & TIMES:

BLISTER+ Updates (00:00)

Intros (5:34)

Evaluating Prototypes...

Kara Williard catches up with Christoph Lentz, Fischer’s Global Product Manager for Alpine Boots, to discuss what they’ve been up to since the launch of their RC4 Lineup two seasons ago; how this lineup has expanded and evolved, including the new models for the 25/26 season; why Fischer has invested so much time and energy into “inner boots,” including using D3O padding in their latest liners; their all-new touring boot; the process for Vacuum molding plastics; Christoph’s favorite part of his job; and a whole lot more. 

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Our Blister Recommended Shops

As part of the 5850 Fest at the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, Jonathan talked with Ted Ligety about the tricky conditions and the very challenging course here in Sun Valley for the Super G and GS races, and the incredibly demanding business of going fast.

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Our Blister Recommended Shops

Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+ 

GEAR:30 Ep. 326: DPS Carbon Pisteworks 79

Blister Podcast Ep. 332: Ted Ligety 24/25 World Cup Preview

TOPICS & TIMES:

Unique Course & Unique Challenges (5:32)

Course Sets & Resets (10:54)

Brignone Coming To W...

Luke Koppa talks with several of our reviewers about some of the latest gear they’ve been testing. Paul Forward discusses a bunch of the lightweight powder touring skis he’s been on, as well as some new models from Heritage Lab. Then, Kristin Sinnott and Sascha Anastas cover some new all-mountain skis and apparel that they’ve been using, and we round things out with a conversation with Dylan Wood about some very interesting new big-mountain skis, including the Dynastar M-Free 112, how it compares to the Rossignol Sender Free 110, the Head Kore 112 Ti, and more.

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Kara Williard is back with Eric Helmbrecht of Powder Hound, our Blister Recommended Shop in Girdwood, Alaska to discuss a the ups and downs of their season up in Alaska; our tips and tricks on how to make the most of any season, including some of our favorite gear for low-tide skiing; 25/26 gear including the new Salomon QST Lineup, Dual BOA, boot trends, aftermarket liners; and more.

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Blister Rec. Shop: Powder Hound 

Become a BLISTER+ Member

TOPICS & TIMES:

Ski Season in Girdwood (3:25)

25/26 Salomon QST Lineup (5:49) Duration: 00:47:57

Blister reviewers Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, Sascha Anastas, Kristin Sinnott, and the strikingly handsome Justin Bobb discuss a bunch of new ski and snowboard gear they spent time on at last week’s Blister Summit. They also talk about several prototypes they got on at the Summit, so if you want to get a little glimpse into the future, you’re in luck.

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Taos Ski Valley

Blister Rec Shop: Willi’s Ski & Board Shop

Get Covered: BLISTER+

TOPICS & TIMES:

Chile Rant / Taos Ski Valley (0:59)

Deal...

Crested Butte Mountain Resort recently got 40+ inches of new snow in just a few days, so it was time to break out the big skis. Jonathan and Luke discuss the very new (and very different) Head Kore 118Ti and Kore 112Ti; the latest iteration of the ON3P Billy Goat 118; Tyrolia’s Attack Hybrid binding; Salomon’s revised QST Blank and QST 106, and more.

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Blister Rec. Shop: Mountain Ops

Join us @ Blister Summit 2025

Become a BLISTER+ Member

TOPICS & TIMES:

Mountain Ops  (1:21)

Blister Summit (2:26)

...

Today we are talking about love, materials science, and ski construction. More specifically, we’re going to be looking at graphene, and why you might soon be hearing more about it in skis in the near future. Our guests are Haley and Kevin Keith, the founders of Mito Materials, and you’ll hear them explain their journey into the ski industry, and the unique properties of their functionalized graphene material.

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CARV

Blister Rec Shop: Viking Ski Shop 

Become a BLISTER+ Member

Join us @ Blister Summit 2025

Mito...

What’s the difference between a true race boot; a race-inspired ski boot; and a high-performance freeride or freestyle boot? Matt Manser is back to talk about all of these things and more, and to walk us through Atomic’s new range of Redster ski boots, and their new freeride & freestyle boot, the Remedy 130. Plus, you’ll hear the most important rant / public service announcement in GEAR:30 history.

