Podcasts

Blister Labs is a new partnership between BLISTER, the University of Colorado at Boulder’s School of Engineering, and the brand-new, state-of-the-art engineering facility at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado.

Introducing: Blister Labs (Ep.180)

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Today we are excited to introduce you to a very big new initiative at Blister: Blister Labs. This is a new partnership between Blister; CU Boulder’s school of engineering; and the brand-new, state-of-the-art engineering facility at Western Colorado University. Joining us to talk about why Blister Labs represents a significant new development in the outdoor industry is Dr. Jeni Blacklock, the director of the Rady Partnership Program between CU Boulder and Western.
Jonathan Ellsworth and Blister Summit director, Kristin Sinnott, discuss the ins and outs of our upcoming Blister Summit; why we’re including free professionally guided backcountry tours; which brands will be there; when to arrive & where to stay; and more.

On our Upcoming Blister Summit (Ep.179)

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Jonathan Ellsworth and Blister Summit director, Kristin Sinnott, discuss the ins and outs of our upcoming Blister Summit; why we’re including free professionally guided backcountry tours; which brands will be there; when to arrive & where to stay; and more.
Matt Manser, Atomic’s ski boots product manager, is back on GEAR:30 to discuss Jonathan’s trip to Austria; Matt’s Jura coffee maker; our scotch & rye whiskey tasting sessions; skiing Zauchensee and Kitzsteinhorn on the Atomic Redster G9 RS, X9 S, and X9 WB; ski boot terms (and unconditional love); and some modifications we made to Jonathan’s ski boots — which you might want to consider for your own.

Skiing Austria, Ski-Boot Mods, & the Atomic Redster G9 RS, X9 S, & X9 WB (Ep.178)

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Matt Manser, Atomic’s ski boots product manager, is back to discuss Jonathan’s trip to Austria; Matt’s Jura coffee maker; our scotch & rye whiskey tasting sessions; skiing Zauchensee and Kitzsteinhorn on the Atomic Redster G9 RS, X9 S, and X9 WB; ski boot terms (and unconditional love); and some modifications we made to Jonathan’s ski boots — which you might want to consider for your own.
2021 was Blister’s busiest year ever for testing mountain bikes and gear, and there were some real standout products among that crop. So we rounded up a bunch of our reviewers to give a rundown of the highlights of the last year — including a bunch of bikes all over the travel spectrum, some suspension products, and tires, inserts, pants, and more. And since we’re so excited to build on all that momentum into 2022, we make some predictions for the year to come and talk about a bunch of the bikes and gear that we’re most excited to spend time on soon, too.

Gear of the Year, 2021 (Ep.99)

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2021 was Blister’s busiest year ever for testing mountain bikes and gear, and there were some real standout products among that crop. So we rounded up a bunch of our reviewers to give a rundown of the highlights of the last year, and we make some predictions for the year to come and talk about a bunch of the bikes and gear that we’re most excited to spend time on soon, too.
Michele Graglia has racked up a number of major victories in his career, including wins at the Badwater 135, Yukon Arctic Ultra, the Moab 240, and more. But in this Off The Couch conversation, we focus on some of Michele’s recent struggles, disappointments, and difficulties, and Michele talks about what he’s learned along the way — and what he’s still learning.

Michele Graglia on Success & Struggle (Ep.102)

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Michele Graglia has racked up a number of major victories in his career, including wins at the Badwater 135, Yukon Arctic Ultra, the Moab 240, and more. But in this conversation, we focus on some of Michele’s recent struggles, disappointments, and difficulties, and Michele talks about what he’s learned along the way — and what he’s still learning.
Guerrilla Gravity just celebrated their 10th anniversary, so on our latest episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with co-founders Will Montague and Matt Giaraffa to talk about what inspired them to start a bike company in the first place; going from aluminum single-pivot DH bikes to pioneering an entirely new way of making carbon fiber frames; weathering the Covid-19 pandemic; and doing all that while building every single frame in Denver, CO.

Guerrilla Gravity on 10 Years of US-Made Bikes (Ep.98)

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Guerrilla Gravity just celebrated their 10th anniversary, so we figured it was a good time to check in with co-founders Will Montague and Matt Giaraffa and get some stories from their first decade, hear what’s next for the not-so-little-anymore brand, get their predictions for the future of the bike industry, and a whole lot more.
On GEAR:30, we discuss some of the backcountry gear that Paul’s been testing in Alaska, including Moonlight and Movement skis; Moment and Dynafit bindings; G3 and Pomoca skins; and Scarpa boots. We also discuss current trends (fads?) in ski poles, and the underrated value of a good snow saw.

Reviewer Reports: Backcountry Ski Touring Gear (Ep.176)

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We discuss some of the backcountry gear that Paul Forward has been testing around Girdwood, Alaska, including skis from Moonlight and Movement; bindings from Moment and Dynafit; skins from G3 and Pomoca; and Scarpa boots. We also discuss current trends (fads?) in ski poles, and the underrated value of a good snow saw.
Clipless vs. flat pedals is a hotly debated topic in the mountain bike world, but now there’s a third choice — Hustle Labs’s Avery magnetic pedals. We were, frankly, a bit skeptical about this new in-between option, but we’ve had three reviewers spending time on the Avery, and they’ve wildly exceeded our expectations. So on our latest episode of Bikes & Big Ideas we sat down with Hustle’s Design Engineer, Tripp Hurt, to talk about where the concept originated; how the pedals work; who they are (and aren’t) for; what’s next from Hustle; and a whole lot more.

Hustle Labs’ Category-Defying Magnetic Pedals (Ep.97)

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Magnetic pedals might sound crazy to riders used to a simple flats vs. clips dichotomy, but we’re finding them to be a compelling option for the right riders. And so we sat down with Hustle’s Design Engineer, Tripp Hurt, to talk about why it’s worth upsetting the current pedal paradigm, who magnetic pedals are (and aren’t) for, and much more.
Eric Jackson is a visionary, iconoclast, designer, founder, and one of the most successful and influential kayakers in history. And on the Blister Podcast, Eric provides a masterclass on the history and evolution of paddlesports, and there are lessons here for how to grow — and preserve the best aspects of — other sports, communities, and industries like skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, trail running, etc.

Eric Jackson on the Past, Present, & Future of Paddlesports (Ep.195)

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Eric Jackson is a visionary, iconoclast, designer, founder, and one of the most successful and influential kayakers in history. In this conversation, Eric provides a masterclass on the history and evolution of paddlesports, and there are lessons here for how to grow — and preserve the best aspects of — other sports, communities, and industries like skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, trail running, etc.
Kikkan Randall on Blister's Off The Couch Podcast

Olympic Champion Kikkan Randall on Running, Racing, Longevity, Motherhood, & More (Ep.101)

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Before Kikkan Randall was winning Olympic and World Cup gold medals in XC skiing, she was a runner, and she has never stopped being a runner. In this conversation, we discuss running and how she got into XC skiing; some of the keys to her longevity; becoming a mother while also being a professional athlete (and how much attitudes still need to change for women in a similar position); and going from winning an Olympic gold medal to being diagnosed with cancer, and how she is doing today.
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