Blister Reviewer BadgeJonathan Ellsworth

Ski Boot Engineering Manager for Full Tilt and K2 Ski Boots, Austin Peters, goes on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast to discuss the history and future of Full Tilt Ski Boots

Full Tilt Ski Boots: Past & Present (Ep.92)

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Full Tilt ski boots are beloved by some (including the likes of Bode Miller, Tom Wallisch, Seth Morrison, and Sammy Carlson), but they get pigeonholed by others who think of them as only being for park rats. So we talk to Austin Peters, the Ski Boot Engineering Manager for Full Tilt and K2 Ski Boots, about the history of Full Tilt; what makes them unique; why you might opt for a Full Tilt over an overlap boot; and what’s new for 20/21.
Jonathan Ellsworth reviews the Lange XT3 130 for Blister

2021-2022 Lange XT3 130

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Lange’s XT series of boots have been staples in the “freeride touring” category for many years now, and Lange is overhauling the lineup for 20/21. Check out our First Look & Flash Review of the new XT3 130.
Ryan Van Duzer goes on Blister's Off The Couch Podcast to discuss his running career, YouTube channel Running With Ryan, & More

Ryan Van Duzer on Snakes, YouTube, the Burning Man Ultra, & More (Ep.43)

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Ryan Van Duzer has a YouTube series called, Running with Ryan. And last fall, as our Off The Couch co-host, Brendan Leonard, was nearing his goal of running 52 marathons in 52 weeks, Ryan had Brendan as a guest on Running with Ryan. So we thought we’d give Brendan the chance to turn the tables and have him interview Ryan, and that proved to be a good idea. They talk about snakes; biking across the country; starting his YouTube channel; the Burning Man Ultra; and a whole lot more.
Blister Outdoor Gear review Crested Butte

Without Precedent: COVID-19, Ski Area Closures, & Ski Towns (Ep.122)

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We talk to veteran ski industry reporter, Jason Blevins of the Colorado Sun, about the COVID-19 pandemic and this past weekend’s historic and abrupt mass closure of ski areas. We discuss what, exactly, is going on; what is likely to come next; the impact on ski towns; and what each of us should and shouldn’t be doing right now.
Simon Stewart breaks down the basics of servicing your bike on Blister's Bikes and Big Ideas podcast

The Basics of Servicing Your Bike, with Simon Stewart (Ep. 18)

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For many of us, it will soon be time to dust off our bikes and get back to riding. So what are some of the most important things you can do to your bike if you haven’t been riding it? To answer this, we talked to Simon Stewart, who has a long history in the bike industry, and who currently owns and runs the bike shop, Boneshaker Cycles, in Buena Vista, Colorado.
Joe Grant joins Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth on the Off the Couch Podcast

Joe Grant: Adventurer, Endurance Athlete, & Storyteller (Ep.42)

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Joe Grant is an endurance athlete, a mountain runner, a reader, a writer, a thinker, a filmmaker, and, as you are about to find out, an exceptional storyteller. In this conversation, Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Joe about how he got into running; racing (and winning) the 2008 Caballo Blanco Copper Canyon Ultra and how that affected his life; his Tour de Fourteeners, a self-powered and self-supported link up of all Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks by bike and on foot; and a whole lot more.
Bobby Brown goes on the Blister Podcast to discuss his competition and filming career.

Bobby Brown on Big Air & Backcountry Skiing

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Bobby Brown is one of the best slopestyle and big-air comp skiers of all time, but he’s currently focused on finding out what he’s capable of in the backcountry. So I talked to Bobby about his trajectory; the art of landings, air awareness, and making mid-air adjustments; who he most enjoys watching these days; what’s next for him; and more.
Jonathan Ellsworth, Kristin Sinnott, & Luke Koppa discuss on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast some of the K2, Blizzard, Nordica, Rossignol, Dynastar, & WNDR Alpine skis they've been reviewing, and more.

New Skis, Tight Pants, & Farm Animal Analogies (Ep.90)

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Luke Koppa, Kristin Sinnott, and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the new skis, boots, and apparel they’ve been testing, including products from K2, Blizzard, Nordica, Rossignol, WNDR Alpine, Atomic, Dynastar, & more. We also discuss what skis we prefer for off-piste, icy conditions; the merits of slim-fit ski pants; which ski boots are best described as “donkeys”; and more.
Jonathan Ellsworth, David Golay, Ben Sims, & Noah Bodman discuss on Blister's Bikes & Big Ideas podcast the upcoming 2020 UCI World Cup Downhill Mountain Bike Season

The Upcoming DH Season (Ep.17)