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Blister Rec Shop: Willi’s

Become a BLISTER+ Member

Join us @ Blister Summit 2025

JE’s Flash Review of Atomic Remedy 130...

In today’s episode, Luke Koppa sits down with Jonathan Ellsworth and Kara Williard to discuss just a small portion of all the gear we’ve been testing lately. We cover Head’s overhauled collection of Kore skis; Jonathan makes a confession after he took some carving skis off piste; Kara and Luke discuss a bunch of boots they’ve been testing; Jonathan poses an age-old question about boot flexes; Kara breaks down the setups she’s bringing to Japan; and much more.

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Blister Recommended Shop: SkiBootRX

Carv | Use code BLISTER32 for 10% of...

Today we’ve got 2 episodes in 1 for you. We first talk about the biggest development in the world of snowsports gear: dual BOA ski boots. Joining Jonathan for that conversation are Salomon’s Lauren Samuels and Cesar Brouck, and you’re going to learn a lot more about the Dual BOA system in general, and also some of the very specific design decisions that Salomon made to implement this system into their new S/Pro Supra dual BOA ski boot. Then, we dive deep into the weeds with Quentin Boutry, the man behind Salomon’s new 4th generation of QST skis...

After a great day of skiing together, Jonathan talked with Jake Stevens (Rossignol’s Winter Sports Equipment Director for North America) about world-cup race skis vs. recreational skis: what do they have in common; how do they incorporate technological advances; and what are the available options between skis designed to win gold medals and those designed to have fun on the weekends with your family and friends? It’s a conversation that is guaranteed to get you thinking about various approaches to the mountain — and your own approach to sliding around on snow.

RELATED LINKS:

OpenSn...

Freeride athlete Nat Segal has had a long and impressive journey as a professional skier, and part of this journey has been getting in a properly fitting ski boot. Our Blister Recommended Shop, Pulse Boot Labs and Ski Co., has been an important part of this process. 

So, Kara Williard sat down with Nat and Bryn Vickers from Pulse to hear about bootfitting from an athlete’s perspective; Nat’s current setup; bootfitting stories from her career; and we hear about some recent filmmaking projects, including her latest short film, Mountain Joy, which covers her journey of ma...

For the first time in company history, Armada is releasing a ski boot: the AR ONE. It’s a project that’s been in development for five years, and this release comes with a number of questions, like: why do a boot? And why now? What sort of boot is the AR ONE, how is it different from what’s out there, and … who's it for? We discuss all of these questions and more with Matt Rihm, Armada’s VP of Product, and Bransford Briggs, Ski Boot Product Manager.

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CARV: getcarv.com (use code BLIST...

Luke and Jonathan discuss some of the frontside skis they’ve recently been on; why choosing the right frontside ski requires as much consideration as any other type of ski; and they give an update on how they’ve been using the CARV system (so far) to enhance their ski reviews.

RELATED LINKS:

1: Blister Rec Shop: Alpenglow Sports

2: Taos Ski Valley

3: Blister Summit 2025: Learn More

4: Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

TOPICS & TIMES:

Alpenglow Sports (1:12)

Taos (2:26)

Blister Summit 2025 (3:10)

Frontside Skis (8:20)

...

In the latest installment of our “Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting” series, Kara Williard is joined by Master Bootfitter & Instructor — and Founder of Boot Mechanics, a Blister Recommended Shop  — Jeremy Johnston. This one is all about you, the audience, as we make our way through a bunch of your questions. We discuss the process of stance alignment; what’s happening on both ends of the spectrum when it comes to low-volume and high-volume boot design; the process of downsizing; forward lean and ramp angle; and a bunch of other bootfitting mysteries and complexities. 

RELATED LINKS:

1: Blister Rec...

This week, DPS introduced a new product that represents quite a departure for the company: the DPS Carbon Pisteworks 79. And today, you’re going to hear one of the deepest dives we’ve ever done on GEAR:30 about the design and development of a new ski; how Blister Labs was involved; and the lengthy process of developing a ‘metal ski without the metal.’

