GEAR:30

Jonathan Ellsworth talks with WNDR Alpine founder, Matt Sterbenz about the brand's background, goals, and its new ski, the Intention 110, on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast

WNDR Alpine’s New Skis (Ep.63)

by
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 deep into the details of their new ski, the Intention 110.
Sam Shaheen talks to Icebreaker's Josh Vaughan about wool, its performance attributes, its environmental impact, and more on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast.

What You’re Wearing Part 2: Wool (Ep.62)

by
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 questions; wool’s environmental impact; the variety of wool types and how they differ; and he provides some amazingly in-depth insight about wool’s unique properties.
On Blister's GEAR:30 podcast, Jonathan Ellsworth talks with Crosson Skis founder, Chase Englehart about the brand and how it does things differently.

Crosson Skis founder, Chase Englehart (Ep.61)

by
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 skis outside of Seattle; working with athletes like Bobby Brown and Banks Gilberti; and their 19/20 lineup.

A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 3: Racers & Race Boots (Ep.60)

by
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’ power straps vs. ‘elastic’ Booster Straps; whether WC skiers or WC DH mtn bikers are pickier about their equipment; and more.
Sam Shaheen, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss the Volkl Mantra 102, Dalbello Lupo Pro HD, Line Vision 98, The Lion King, CAMP carabiners, and more on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast

New Ski & Climbing Gear + Random Reviews (Ep.59)

by
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 Nano 22 vs. Orbit Wire carabiners; and close with several extremely random reviews.
Jonathan Ellsworth talks with Blister managing editor, Luke Koppa, about his background, skiing, biking, running, and fishing preferences, and more on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast.

Reviewing the Reviewer: Luke Koppa (Ep.58)

by
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. First up, BLISTER managing editor, Luke Koppa. (And ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, wrote in with some bonus questions for Luke, too.)
Sam Shaheen talks with Gore's Sara Ellis about synthetic fibers, their pros and cons, how they compare to natural fibers, Gore's new fabric with Under Armour, and more on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast

What You’re Wearing, Part 1: Synthetic Fibers (Ep.57)

by
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 part of apparel: the fibers. And in part 1, we dive into the world synthetic fibers with Sara Ellis from Gore (the makers of GORE-TEX).
Jonathan Ellsworth talks to DPS Skis founder, Stephan Drake, about DPS's Dreamtime sale, their new touring ski construction, foam cores, DPS ski boots, and more on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast

19/20 DPS Skis Lineup with Stephan Drake (Ep.56)

by
We talk to DPS Skis founder, Stephan Drake, about the new DPS 19/20 product lineup, and two new skis — that incorporate a brand-new DPS construction — they’re introducing for their “Dreamtime” event. Stephan also breaks news about their “Koala” skis, gives an update on the DPS ski boot they’re working on, and shares some new developments with DPS Phantom.
Atomic's global product manager for ski boots, Matt Manser, discusses how ski boots and different ski-boot plastics differ on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast

A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots — Part 1: Plastics (Ep.54)

by
Ski boots are made of plastic, and different plastics feel and perform very differently from one another. So we get deep into the details with Atomic Ski Boots product manager, Matt Manser, to help you figure out which plastics are used in your ski boots, and the pros & cons & general performance characteristics of different plastics — which will help you understand why you might like or dislike your current boots, and what you ought to be looking for in your next pair.
Blister's recap of the 2019 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market trade show

Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2019 (Ep.53)

by
Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa discuss mind-boggling new technologies like titanium-coated fibres; inventive sustainability stories involving recycled medical supplies; and the noteworthy trends — both good and bad — that they saw this week at the OR show.
Sam Shaheen, Kristin Sinnott, and Luke Koppa discuss White Claw, ON3P Woodsman 108, Salomon S/Max 120 W, Tecnica Plasma S Shoe, and much more on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast

The Dumpster Fire Episode (Ep.52)

by
Things kind of go off the rails in our latest GEAR:30 episode, with topics ranging from the ON3P Woodsman 108, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, new ski boots, and heat-moldable hiking shoes, to very contentious debates about Hard Seltzer, energy bar flavors, and Smashburger.
Sam Shaheen talks to Bivy's Pitt Grewe about personal GPS devices on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast.

GPS Devices & Backcountry Safety with Bivy (Ep.51)

by
GPS communication devices can be the difference between life and death in remote places. So we talk with Bivy’s Pitt Grewe about the different types of technology and devices on the market; how these devices can affect decision making; satellite networks; complicated payment plans; and … Pitt’s impressive skills as a DJ.
Sam Shaheen discusses how to gear up for big days in the mountains on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast

Gearing Up for Big Days in the Mountains (Ep.50)

by
Last Saturday, Sam Shaheen skied three different lines in one day on the Colorado 14er, Torrey’s Peak. Jonathan Ellsworth sits down with Sam to discuss the details of this “Torrey’s Peak Triple Crown”; the ‘D-Scale’ of rating ski descents; the gear, apparel, and food he used on the mountain; and the safety and decision-making process throughout the day.
Luke Koppa and Sam Shaheen talk to Patagonia's Senior Materials Developer, Pasha Whitmire, about Patagonia's technical fabric development on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast

Patagonia’s Technical Fabric Development & Design (Ep.47)

by
This week we talk to Patagonia’s senior material developer, Pasha Whitmire, about how Patagonia designs, develops, and tests their technical fabrics; myths surrounding waterproof / breathable materials; why the future of fabric development lies in sustainability; the advantages and disadvantages of working with big names like Gore-Tex; and a whole lot more outerwear geekery.
+ More