Podcasts

Benji Alexander is a passionate ski racer and backcountry skier with a stranger-than-fiction backstory. So on the Blister Podcast we talk to Benji about how Burning Man got him into skiing; what inspired his Olympic aspirations; the numerous logistics he has had to navigate to make this happen; the financial hurdles that all Olympic hopefuls have to face; and what motivates him to keep pushing forward.

Benji Alexander’s Bid to Become Jamaica’s 1st Olympic Alpine Ski Racer (Ep.178)

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Benji Alexander is a passionate ski racer and backcountry skier with a stranger-than-fiction backstory. So we talk to Benji about how Burning Man got him into skiing; what inspired his Olympic aspirations; the numerous logistics he has had to navigate to make this happen; the financial hurdles that all Olympic hopefuls have to face; and what motivates him to keep pushing forward.
Finally. The coffee episode. This week on GEAR:30, we’re doing a deep dive on coffee with Sam Higby of First Ascent. We discuss the difference between good and bad instant coffee; light roasts vs. dark roasts (and what some dark roasts have in common with hot sauce or double IPAs); the brewing process & brewing at altitude; how to make great coffee on a budget; and more.

A Very Deep Dive on Coffee (Ep.158)

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You had to know we’d do this, right? We sat down with Sam Higby to talk about Sam’s time in the outdoor industry and in the coffee business; the difference between good and bad instant coffee; light roasts vs. dark roasts (and what some dark roasts have in common with hot sauce or double IPAs); the brewing process & brewing at altitude; how to make great coffee on a budget; and more.
Steve Vanderhoek just put out one of the best video edits of the year, in which he and Yoann Barelli set out to ride as many of the gnarliest features in the Sea to Sky Corridor in one truly wild day. So this week on Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with Steve to talk about everything that went into making that day happen; the mental challenges of riding scary, high-consequence lines; filming and riding with Yoann and Remy Metailler; balancing all that with his career as a paramedic and firefighter; and a whole lot more.

Steve Vanderhoek on Le Tour de Gnar, Freeride, and Firefighting (Ep.78)

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Steve Vanderhoek just put out one of the best video edits of the year, where he & Yoann Barelli rode just about all of the gnarliest features in the Sea to Sky Corridor in one truly wild day. We sat down with Steve to talk about the mental challenges of riding scary, high-consequence lines; filming & riding with Yoann & Remy Metailler; balancing all that with his career as a paramedic and firefighter; & a whole lot more.
Whether you live in a mountain town or just love to visit them, our latest Blister Podcast is one you should check out. Our guest is Dr. Jenny Stuber, a sociologist and author of the book, Aspen and the American Dream. Jenny talks about some of the policies that the town of Aspen has employed, and which of them might be applicable to other towns trying to navigate the needs of full-time residents, part-time residents, local workers, and the visitors that many of these towns rely on.

Mountain Town Economics, Pt 1: Affordable Housing, Short-Term Rentals, & More (Ep.177)

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Our guest is Dr. Jenny Stuber, a sociologist and author of the book, Aspen and the American Dream. Jenny talks about some of the policies that the town of Aspen has employed, and which of them might be applicable to other towns trying to navigate the needs of full-time residents, part-time residents, local workers, and the visitors that many of these towns rely on.
Yesterday, Chris Davenport walked over to Blister HQ from Aspen to talk about how he thinks about ski gear and his own personal preferences. We also discuss monoskiing; which gear he is most and least picky about; ski width; mount points; weight; and whether Shane McConkey would be into these GEAR:30 conversations.

The Pro’s Gear: Chris Davenport (Ep.157)

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Chris Davenport walked over to Blister HQ from Aspen to talk about how he thinks about ski gear and his own personal preferences. We also discuss monoskiing; which gear he is most and least picky about; ski width; mount points; weight; and whether Shane McConkey would be into these GEAR:30 conversations.
On our latest Bikes & Big Ideas podcast Blister Bike Editor David Golay talks to reviewer Dylan Wood about all the bikes and gear they’ve been spending time on recently, including some A-B comparisons of short-travel, DW-link bikes at both ends of the price spectrum; a range of longer-travel Enduro bikes both fairly conventional and quite unusual; some very intriguing pedals; and they mix in some thoughts on the importance (or lack thereof) of bike weight, plus the current state of the Shimano vs. SRAM drivetrain wars.

Reviewer Reports: DW-link Head-to-Head; Forbidden Dreadnought; Shimano vs. Sram; & Category-Defying Pedals

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David Golay talks to Dylan Wood about two short-travel, DW-link bikes at opposite ends of the price spectrum; a range of longer-travel Enduro bikes from fairly conventional to quite unusual; some category-defying pedals; thoughts on the importance (or lack thereof) of bike weight; & the current state of the Shimano vs. SRAM drivetrain wars.
Sabra Davison grew up ski racing and running, but when she got into mountain biking, she saw girls participating at far lower rates — so she decided to do something about it. Sabra (along with her sister, World Cup XC racer and two-time Olympian, Lea) founded Little Bellas to get girls into riding bikes, and develop the confidence to keep with it. On the latest episode of Bikes and Big Ideas, we sat down with Sabra to talk about Little Bellas; how to make skill building fun; removing barriers to participation in what is an expensive sport; and a whole lot more.