RELATED LINKS:

Blister Rec. Shop: Powder Hound

Submit your Bootfitting Questions

Blister Summit 2025

Blister Pod: Jonathan on this DPS Prototype

Blister Pod: Ted Ligety on this...

Today, Olin Glenne, the owner of Sturtevants bike & ski shop is back on GEAR:30 to talk about the state of the bike industry and ski industry; the World Cup Finals that are being held in Sun Valley in March of 2025; Sun Valley’s impressive ski race programs and some things those programs are doing that might be good ideas for race programs elsewhere to consider. Olin and Jonathan also talk a lot about ski tuning and ski finishing; ski base flatness (and who should obsess the most about it); and more.

RELATED LINKS

1: 5850 Fest

...

Luke and Jonathan offer their early-season reviewer reports, then Jonathan talks to Bangtail Bike & Ski’s new owner about why he did something that no other shop in the world has done — but why others might want to.

RELATED LINKS

1: Blister Rec Shop: Powder7.com

2: GetCarv.com, use code: BLISTER32

3: Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

4: Get Our Winter Buyer’s Guide

5: Blister Summit 2025: Learn More

TOPICS & TIMES

Powder 7 (1:44)

Carv Update (3:04)

JE’s Updates (5:01)

Powder / Chop Skis Episode (5:46)

James...

CARV is a slick and sophisticated system that aims to help skiers improve their skiing and have more fun on snow. And this winter, Blister is partnering with CARV to do 2 things: (1) see how — and how well — CARV accomplishes this for our team of Blister reviewers; and (2) see if the analysis we get from CARV provides insights that will enhance our ski reviews. So if you’re a fan of new tech, high edge angles, and / or getting better at skiing, listen up.

RELATED LINKS

1: Blister Rec Shop: Pulse Boot Lab & Ski Co

2: Get Yo...

Recently, Austin Smith created a stir when he posted a video of a prototype of a snowboard binding … that rotates. So Jonathan talks with Austin about the idea, his prototyping process, the testing process, and his predictions for whether we’ll see a development like this come to market.

RELATED LINKS

OpenSnow.com/buy (use code Blister50)

Blister Rec Shop: Teton Village Sports

Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

Get Our Winter Buyer’s Guide

TOPICS & TIMES:

OpenSnow Deal for GEAR:30 Listeners (1:30)

Blister Rec Shop: Teton...

On this week’s episode, Kara Williard sits down with some of the crew from our Blister Recommended Shop, Powder7, to quiz them on gear; discuss the skis, boots, and outerwear they’re most excited about this season; gear they’re sad to see go; the best and worst topsheets; and get some of their hot takes. 

Then we dive into the topic of circular business and how Powder7 has maintained this as a key part of their business model since they were based out of a garage through their ski trade-in / ski recycling program.

RELAT...

The snow’s been falling here in Crested Butte, and we’re already fantasizing about those really deep days. So today, Jonathan Ellsworth and Paul Forward are discussing pow skis. They start by making the case for wide pow skis, then, they talk about a bunch of current pow skis, old pow skis, and some design specifics that they think are good ideas when you’re building a wide ski that’s designed to float for days.

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The C...

Jonathan talks with Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, about Moment’s latest skis; some former Moment skis; some other companies’ skis; Moment snowboards?; why Hoji is a traitor(!!); and more.

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VIDEO: Luke J @ the Blister Summit

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Company Overview & Mt. Rose (5:41)

Factory Updates (8:43)

Snowboards?? (17:08)

Moment’s 24/25 Lineup (22:58)

Deathwish 104 & Countach 110 (23:36)

Wildcat (29:32)

Meridian (35:18)

Countach 104 vs the old Belafonte (40:39)

Commander Series & Touring...

Kara Williard catches up with Drew and Rachel Harding of our Blister Recommended Shop, Spokane Alpine Haus, to hear all about the exciting recent developments at the shop; how this news runs counter to a lot of what you see from local retailers these days; what ski / snowboard gear they’re excited about for the 24/25 season, and more. 