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The World Cup Downhill season starts in just a couple of weeks, so we checked in with Blister reviewers Noah Bodman, David Golay, and Ben Sims to get their thoughts on and predictions for the upcoming season. We also discuss the future prospects and popularity of World Cup DH racing versus the popularity and trajectory of Enduro World Series racing, and we place one very big wager on the upcoming season.
Hayden Hawks joins Jonathan Ellsworth on the Off the Couch Podcast

Hayden Hawks on the Black Canyon 100K & Western States (Ep.41)

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When a 15-year-old Hayden Hawks first learned about the Western States 100, he knew that he would someday get into running ultras, and it became his dream to race Western States. Fast forward 14 years later, and the now-29-year-old Hayden Hawks is a world-class runner, he’s just won the Black Canyon 100k, and he’s qualified to race Western States this June. So we talked to Hayden about his Black Canyon 100 win and the specific lessons he learned there. And we discuss his trajectory from running track in high school to where he is today, and more.
Tommy Caldwell presents at the Blister Speaker Series at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO.

Blister Speaker Series 2.5: Tommy Caldwell (Ep.120)

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Last week at Western Colorado University, we talked to Tommy Caldwell about speed climbing & setting the speed record on the Nose with Alex Honnold; strength vs. experience; how he focuses on climbing projects while also having more disparate responsibilities than ever; and how and why he’s become increasingly involved with environmental causes; and more.
Jonathan Ellsworth reviews the 2020-2021 Blizzard Cochise 106 for Blister

Flash Review: 20/21 Blizzard Cochise 106

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Update 3.2.20: we have a very exciting update on the new Cochise 106.

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.

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Drilling for Oil under Moab’s Slickrock Trail? (Ep.16)

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Recently, a preliminary proposal from the Bureau of Land Management was put forward to auction the right to drill for oil and natural gas under Moab’s Slickrock Trail, one of the most famous mountain bike trails in the world. How is this possible? And what should each of us be doing to protect our trails? For answers to these questions and to learn what exactly happened with Slickrock Trail, we talked to Ashley Korenblat, the founder of Public Land Solutions.
Sawyer Thomas talks about the Colter Route on Blister's Off the Couch Podcast

Chasing John Colter & Recreating the Colter Route (Ep. 40)

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Simply put, the exploits of the explorer, John Colter (who was a member of Lewis & Clarke’s famous expedition), are mind boggling. And in their short film, "Colter: A Legacy of Adventure," Sawyer Thomas and Riis Wilbrecht set out to venture through the territory John Colter had explored two centuries ago, across some of the most remote terrain in the lower 48 states. So we talked to Sawyer and Riis about John Colter and why they chose this particular adventure; the (serious) difficulty of running, skiing, and trekking through this terrain; the logistics of shooting this film; and more.
Atomic's Matt Manser goes on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast to discuss the new Atomic Hawx Prime XTD boot, Atomic's new Mimic Liners, Forward Lean, Ramp Angle, & More

A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 4: Liners, Ramp Angle, & Forward Lean (Ep.88)

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Ski boot liners are probably the most overlooked and least appreciated piece of ski gear out there, but they are a critical piece of equipment. So Matt Manser, the product manager of Atomic Ski Boots, is back to demystify the extremely complex, very expensive, and poorly understood category of ski boot liners. Along the way, we also discuss Atomic’s new “Mimic” liner technology and the new-for-next-season Hawx Prime XTD.

Deep Dive: Folsom Blister Pro 104

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We compare the Blister Pro 104 to the Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Nordica Enforcer 100, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Volkl Mantra 102, ON3P Woodsman 108, ON3P Wrenegade 108, Moment Wildcat 108, Blizzard Cochise, K2 Mindbender 99 Ti, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Salomon QST 106, Armada ARV 106Ti, Blizzard Rustler 10, 4FRNT MSP 107, and J Skis Metal.

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.)

Eric Walker talks with Jonathan Ellsworth and Brendan Leonard on the Off the Couch Podcast

Eric Walker on Running 5k a Day for 365 Days (Ep.39)

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By some measures, Eric Walker is a pretty normal guy. He lives in Minnesota, he’s not a professional runner, he’s 38 years old, and he’s a husband and a dad. But at some point in 2018, Eric found himself committed to the goal of running 5 kilometers every day for 365 days … and a year later, he’d done it. So Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talked to Eric to find out what motivated him to do this? How he actually pulled it off? What he learned in the process? And whether this something he thinks the rest of us should try?
Rob Coppalillo joins Jonathan Ellsworth on the Blister Podcast to talk about guiding.

Mtn Guide Rob Coppolillo on Backcountry Travel, Education, & Gear (Ep.119)

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We talk to IFMGA / AMGA mountain guide, Rob Coppolillo (author of The Mountain Guide Manual and the new book, The Ski Guide Manual) about how he got into guiding; the current state of backcountry and avalanche education; his take on the pros and cons of avalanche airbag packs; the fundamental question of the most effective way to travel in the backcountry; and more.
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