GEAR:30

Faction engineer, Daniel Tanzer; product manager, Josh Cohen; and North American marketing manager, Henrik Lampert go on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast to discuss Faction's history, the recent changes they've made, and the 2020-2021 Faction Lineup

Faction Skis: Company History & 20/21 Lineup (Ep.115)

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For some time now, Faction has been one of the hottest brands in skiing. But how much do you actually know about the company? This week we are talking about the history of the brand, some key moments in the company, and some big recent changes; what it’s like to go skiing with and design skis for Candide Thovex; and Faction’s lineup for the upcoming season.
Outdoor Research Essential Facemask

What Makes a Face Mask More or Less Effective? (Ep.112)

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Not all bikes or skis are equally good at all things — and the same goes for protective face masks. So we talked with Alex Lauver and Kat Schoewe of Outdoor Research about what type of masks are the most & least effective; how Outdoor Research’s work on medical-grade PPE has influenced their commercially available Essential Face Mask; we make some predictions about the upcoming ski season; and more.

WNDR Alpine’s 20/21 Lineup with Matt Sterbenz, Pep Fujas, & Xan Marshland (Ep.109)

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Matt Sterbenz, Pep Fujas, and Xan Marshland came to Crested Butte and sat down with us in Blister HQ to fill us in on WNDR Alpine’s new materials, new updates to the Intention 110, and their brand new ski, the Vital 100. And you’ll also hear some stories about Matt and Pep competing in slopestyle events against each other back in the day, and more.
Aprch co-founder, Adam Hunter, goes on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast to discuss CBD products and the outdoor industry, Aprch's products in particular, and more

Aprch, CBD, & the Story Behind an Emerging Category (Ep.107)

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This week we’re switching things up a bit and taking a close look at a massive emerging category — CBD products in general — and one specific company, Aprch. And to walk us through some of the relevant science, regulations, production processes, and the trajectory of this industry, we talk with Aprch co-founder, Adam Hunter.

Our Favorite Kid’s Gear, Part 1 (Ep.105)

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Kristin Sinnott and Justin Bobb join Jonathan Ellsworth to talk about some of the kid’s gear they’ve found to be the most game changing. And even if you don’t have kids, you should still listen to learn about a piece of gear that we’ve currently named, “The JBobber.” And there’s another piece of equipment that currently has a unanimous approval rating among our Blister parents, and might be the single greatest piece of kid’s gear of all time? Check it out.
Kingswood Skis founder, Alex Herbert, goes on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast to discuss ski design, the 2020 Southern Hemisphere ski season, and more

Kingswood Skis founder, Alex Herbert (Ep.104)

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Kingswood Skis is a custom indie ski manufacturer based on the South Island of New Zealand, and we caught up with Kingswood founder, Alex Herbert, to talk about ski materials, sidewalls, cosmetics & ski repairs, base material thickness, Kingswood’s rather unconventional Race Department.

Strongest Wheels on the Market? Revel Wheels & “Fusion Fiber” Ep.101

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We dive deep into the details with Revel Bikes founder, Adam Miller, about Revel’s new wheels — which he claims are the strongest wheels on the market — and this thing they’re using called “fusion fiber.” We talk about what fusion fiber is; their recyclability; the unique production process; other applications of fusion fiber, and more.
Eric Hjorleifson goes on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast to discuss what he's been tinkering with during the COVID-19 pandemic, his thoughts on Michael Jordan, the new 4FRNT x Pomoca collaboration, & more

Hoji on Tinkering, Climbing Skins, Monoskiing, & Michael Jordan (Ep.100)

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In celebration of episode #100, we of course had to have Hoji back on, our patron saint of GEAR:30. We discuss all the tinkering he’s been doing during quarantine; what ski gear has the most room for improvement; snowmobiles; climbing skins; monoskiing; and then, one of the all time greats talks about another all time great, Michael Jordan.

Your Questions + Our Review of PBR’s ‘Hard Coffee’ (Ep.99)

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What outdoor gear is in need of the biggest improvement? How old is too old to try your first backflip?; If you had to opt for skis that are too long or too short, which would you pick? What should I do with my life? How does one start reviewing for Blister? Could you please provide an unbiased review and comparison of the Blister Membership, Deep Dive Subscription, and Blister Premier Membership? Luke Koppa and Jonathan answer these and many more.
Eric Freson participates in "Reviewing the Reviewer" on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast

Reviewing the Reviewer: Eric Freson (Ep.98)

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On our latest “Reviewing the Reviewer” episode of GEAR:30, we talk to mountain bike and ski reviewer, Eric Freson, about his gear preferences; how many times he’s broken his neck; co-founding the freeride team at Western Colorado University; and Fresonisms like “torksmash” and “smokin rocks.”
Alex Rich joins Sam Shaheen on Gear:30 podcast to talk about Mystery Ranch Packs

Mystery Ranch Backpacks: From Special Ops to Backcountry Skiing (Ep.97)

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Mystery Ranch has a long history of working with and making packs for the US military, fire departments, and law enforcement. They also make everything from backpacks for everyday use, to packs for backcountry skiing, and the company has quite a unique culture. So we sat down with product designer, Alex Rich, to discuss what it’s like to design packs for US special forces; how their military designs trickle down to outdoor packs (and vice versa); how their design ethos reflects their sustainability culture; and more.
Jonathan Ellsworth & Luke Koppa discuss on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast the new Marker Duke PT binding, how the Duke PT compares to other touring bindings; J Skis Slacker; Sego Condor 108; Volkl Blaze 106; 4FRNT Raven; & Tiger King

AT Binding Shootout, New Touring Skis, & Tiger King (Ep.96)

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Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, and Luke’s mustache discuss the pros and cons of a number of current AT bindings, including the new Marker Duke PT, the SHIFT binding, Daymaker Alpine Touring adapters, frame bindings, and tech toe bindings. They then discuss four new touring skis: the J Skis Slacker, Sego Condor, 4FRNT Raven, and Volkl Blaze 106. Then it’s time to talk Tiger King.
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