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Spokane Alpine Haus

Blister Recommended Shops 

Become a BLISTER+ Member

24/25 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide

TOPICS & TIMES

Store Background (1:39)

Big Announcement & All the Detail...

When it comes to gear, we’ve all been there: loads of questions, crippling confusion, severe analysis paralysis. You need some help! So in this edition of GEAR THERAPY, BLISTER+ member, Pete Brantley, talks about getting back into skiing and playing football for the Oregon Ducks (and Chicago Bears!). Then he poses his most-pressing gear questions, and gets Jonathan’s best recommendations.

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24/25 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide

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Pete’s Story & ‘Hot Dog… The Movie’ (4:15)

Football...

We talk to ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, about the 24/25 ON3P lineup; building skis in Portland, Oregon; and we dive into the weeds about numerous aspects of ski design and ski manufacturing that you really won’t hear about anywhere else.

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OpenSnow.com/buy (code: BLISTER50)

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Crafted Podcast: Scott Andrus on Knives

Crafted Podcast: Scott Andrus on Coffee

TOPICS & TIMES:

Overview of New Stuff at ON3P (3:00)

Orig...

Today we’re talking about exploding fabrics, microwaving hotdogs, and whether the color of your jacket affects its performance. Dr. Jeni Blacklock is back to discuss all of this, and to provide an update on the Blister Labs’ testing that’s been happening at the Rady School of Computer Science & Engineering at Western Colorado University, as part of the partnership program between Blister, Western Colorado University & the University of Colorado Boulder.

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Blister Cinemati...

We spend so much time reviewing the news these days on our Blister Podcast, we were officially overdue to have Cody Townsend back on GEAR:30 to talk about his current gear preferences and the specific gear he’s using most these days. So today, we remedy that.

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Blister Cinematic

Blister Podcast

Bikes & Big Ideas

CRAFTED

TOPICS & TIMES:

Cody’s Pre-Season Training (3:00)

Coff...

A Pedorthist is someone who is trained in the assessment of lower limb anatomy, biomechanics, and, of course – feet. Heather Van Glider is not only a Pedorthist, but also an experienced ski bootfitter, making her particularly well suited for the latest installment of our Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting series.

We dive into the importance of custom insoles and orthotics; why they are beneficial for not only ski boots, but other types of footwear; how Heather thinks through some of the biomechanics related to skiing; what it’s like to run a women-owned and operated bootfitting opera...

Dan Abrams from Flylow is back to talk about toxic positivity, slide gliding, burrito grease, the Palisades base vs. Alpine base of Palisades Tahoe, what’s going on at Flylow, how they’re handling the transition away from PFAS, a few of Dan’s favorite pieces, and more.

Also, we’re proud to announce that Flylow is the first apparel company to commit to covering their international athletes with BLISTER+, which is another step forward in getting sponsored athletes better protected than they’ve ever been. That’s a big deal, and shout out to Dan and Flylow f...

This week Venture Snowboards announced that they will also be making Venture skis. So Jonathan talked with Venture’s Klem Branner about why skis — and why skis now; what’s harder or easier about making skis vs snowboards; and what, exactly, is this new ski of theirs, the Sultan?

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Blister Cinematic

Blister Podcast

Bikes & Big Ideas

CRAFTED

TOPICS & TIMES:

New Skis & Old Sweatshi...

Since we’re releasing soon the 10th edition of our Really Big Book, Jonathan talks with Luke Koppa and Kara Williard about our latest buyer’s guide (pre-order ends on 9.01.24), what’s in it, how it’s evolved, and of course, we talk about that super sexy cover photo….

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Pre-Order: Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s Guide

TOPICS & TIMES:

BLISTER+ Members: Check Yo Inbox! (1:48)

Mtn Town Advice w/ Cody (2:24)

‘Rocky’ as Running Movie? (3:15)

Big News in the Outdoor Industry (4:00)

Overview of...

