Podcasts | BLISTER Outdoor Media & Gear Reviews

Lachlan Morton on the Tour Divide Record, Bears, Payday Bars, & More (Ep.194)

November 6, 2023November 2, 2023 by David Golay

The Tour Divide route covers 2,670 miles from Banff, Alberta to the US-Mexico border near Antelope Wells, New Mexico — Lachlan Morton just completed it in a record-setting 12 days, 12 hours, and 21 minutes. So we sat down with him to hear all about it.

On our latest episode of Reviewing the News on the Blister Podcast, Cody and Jonathan pay tribute to Robb Gaffney, then discuss the growth in snowsports and who is more passionate: alpine skiers, cross country skiers, or snowboarders?; the sale of Silverton Mountain; the Most Canadian News; Cody’s latest FIFTY film, ‘Split’; & more.

Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, October 2023 (Ep.284)

October 30, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Cody and Jonathan discuss the latest FIFTY film, Comstock, and the conflict that lies at the heart of the FIFTY Project; FIS vs POW; a new division of Blister: Blister Cinematic; bigfoot & aliens; the Most Canadian News; and more.

Giray Dadali on the new Daymaker Touring TEKDAPTERS (Ep.269)

October 27, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

A very intriguing — and extremely affordable — new piece of ski-touring gear has just been released, the TEKDAPTERS, so we dive into all the details with designer and pro skier, Giray Dadali.

Contra Bikes on Making the MC a Reality (Ep.193)

January 18, 2024October 26, 2023 by David Golay

Designing and prototyping a bike is hard work, but bringing one to production adds a whole new set of challenges, and we sat down with Evan Turpen of Contra Bikes to hear all about getting his US-made steel high-pivot Enduro bike, the MC, out into the world.

Ski Areas, Sustainability, & Getting Ready for Opening Day with Taos Ski Valley COO, John Kelly (Ep.283)

October 23, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

What goes into getting a ski area ready for opening day? We discuss snow making, maintaining & operating chairlifts, and ski area culture and sustainability with Taos Ski Valley’s chief operations officer, John Kelly.

For this week’s GEAR:30 podcast, Jonathan Ellsworth sat down with Kara Williard, Dylan Wood, Justin Bobb, and Luke Koppa to debrief about our 2023-2024 Winter Buyer’s Guide, discuss what changed this year (and what has *not* changed), go over some trends, and more. Along the way, we dole out our unofficial “RIP,” “Good Riddance,” and new “Best Glow-Up” awards; talk about what we’re most excited to get on this season; and Jonathan debates whether Luke isn’t even invited to his funeral, or if he’ll be managing the whole thing…

Our 23/24 BLISTER Winter Buyer’s Guide Recap (Ep.268)

October 26, 2023October 20, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We brought together several of our reviewers to discuss our latest Winter Buyer’s Guide; give out our unofficial “RIP,” “Good Riddance,” and new “Best Glow-Up” awards; cover what we’re most excited to get on this season, and much more.

Privateer Bikes on the 141 and 161 V2 (Ep.192)

October 19, 2023 by David Golay

Privateer has been teasing the upcoming second-generation versions of their 141 and 161 for a while now and we recently sat down with Dan Hicks, the engineer behind the project, to get all the details on the new bikes.

Trevor Kennison is one of the most remarkable athletes in the world, and like Travis Rice, Candide Thovex, Courtney Dauwalter, and Alex Honnold, he forces us to see things differently and rethink what’s possible. And on our latest Blister Podcast, we talk to Trevor and Josh Berman, director of Level 1 Productions, about their new film, Full Circle, that premieres this week in New York, and that documents Trevor’s incredible story and exploits, and the challenges — and opportunities — of life after spinal cord injury.

Trevor Kennison & Josh Berman on Full Circle (Ep.282)

October 16, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Like Travis Rice, Candide Thovex, Courtney Dauwalter, and Alex Honnold, Trevor Kennison forces us to rethink what’s possible. Josh Berman has created a film, Full Circle, that documents Trevor’s incredible story and exploits, and the challenges — and opportunities — of life after spinal cord injury.

On GEAR:30, Kara Williard and Jake “Fasa” Nelson clear up some of the most common bootfitting myths and misconceptions out there, provide some clarity on what you should realistically expect from a ski boot and bootfitter, discuss how to go about shopping for a boot this season, and more.

A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 5: Debunking Bootfitting Myths & Misconceptions (Ep.267)

October 13, 2023 by Kara Williard

Kara Williard and Jake “Fasa” Nelson clear up some of the most common bootfitting myths and misconceptions out there, provide some clarity on what you should realistically expect from a ski boot and bootfitter, discuss how to go about shopping for a boot this season, and more.

Casey Brown, Vaea Verbeeck, and Hannah Bergemann on Women at Rampage (Ep.191)

October 12, 2023 by David Golay

We sat down with Casey Brown, Vaea Verbeeck, and Hannah Bergemann to talk about the lack of a women’s category at Red Bull Rampage; what they’ve been doing to change that; why opening up Rampage to women is important; and the trajectory of women’s freeride more broadly.

