GEAR:30 Podcast
This is where we geek out hard & go deep into the details about the most important outdoor gear.
Recent Episodes:
DWRs — or “Durable Water Repellent” coatings — play an enormous role in the performance of your outdoor gear, and are used on nearly every waterproof garment on the market. But most DWRs are made with...
We talk to Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, about Moment’s entire “Commander” series; why we still need to do a better job educating skiers; how the Deathwish got its name; the history of the Bibby and...
The North Face is attempting to do something that many have tried, but few have succeeded: compete head-to-head with Gore-Tex in the waterproof / breathable fabric category. So we talked with Scott Mellin,...
On our latest “Reviewing the Reviewer” episode of GEAR:30, Jonathan Ellsworth talks to our mountain bike reviewer, David Golay, about how he went from playing sports in upstate New York, to researching...
Today, Marker unveiled their brand-new Duke PT binding, so we discuss the new binding and where it fits with respect to the Shift MNC and CAST Freetour System; some big new changes at GORE; the new GORE-TEX...
Gore-Tex has been the leader in waterproof fabrics for decades, and today, they’re announcing a complete overhaul of their flagship fabric, Gore-Tex Pro. So this week we went to Banff, Alberta, and sat...
How do the world’s elite ski racers and their technicians squeeze every drop of performance out of their skis? We sat down with Cameron Smith who runs the race department for Head USA to learn about all...
We answer a bunch of the questions you submitted, then assess some of the product reviews from several of the other ski review publications — and one gear recommendation website.
We just released our new 19/20 BLISTER Winter Buyer’s Guide, and given that it’s over 200 pages long, there’s a lot to talk about. So we’re going to have a 2-part conversation about the Guide, and here...
Luke Koppa and Sam Shaheen pose questions & rate the answers of Blister founder, Jonathan Ellsworth, about being charged by a bear; nearly burning his house down; teaching philosophy; his favorite gear...
We’ve been working on a special project with Folsom Skis, and it’s finally time to discuss the details with Folsom’s Mike McCabe. We also talk about Folsom’s (insane?) new plan to build and deliver custom...
Shooting hemp t-shirts with guns; eating hemp seeds; building houses with hemp; and industrial hemp legalization in the US — Part 4 of our “What You’re Wearing” series tackles the complex history, misconceptions,...
Misconceptions about down are everywhere — fill power, proper care, and animal welfare are all often wildly misunderstood. So today, we’re talking with Matthew Betcher from Allied Feather & Down to shed...
We talk to WNDR Alpine’s founder, Matt Sterbenz, and brand manager, Xan Marshland, about the creation of and the future plans for WNDR Alpine; its relation to the biotech company, Checkerspot; and we dive...
Why are more and more companies making products out of wool? What makes it unique from other fibers? And how is merino wool different from regular wool? We talk to Icebreaker’s Josh Vaughan about these...
Crosson Skis is a small, new company that’s making some very big claims. So we talk to their founder, Chase Englehart, about the origins of Crosson; what makes their skis different — and better; building...
How do elite ski racers like Marcel Hirsher, Mikaela Shiffrin, Bode Miller, and Daron Rahlves “feel” their gear, and their ski boots in particular? We talk to Matt Manser about this; forward lean; ‘static’...
Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, & Sam Shaheen argue about the new Volkl Mantra 102 and how it compares to the M5 Mantra; discuss with more civility the Line Vision 98; Dalbello Lupo Pro HD ski boot; Camp...
Today we’re launching a new series on GEAR:30 called, “Reviewing the Reviewer,” where we’ll ask Blister reviewers questions, then score their answers to determine a cumulative grade for each reviewer....
How much do you actually know about the clothes in your closet, and the stuff we all wear to go play in the mountains? In our new “What You’re Wearing” miniseries, we’re shining a light on the most foundational...