Nikolai Schirmer has made quite a name for himself by sometimes sailing to — and then, almost always climbing up — very technical lines, then often flashing those lines at ridiculous speeds on relatively lightweight gear. Today, Niko and Jonathan have the great debate about pin bindings; talk about Niko’s approach to selecting gear; discuss the specific gear he’s currently using the most; when & why he prefers lightweight ski gear, and we end with Niko announcing for the first time in public the name of his new film, which is his biggest project ever.

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Today we’ve got another episode of our “Reviewing the Reviewer” series, where we ask our reviewers questions about their backgrounds and gear preferences to give you a more complete picture of the people behind our reviews. In the hot seat is bike reviewer, Zack Henderson, but in addition to mountain biking and gravel riding, Zack is also a snowboarder and a skier, so our conversation is almost equal parts bike, board, and ski talk. Jonathan also starts the episode by remembering our friend and fellow reviewer, Eric Freson.

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Pre-Order: Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s Guide<...

Interested in ski design? Curious about where the next advancements in ski design might come from? Dr. Sean Humbert is back to provide an update on our Blister Labs’ ski flex project and to go over some of the results and takeaways from the on-snow ski testing and dynamic modeling from this past ski season.

Blister Labs is a partnership between BLISTER and the Western Colorado University - CU Boulder Partnership Program.

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The Published Paper on this Project

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Pr...

Imagine being in freezing temperatures on a glacier and having to remove your harness and several layers of clothing just to pee. What about scrambling around a desolate desert looking for a place to pull down your pants in private? Maybe you don’t have to imagine — maybe you’re part of half the population who have to wear pants that weren’t originally designed for your anatomy.

Gnara is an apparel company that has spent the last several years working to solve this problem with the advent of their “GoFly Technology,” a patented zipper that allows you t...

Wool has seen quite the resurgence in technical apparel over the past couple decades, and for good reason — it’s breathable, odor-resistant, and manages moisture better than most natural fibers. However, the way that most wool is spun into yarns can hamper its natural performance traits — at least, that’s what Nuyarn CEO, Andy Wynne, claims, and it’s why Nuyarn set out to come up with an entirely new way to use wool in technical fabrics. 

On today’s episode, Luke Koppa sits down with Andy to get the details on the traditional methods of yarn spinning; why...

How has the ski / snowboard season in the southern hemisphere been this year? To find out, we caught up with Benji Knight and Darren Grimmett from Outside Sports in New Zealand; we also cover the gear trends they’re noticing in their area, and then they peel back the curtain on how, exactly, a local shop curates the collection of gear they offer — often picked from thousands of options — for their specific location and customers.

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Our Blister Recommended Shop: Outside Sports

A Guide to Skiing in New Zealand, Ep.260

Bliste...

Camille Jaccoux, co-founder of Black Crows Skis, is back on GEAR:30 to catch up on what the brand has been up to since last we spoke four years ago; the legacy of the iconic Corvus; how they overhauled it for 24/25; other new products they’re rolling out this winter; and a whole lot more.

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Bag Balm: use code BLISTER to get 20% off

BLISTER+: Become a Member

Camille Jaccoux on Blister Podcast Ep.144

Camille & Julien Regnier on GEAR:30 Ep.64

TOPICS & TIMES:

Black Crows Since th...

Sean Fearon is a ski development engineer at LINE & K2, and he’s been busy — between the two sister brands’ 24/25 collections, Sean helped design over a dozen of the new skis. So Luke Koppa sat down with Sean to get the details on LINE’s new Pandora, Vision, and Optic skis (and how they all relate to each other); the overhauled K2 Reckoner and Omen series; working with Karl Fostvedt to create his unique pro model, the Reckoner KF, and more. He also peels back the curtain on what it actually means to be a ski designer / engineer, why his job...

Since Jonathan missed our GEAR:30 ‘travel gear’ conversation a few weeks ago, he wanted to weigh in. So he and Kristin Sinnott open by discussing their recent trips; they discuss the question of ‘why we travel?’; and then, they dive into some of their favorite travel gear.

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Recap of our Recent Trips (6:28)

Snake Bite Black story (12:46)

Italy (18:01)

Why Do We Travel? (28:40)

Florence...

