GEAR:30 Podcast
This is where we geek out hard & go deep into the details about the most important outdoor gear.
Recent Episodes:
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. Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, Paul Forward, and our great friend,...
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...
Luke and Jonathan 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...
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 started Alpacka Raft, and...
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, and wrap up with an important challenge to all outdoor...
Today’s episode contains a number of “firsts.” So tune in to learn about a new collab between Spark R&D and ATK bindings, or tune in to hear Jonathan caught completely off guard multiple times.
We discuss some of our favorite gear we’ve used this summer, and make the argument for the single greatest piece of summer gear. But we begin by discussing our Weekly Blister Survey question, and bottom...
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...
Jonathan talks with Sito Luis Salas, the CEO of NNormal, about NNormal founder, Kilian Jornet, plus the NNormal name, its origin story, and its well-defined principles. NNormal is a company you’ll be hearing...
Jonathan talks to the FWT champ, 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...
Luke and Jonathan 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...
Jonathan lays out his thoughts about the Peak Skis debacle, Luke Koppa offers his perspective too, and we discuss what we think needs to happen going forward.
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...
In this panel discussion from Blister Summit 2025, we asked apparel designers from Patagonia, Flylow, Ortovox, and Rab to discuss what you should expect from the new generation of PFAS-free apparel; how...
Today, 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 wins and fails; and our reviewers weigh in on which...
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 today our team is zooming out and comparing the ski vs bike...
Jonathan and Luke answer your questions, including 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...
Jonathan talks to BLISTER members, Bobak Farzin and Lukas Friedli, who teamed up to take on the famous Haute Route. We talk about their trip; the gear they used; what worked well for them; what worked...
Luke, Kristin, and Jonathan discuss some of the skis, boots, and bindings that have stood out during their recent testing; Luke’s experience at Palisades Tahoe + Level 1 SuperUnknown; which ski socks they...
What new ideas emerge when you bring together makers of hybrid ski bindings and AT bindings and snowboard bindings and splitboard bindings? At the Blister Summit, we brought together Will Ritter of Spark...