Reviewing the News w/ Dr. Len Necefer, April 2024 (Ep.307)
Jonathan and Len discuss cloud seeding; the passing of the EXPLORE Act; trigger warnings; skiing on mushroom moguls; what we’re reading & watching; and more.
Podcasts
GEAR THERAPY: A Skier (Blister’s founder) Learns to Snowboard, Part 1 (Ep.296)
How much does knowing how to ski help when learning how to snowboard? How do you slam as little as possible while learning to ride? Why don’t snowboards have releasable bindings? These are a few of our Blister founder’s questions as he learns to ‘think sideways.’
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, April 2024 (Ep.220)
Simon Stewart is joined by special guest host Mike Ferrentino to talk about Kona’s Sea Otter debacle and the state of the industry more broadly; the start of XC World Cup season; new XC race bikes being awesome; microphone eating; zombies; and more on the latest iteration of Reviewing the News.
Sex & Ski Boots: Hoji, Matt Manser, & Greg Klein on the Present & Future of Ski Boot Design (Ep.295)
At Blister Summit 2024, we talked about sex, ski boots, and more with Hoji, Matt Manser, and Greg Klein.
Norco’s New DH Race Bike (Ep.219)
Norco hasn’t been shy about the fact that they’re working on a new DH race bike, and we sat down with Norco engineers Adrian Ward and Kirk McDowall to hear all about it.
A Brief-ish History of Blister with Jonathan Ellsworth and Michael Clarke (Ep.306)
So who was really behind the creation of BLISTER, and did the whole thing get started because of a misunderstanding over a couple of beers? Today, we dive into the origins story of Blister, with the two people most responsible for it.
Alaska’s Epic El Niño Season, Ski Bindings, & More with Powder Hound (Ep.294)
We’re back with Eric Helmbrecht, co-owner of Powder Hound in Girdwood, AK, to discuss Alaska’s banner El Niño season; the gear he enjoyed most; the gear Kara Williard brought to Girdwood; what’s changed at Alyeska Resort since joining the Ikon pass; the reliability of various AT & alpine bindings, and more.
Reviewer Reports: So Many New Bikes (Ep.218)
It’s been an insanely busy last few weeks for new bike launches, and we’ve been riding a whole lot of them. We sat down to chat about our early impressions of a *lot* of new bikes, from the Specialized Epic Evo to the Yeti SB165, and a whole bunch in between.
Mountain Gazette owner, Mike Rogge on Feuds, Media Coverage, Movies, & More (Ep.305)
Mountain Gazette owner, Mike Rogge, is back to talk with Jonathan about their ongoing feud; media coverage of the eclipse; two stories from the soon-to-be-released MG #201; what they’re reading and watching; and more.
Whiskey, Murder, and a Bunch of New Skis (Ep.293)
Luke and Jonathan discuss some of the new skis they’ve been testing this spring
Reviewing the News w/ Ryan Palmer, March 2024 (Ep.217)
In their third installment of Reviewing The News, Ryan and Simon get into: the slopestyle strike; Scott’s apparent management instability; riding in Tuscany; some reflections on how we ever rode without dropper posts; and some new lightweight eMTBs running the hotrod Bosch SX motor — including the 39 lb Norco Fluid VLT.
Angel Collinson, Mallory Duncan, Elyse Saugstad, & Vasu Sojitra: Stories from the Field (Ep.304)
Angel Collinson, Mallory Duncan, Elyse Saugstad, & Vasu Sojitra share stories about their all-time favorite days in the mountains; their scariest experiences; times they were the most starstruck; what they wish they could tell their younger selves; and more.
New Tech to Simplify Decision Making in the Backcountry (Ep.292)
After years in the backcountry and a near-death experience, IFMGA Guide, Jeff Banks, wanted to build a tool that could simplify and improve the decision-making of any backcountry user. The result is Aspect Avy. We talk with Jeff about how this app compares to and complements other backcountry tools; how it accounts for human factors; the general state of tech in the backcountry; and more.
Brook Macdonald on Fresh Starts, DH Race Bike Design, Moving to Forbidden, & More (Ep.216)
Brook Macdonald’s return to racing World Cup DH after breaking his back at Mont Sainte Anne in 2019 was nothing short of remarkable, but the last few race seasons have still been difficult ones for Brook. On this week’s episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, he opens up about a lot of those struggles, and the things he’s changed in order to come into the 2024 season feeling refreshed, reenergized, and with a renewed hunger to compete.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, March 2024 (Ep.303)
Cody and JE discuss the end of The Fifty; the Crankworx riders’ strike; JHMR’s parking lot controversy; the drugged-up Olympic Games; the ‘Road House’ remake; & more.
Moment & Icelantic Skis on Ski Design & U.S. Ski Manufacturing (Ep.291)
What’s in and what’s out in ski design? And how have U.S. ski companies been doing over the past few years? We discuss this and much more with Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, and Icelantic Skis founder, Ben Anderson.
Georgia Astle on Racing, Freeriding, & Finding Her Way to MTB (Ep.215)
Georgia Astle’s path to freeride stardom was an unconventional one — she didn't bike much growing up, despite living in Whistler — and it’s given her an interesting perspective on the state of the sport, finding and developing talented young riders, and a whole lot more.
Misplaced Guilt? Misplaced Pride? A Different Conversation about Climate Issues (Ep.302)
What should we do to most significantly & quickly improve the current climate situation? Jonathan talks with Amie Engerbretson (Atomic); Dr. Len Necefer (Founder, the Sonoran Avalanche Center); and Jake Black (Protect Our Winters) to address this and a whole lot more.
Reviewer Reports: Taos Ski Valley, Carving Skis, All-Mountain Skis, & Luke’s 3-Day-Old Cheeseburger (Ep.290)
Jonathan, Luke, Kara, & Kristin discuss a number of the carving-oriented and narrower all-mountain skis they were on this week; Luke’s food choices; and Taos’ Chair 2 (West Basin) vs Chair 12 (Kachina Peak).
Dakotah Norton on Finding Consistency, Moving to Mondraker, the State of US DH Racing, & More (Ep.214)
Dakotah Norton is one of the most decorated American DH racers in recent years, and we sat down with him to chat about his 2023 season, including his rocky start and strong finish to it; moving to Mondraker Factory Racing for 2024 and beyond; the state of US DH racing and how to build a better series of stepping stones to World Cup Downhill; and much more.