Launching your own outdoor apparel company is no small feat, especially if it’s a one-woman operation. But with Curious Creatures, that’s exactly what Tasha Woodworth has done, and Kara Williard sat down with Tasha to hear all about her unique path to where she is today, as well as the ups, downs, and key takeaways from the journey. 

We discuss how Tasha’s background in both the fashion industry and ski racing helped her along the way; what it means to be a “curious creature”; how the ski racing “beat down” prepared her for building a smal...

Taylor Ahearn has been photographing skiing, snowboarding, biking, and day-to-day life in the Gunnison / Crested Butte Valley for many years now, and in this conversation, Luke Koppa chats with him about how he turned that into a career; their favorite camera-related gear; tips to help *you* capture better photos next time you’re outside; the most rewarding, frustrating, and unusual parts of getting these shots; and more. If you’re curious about how people like Taylor create such inspiring photos, or are looking to better capture your own time outside, you’ll definitely want to stick around.

RELATE...

For this episode, Luke Koppa sat down with Kristin Sinnott to go over some of the products they’ve found useful, surprising, or otherwise noteworthy while on the road or hurtling through the sky. They also discuss extremely relevant things like camcorder storage solutions and dinosaur podcasts, the fact that Luke doesn’t actually like traveling, and more.

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Bag Balm: 20% Off w/ Code: BLISTER

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Kristin & Luke’s Recent Trips (6:29)

Travel Essentials (9:14)

Camcor...

In part 2 of this GEAR THERAPY mini-saga, Justin Bobb lays out his specific recommendations for boots, bindings, boards, & more to get Jonathan started on his snowboarding journey. They also discuss how many days on a board JE will need before he’s ready to head up to the Headwall at Crested Butte.

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Blister Rec Shop: Boone Mtn Sports

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Listen to Part One

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Blister Cinematic

CRAFTED

Bikes & Big Ideas

Blister Podcast

How much does knowing how to ski help when learning how to snowboard? How do you slam as little as possible while learning to ride? Why don’t snowboards have releasable bindings? These are a few of our Blister founder's questions as he learns to ‘think sideways.’

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Blister Rec Shop: Powder Hound

Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

TOPICS & TIMES:

Hot Dog…The Movie (4:56)

Snowboarding Status Update (8:33)

Slam Reduction Program (12:08)

Releasable Bindings? (14:32)

JE’s Snowboarding Goals (19:38)

Stance (21:21)

Visualizat...

At Blister Summit 2024, we got a state of the union on the present and future of ski boot design from 3 people with a wealth of experience in this world: Eric “Hoji” Hjorleifson, Matt Manser, and Greg Klein. They cover everything from the reception and performance of BOA boots to Hoji’s new Dynafit Ridge Pro boot; cold feet (literal & metaphorical…), and much more.

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Blister YouTube Channel

Blister Recommended Shops

TOPICS:

Intro 4:12

BOA Ski Boots: How’s It Gone So Far? 5:36<...

We’re back with Eric Helmbrecht, co-owner of Powder Hound in Girdwood, AK, to discuss Alaska’s banner El Niño season; the gear he enjoyed most; the gear Kara Williard brought to Girdwood; what’s changed at Alyeska Resort since joining the Ikon pass; the reliability of various AT & alpine bindings, and more.

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Shop Talk: Powder Hound, Girdwood, AK (Ep.133)

Shop Talk: Celebrating 10 Years of Powder Hound in Girdwood, AK (Ep.222)

Trends, Favorite Gear, and Most / Least Durable Products, with Eric Helmbrecht of Powder Hound AK (Ep.41) 

Get Yo...

Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the new skis they’ve been testing this spring

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Blister Rec Shop: Powder Hound

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Intro & Updates (2:36)

Blizzard Anomaly 88 (9:50)

K2 Omen Team (20:00)

Blizzard Anomaly 94 (23:32)

Armada Declivity X 102 & Declivity X 108 (33:58)

Moment Commander 102 (40:46)

Line Pandora 99 & Pandora 106 (49:14)

Black Crows Corvus (57:38)

Rossignol Sender Free 118 (1:03:57)

Crashes & Close Calls (1:10:07)

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Blister Cinematic

CR...