Blister Speaker Series: Mark Abma (Ep.281)

October 9, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Last Thursday, Mark Abma came to Western Colorado University for our Blister Speaker Series. He broke down his segment from the MSP film, ALL IN; discussed his part in the new MSP film, Land of Giants; and talked about his preparation for ski season; confidence; staying calm; and more.

In our latest episode of GEAR:30, Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth talk with Blister Member Giovanni Saccarola (an Italian living in Switzerland), about his ski quiver, ski boots, and ski boot liner options. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts, or on our site.

GEAR THERAPY: An Italian Skier in Switzerland (Ep.266)

May 3, 2024October 6, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Luke and Jonathan talk with Blister Member, Giovanni Saccarola (an Italian living in Switzerland), about his ski quiver, ski boots, and ski boot liner options.

This week on Bikes & Big Ideas we’re chatting about a bunch of the bikes we’re currently testing across the travel spectrum, including Santa Cruz’s new Heckler SL, a battle of high-pivot Enduro bikes, the Propain Tyee, and more.

Reviewer Reports: Contra MC vs. Trek Slash, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, REEB Steezl, & More (Ep.190)

October 5, 2023 by David Golay

This week on Bikes & Big Ideas we’re chatting about a bunch of the bikes we’re currently testing across the travel spectrum, including Santa Cruz’s new Heckler SL, a battle of high-pivot Enduro bikes, the Propain Tyee, and more.

Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, September 2023 (Ep.280)

October 4, 2023October 4, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

This week, Cody and I pay tribute to Robb Gaffney, then discuss the growth in snowsports and who is more passionate: alpine skiers, cross country skiers, or snowboarders; the sale of Silverton Mountain; the Most Canadian News; Cody’s latest FIFTY film, ‘Split’; & more.

Norrøna Owner & CEO, Jørgen Jørgensen, on Norrøna’s History & Design Philosophy (Ep.265)

September 29, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Norrøna aspires to make the best outdoor recreation products on the market. So we talk with Jørgen Jørgense, the 4th-generation owner & CEO of Norrøna, about the brand’s approach to product design & testing, and the origins, evolution, and future of the brand.

Archibald Cycles on Canadian Manufacturing & the Wild AC1 (Ep.189)

September 28, 2023 by David Golay

The Archibald Cycles AC1 — a Canadian-made, steel-frame, high-pivot bike with a gearbox — doesn’t look like much else out there, and the story of its conception and journey toward production is an interesting one.

What does the future of snowsports look like? At our last Blister Summit, we asked Nina Waters (Blizzard-Tecnica), Dr. Len Necefer (Natives Outdoors & Sonoran Avalanche Center), Dan Abrams (Flylow), & Hanna Whirty (Icelantic) to discuss some of the current realities, biggest challenges, and significant opportunities for the outdoor sports industry. You can check out the conversation on our YouTube Channel, or listen to it on our Blister Podcast.

The Future of Snowsports (Ep.279)

September 25, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

What does the future of snowsports look like? At our last Blister Summit, we asked Nina Waters, Dr. Len Necefer, Dan Abrams, & Hanna Whirty to discuss some of the current realities, biggest challenges, and significant opportunities for the outdoor sports industry.

PFAS chemicals have been used in tons of technical apparel for decades, but that streak is ending very soon. So on GEAR:30, we sat down with Outdoor Research’s Alex Lauver to learn about this significant shake-up to the outdoor industry; PFAS-free DWR alternatives; how this will impact consumers and manufacturers alike, and more.

Why All Your Jackets Are Going to Change: Ditching PFAS w/ Outdoor Research (Ep.264)

September 22, 2023 by Luke Koppa

PFAS chemicals have been used in tons of technical apparel for decades, but that streak is ending very soon. So we sat down with Outdoor Research’s Alex Lauver to learn about this significant shake-up to the outdoor industry; PFAS-free DWR alternatives; how this will impact consumers and manufacturers alike, and more.

Sklar Bikes: A Custom Builder’s Shift to “Mass” Production (Ep.188)

September 21, 2023 by David Golay

Sklar Bikes has a stellar reputation as a custom builder, so when owner and founder Adam Sklar decided to shut down that part of the business and move to stock, production bikes, it came as a surprise. His take on the evolution of the company is an interesting one, and we sat down to hear all about it.

Does running have the power to transform the prison system? According to the data, it might, and it definitely has the power to ignite personal transformation, as you will see in the remarkable new documentary, 26.2 TO LIFE. Our guest on Off The Couch today is Christine Yoo, the director and producer of 26.2 TO LIFE, which tells the story of incarcerated men at San Quentin State Prison who are members of the 1000 Mile Club, the prison’s long distance running club. They train all year for the San Quentin Marathon — a 105 lap, 26.2 mile race that takes place in the San Quentin yard. The film was shot over the course of three years with unprecedented access to the prison, and for the reasons we discuss in this conversation, I urge everyone to see this film.

26.2 TO LIFE: Running, Prison Reform, & Personal Transformation (Ep.181)

September 19, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We talk to Christine Yoo, the director & producer of the powerful new documentary, 26.2 TO LIFE, about the San Quentin State Prison marathon; running, prison reform, and personal transformation.