Reviewer Reports: Longer-Travel Enduro Bikes (Ep.59)
We talk to Blister bike editor, David Golay, about 4 longer-travel enduro bikes from Privateer, Santa Cruz, Rocky Mountain, & Marin that he’s been spending time on in the PNW.
Jonathan Ellsworth
Blister Summit Brand Lineups: Folsom Skis 21/22
We sat down with Folsom Custom Skis CEO, Mike McCabe, to talk about two of the most surprising skis of the Blister Summit; how Folsom does things; Mike’s thoughts on the Blister Summit; and more.
Hoji on the Dynafit Radical Pro; the Hoji Hole; & More (Ep.141)
Our patron saint of GEAR:30 is back on the show today, and we talked to Hoji about the new Dynafit Radical Pro; how it compares to the Hoji Free boot; the evolution of the “Hoji Hole” testing prototypes; and more.
Blister Summit Brand Lineups: ROSSIGNOL 21/22
At the Blister Summit, we dove deep into Rossignol’s 21/22 ski lineup, with Rossi’s alpine category manager, Jake Stevens. We discussed the decision to kill the “7 Series” and the Soul 7; what they are going for with their Black Ops series that replaces it; why “-ish” is a very important suffix for Rossignol; and more.
Cam Smith on Setting The Grand Traverse Record & Training for Skiing, Running, & Mtn Biking (Ep.163)
Last Sunday, Cam Smith and Tom Goth set a new record at the Grand Traverse, which is a point-to-point ski race from Crested Butte to Aspen. Starting at midnight, racers travel 40 miles across the Elk Mountain range, climbing over 6,800 vertical feet. Cam is also a repeat winner of the Triple Crown of The Grand Traverse, so we talked to Cam about his record-setting night; skiing vs. skimo; his World Cup ski goals; and how he specifically trains for skiing and mountain running and mountain biking.
Ski Boot Liners: Zipfit & Atomic Mimic Professional (Ep.140)
Sascha Anastas and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss a couple of new liners they’re reviewing: the Zipfit World Cup liner and the Atomic Mimic Professional liner.
Kera Linn is Coming Up Fast (Ep.58)
We talk to Kera Linn about her rather meteoric rise in the mountain biking world — from her first time on a mountain bike, to her recent signing with Cannondale. We also talk about her equally interesting backstory (which includes playing all of the sports and going to all of the colleges) in this really fun conversation.
Blister Summit Athlete Panel: Elyse Saugstad, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, & Pep Fujas
At our Blister Summit, we talked to Elyse Saugstad, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, and Pep Fujas about this unusual ski season; the evolution of the ski industry; their best advice to aspiring pros; thoughts on ski gear; and more.
Daryl Murphy on Miles for Justice (Ep.83)
Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Daryl Murphy about his Miles For Justice project; why he’s been running 5k or more every single day for over 300 days; his running background; his ideas about the future of Miles For Justice; and more.
Video: Blister Summit Panel on Ski Boot Design
In the Blister Summit panel on Ski Boot Design, we talk to three key people in the world of ski boots: Thor Verdonk, global brand director of Lange ski boots; Matt Manser, product manager of Atomic ski boots; and Stefano Mantegazza, product manager of the Tecnica Group. We discuss their design philosophies; whether we should get rid of flex ratings; whether a precise-fitting boot can be a warm boot; the most frustrating trend in ski design today; where the biggest innovations are currently taking place; and more.
MADE: Custom Technical Apparel (Ep.139)
MADE is a new company that’s setting out to make custom technical apparel. Their 3 co-founders are all veterans of the technical apparel and outdoor industries, and Luke Koppa and I talked to Cheryl LeBarr, Capri Philip, and Dustin Butcher about why they started MADE and how they are making this happen.
2021-2022 Volkl Katana 108
The Volkl Katana was an absolute classic of a ski that was beloved by many. Volkl brought back the Katana name this season, and you can now check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons of the new Katana 108.
Deep Dive: Volkl Katana 108
We compare the Katana 108 to the old Katana, Volkl Mantra 102, Head Monster 108, Blizzard Cochise 106, Dynastar M-Pro 105 / Pro Rider, Folsom Blister Pro 104, Rossignol Blackops Sender Ti, Black Crows Corvus, Fischer Ranger 107 Ti, Prior Husume, Nordica Enforcer 100, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, 4FRNT MSP 107, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, J Skis Hotshot, Salomon QST 106, Dynastar M-Free 108, & ON3P Woodsman 108.
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Cassie Abel on Wild Rye, Women-Led Wednesday (Ep.57)
Cassie Abel is the co-founder and CEO of Wild Rye, which is a company that creates apparel for women-identifying outdoor-lovers, regardless of age, background, size, or skill level. But Cassie is not only running a women's apparel company, she is working to change the entire business landscape for women.
Shop Talk: Escape Route, Whistler & Squamish (Ep.138)
We talk to Escape Route director, James Retty, about the shop’s backcountry-only focus; the ski culture(s) of the Sea-to-Sky Corridor; elephant snot; the new Dynafit Radical Pro boot; the Fritschi Tecton; avy pack comparisons, and more.
Rémy Métailler on Doing Stupid Stuff, Responsibly (Ep.56)
Rémy Métailler has described himself as someone who is “just trying to be as responsible as he can while doing stupid stuff.” So we spoke with him about his approach to riding super steep, gnarly lines, as well as his background, filming, Rampage, mullet bikes, and a whole lot more.
2021-2022 Blizzard Bonafide 97
The Blizzard Bonafide has long been a reference point in the all-mountain category, but these days, it might stand out more than ever before. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons of the overhauled Bonafide 97.
Deep Dive: Blizzard Bonafide 97
We compare the Bonafide 97 to the previous Bonafide, Head Monster 98, Blizzard Cochise 106, Salomon Stance 96, Nordica Enforcer 100, Nordica Enforcer 94, Volkl M5 Mantra, J Skis Masterblaster, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Fischer Ranger 99 Ti, Dynastar M-Pro 99, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Salomon QST 99, Blizzard Rustler 9, & 4FRNT MSP 99.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(If you're already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Feb 2021) (Ep.162)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the new rule changes re: filming in National Parks; whether it’s okay to leave your skis in the lift line to hold your spot; the future of freeride comps; the record number of avalanche fatalities in the U.S. this season; a new development in backcountry skiing; the shocking story of Dean Cummings; and we share some music, tv, and book recommendations.
Blister Summit Recap & New Ski Reviews (Ep.137)
Luke Koppa, Sascha Anastas, Kara Williard, and Jonathan Ellsworth offer a recap of our inaugural Blister Summit in Mt. Crested Butte, then discuss a number of skis from 4FRNT, Rossignol, Wagner Custom Skis, Dynastar, Icelantic Skis, WNDR Alpine, and Folsom Custom Skis that we spent time on at the Summit.