After years in the backcountry and a near-death experience, IFMGA Guide, Jeff Banks, wanted to build a tool that could simplify and improve the decision-making of any backcountry user. The result is Aspect Avy. 

Kara Williard sat down with Jeff to discuss how this app compares to and complements other backcountry tools; key features such as Adaptive Slop Shading and “No Go Zones”; how it accounts for human factors; different types of risk; the general state of tech in the backcountry; and more.

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Download Aspect Avy for FREE

Blist...

What’s in and what’s out in ski design? And how have U.S. ski companies been doing over the past few years? At Blister Summit 2024, we discussed this and much more with Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, and Icelantic Skis founder, Ben Anderson. We cover notable trends; why skis cost what they do; the challenges of manufacturing skis in the U.S.; whether a core-shot-proof ski is possible, and more.

And, if you’d like to check out the video of this conversation, then head over to the BLISTER YouTube channel to watch this, plus o...

This week, Jonathan, Luke, Kara, Kristin, and JBobb were testing a bunch of skis, boots, snowboards, and apparel in Taos Ski Valley. But it was more than just a review trip, since it was also the first time back at TSV for several of us who previously spent many seasons there — which meant there were a lot of feelings.

So in this conversation, we discuss a number of the carving-oriented and narrower all-mountain skis we were on this week; Luke’s food choices; the heated debate between Taos’ Chair 2 (West Basin) vs Chair 12 (Kachina Peak); and more. ...

Luke Koppa and Kara Williard talk with Trygve Sande, one of the founders of Vertical Playground (VPG), which is our Blister Recommended Shop in Oppdal, Norway, to get a read on the past, present, and future of backcountry gear. We discuss current trends; all-time pivotal pieces of gear; the most durable products; the easiest ones to use; gear that helps break down the barriers to entry; skiing in Norway; and last but not least, Trygve’s involvement and collaboration with Hoji and 4FRNT’s new concept ski. 

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Vertical Playground 

GEAR:30 Ep.169: Vertic...

Today we’re discussing current helmet technology, head injuries, and best practices for skiers & snowboarders with Blister reviewer (and physician assistant), Sascha Anastas; Sr. Director of R&D at Giro, Steven Kennedy; the CMO of MIPS, Frederik Kjellberg; and pro skier, Drew Petersen.

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Blister Recommended Shop: Boone Mtn Sports

Get Covered: BLISTER+

VIDEOS: Blister YouTube Channel

TOPICS & TIMES:

MIPS Backstory & Purpose (4:28)

Skull Fractures & Concussions (9:10)

Helmet R&D & Various Testing Standards (14:50)

Athlete Perspective on Helmet Testing (19:56)

Advice for Bu...

Jeremy Jones was in town last week, so in addition to getting out on snow together, Jonathan and he sat down in Blister HQ in Elevation Hotel to talk about gear reviews; the biggest gear mistakes riders make; full-camber vs. no-camber boards; soft vs. hard boots (including Shane McConkey’s tinkering on that front); and more.

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Blister Recommended Shop: Willi’s

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Jeremy & Xavier Nidecker on Re-Up Tech

TOPICS & TIMES:

Riding CBMR, CBMR Freeride Comp (3:35)

Jonathan Boarding, Jeremy Getting on Skis (6:00)

How should you think about ski boot flex patterns, and which one is “right” for you? For the latest installment of our “Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting” series, Kara Williard talks with bootfitter and Pulse Boot Lab’s Revelstoke store manager, Bryn Vickers, to cover the complex and often misunderstood aspects of ski boot flex. 

We discuss how the ankle joint and an individual’s biomechanics are the most important pieces of the puzzle; what exactly boot “flex” even means when it comes to on-snow performance; the many variables that determine what flex pattern might work best for you; and...

Luke Koppa sits down with Kristin Sinnott, Jonathan Ellsworth, Kara Williard, and Justin Bobb to do a bit of a recap on our 2024 Blister Summit, which took place in Mt. Crested Butte last week. We go over a few of the MANY highlights of the event, and then dive into a bunch of the standout products they were each able to try at the Summit.

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Blister Recommended Shop: Sturtevants

Blister Summit 2024: A Brief Recap of an Epic Event

BLISTER+ Membership: Sign Up  

TOPICS & TIMES:

Catching Up...

Kara Williard sits down with Katy Jackson, co-founder and CEO of our Blister Recommended Shop, Lone Pine Gear Exchange, to understand the logistics of running a robust consignment program; how to shop for and sell used gear; the importance of consignment for both accessibility and sustainability in outdoor recreation; gear repair; planting trees; how living off-grid led her and her husband to where they are today; and a whole lot more. 

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Lone Pine Gear Exchange | 15% off your first order with code: BLISTER15 

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BLISTER Recommended Shops

Dr. Sean Humbert is back to provide an update on our Blister Labs’ ski flex project, and to explain how and why ski boots are becoming an integral part of this project, too.

RELATED LINKS:

Boone Mountain Sports

OpenSnow

Last Chance! Blister Summit 2024

BLISTER+: Get Yourself Covered

TOPICS & TIMES:

Scope of the Project (6:26)

Dynamic Modeling (7:05)

Machine Learning (17:50)

Creating a Profile? (23:28)

The Holy Grail Project & Ski Boots (28:18)

Blister Summit / Blister Labs (41:09)

CHECK OUT OUR OT...

Luke Koppa, Dylan Wood, and Eric Freson join Kara Williard to talk about the epic storm cycle we recently had in Crested Butte, and the powder-ski testing that followed. We also discuss several of the new all-mountain skis we’ve been on lately; Dylan’s new favorite ski poles; a standout touring boot; 3D-printed custom goggles; and a bunch of Crashes & Close Calls. 

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Episode Sponsor: Spokane Alpine Haus

Join Us at Blister Summit 2024

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TOPICS & TIMES:

Pow Skis (4:19)

All...

Luke Koppa sits down with Kyle Siegel, the founder of Raide, which is one of the newest players in the backcountry softgoods category. They launched with a lightweight 40-liter backpack that immediately made a splash when it was released, so we sat down with Kyle to learn about how — and why — he started Raide.

We cover the problems he’s looking to solve; how he went about doing so with the Raide LF 40 pack; we do a deep dive on some of the latest high-end, ultralight pack materials; the challenges and benefits of running a new, small busines...

Are you an “expert” skier or rider? Advanced skier? Intermediate? What’s the difference between “advanced” and “expert”? Today, we’re following up on our GEAR:30 conversation with Luke Koppa (episode 277) to revisit these questions — having received a lot of great responses from all of you. Joining Jonathan today to rethink these things is Jordan Jones, co-founder and president of Powder7, to provide a retailer’s perspective on these things. See what you think, and let us know whether you think we ought to change or tweak our 6 ability level categories for Community Reviews.

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OpenSnow.com/Blist...

Today, we’re following up last week’s episode, where we looked back at 2023’s “Gear Of The Year,” and we’re now looking forward to 2024. Jonathan Ellsworth, Kara Williard, Justin Bobb, and Luke Koppa attempt to predict what’s “in” and what’s “out,” what trends will be revived, what categories will see the most change, and spin off into several other tangents.

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Episode Sponsor: OpenSnow.com/Blister

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Join Us! Blister Summit 2024

Ep. 278: Gear of the Year, 2023

TOPICS & TIMES:

2023 Gear Trends (2:26...

Jonathan Ellsworth sits down with Luke Koppa, Kara Williard, and Justin Bobb to reflect on some of the standout products and notable trends that defined the past year in ski and snowboard gear. 

So, what trend does Luke think is “the gear equivalent of superhero movies?” How many BOA dials has JBobb broken in a decade as a self-described BOA convert? What’s Kara’s pick for the “Not New But Still Amazing Award?” Take a listen and find out.

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Episode Sponsor: Taos Ski Valley

Blister Recommended Shop: Zimmermann’s Skis, Boards...