Little Bellas / Sabra Davison (Ep.76)

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Sabra Davison grew up ski racing and running, but when she got into mountain biking, she saw girls participating at far lower rates — so she decided to do something about it. Sabra (along with her sister, World Cup XC racer and two-time Olympian, Lea) founded Little Bellas to get girls into riding bikes, and develop the confidence to keep with it. We sat down with Sabra to talk about Little Bellas; how to make skill building fun; removing barriers to participation in what is an expensive sport; and a whole lot more.
When he was in his 20s, Matt Gilman lost his sight due to diabetes, but that hasn’t stopped him from riding trials — and maybe even more remarkably, working as a bike mechanic. His story is an incredible one, so on our latest Bikes and Big Ideas podcast, we sat down with Matt to talk about his approach to riding, and how he manages to ride by feel; his career as a bike mechanic, and how he adapted to doing that blind; and a whole lot more.

Blind Trials Rider & Bike Mechanic, Matt Gilman (Ep.75)

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When he was in his 20s Matt Gilman lost his sight due to diabetes, but that hasn’t stopped him from riding trials — and maybe even more remarkably, working as a bike mechanic. His story is an incredible one, so we sat down with Matt to talk about his approach to riding; how he manages to ride by feel; his career as a bike mechanic and how he adapted to doing that blind; and a whole lot more.
This week on our Blister Podcast we talk with Dr. Rami Hashish about a whole lot of topics surrounding high-level human performance, injury prevention, and how to age well. Dr. Hashish is the founder of the National Biomechanics Institute, and has a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and a PhD in Biomechanics. He is also really passionate about these topics, which made this a really fun conversation.

Dr. Rami Hashish on Optimizing Athletic Performance, Aging Well, & Rethinking Work (Ep.174)

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We talk with Dr. Rami Hashish about a whole lot of topics surrounding high-level human performance, injury prevention, and how to age well. Dr. Hashish is the founder of the National Biomechanics Institute, has a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and a PhD in Biomechanics, serves on the review board for various national and international medical and engineering journals, and sits on a global committee for spine and brain injury.
The first-generation Manitou Dorado turned a lot of heads more than 20 years ago, thanks to its inverted layout and wild-looking carbon chassis. The just-released, fourth-generation Dorado is a major update to what Manitou calls “the longest-standing inverted downhill fork” — including a return of the carbon chassis, after more than a decade hiatus. But there’s a whole lot more going on, too, so we sat down with Manitou’s Phil Ott to discuss the past and present of the Dorado; the advantages and disadvantages of inverted forks; fork offset; and a whole bunch more.

New Manitou Dorado (Ep.74)

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The first-generation Manitou Dorado turned a lot of heads more than 20 years ago, thanks to its inverted layout and wild-looking carbon chassis. The just-released, fourth-generation Dorado is a major update to what Manitou calls “the longest-standing inverted downhill fork” — including a return of the carbon chassis, after more than a decade hiatus. But there’s a whole lot more going on, too, so we sat down with Manitou’s Phil Ott to discuss the past and present of the Dorado; the advantages and disadvantages of inverted forks; fork offset; and a whole bunch more.
Previously on GEAR:30 we laid out our Mt. Rushmore of Ski Suspension. Now, we’re moving to the opposite end of the spectrum. We define some terms, talk about some of the characteristics that can help make a ski more poppy; and work our way through a bunch of skis. Check it out, and let us know what skis you think are most deserving.

The Mt. Rushmore of “Poppy” Skis (Ep.153)

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Previously on GEAR:30 we laid out our Mt. Rushmore of Ski Suspension. Now, we’re moving to the opposite end of the spectrum. We define some terms, talk about some of the characteristics that can help make a ski more poppy; and work our way through a bunch of skis. Check it out, and let us know what skis you think are most deserving.
Few (if any) riders have the power, balance, & creativity of Brad Simms. So you might assume it’s been a pretty quick and easy path to prominence for someone this unique. But it hasn’t been an easy road, and in this episode of our Bikes & Big Ideas podcast, Brad spells it all out; talks about how close he came to calling it quits; his new partnership with Canyon bikes; his interest in all types of riding; and more.

The Rise — and Rise — of Brad Simms (Ep.73)

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Few (if any) riders have the power, balance, & creativity of Brad Simms. So you might assume it’s been a pretty quick and easy path to prominence for someone this unique. But it hasn’t been an easy road, and in this conversation, Brad spells it all out; talks about how close he came to calling it quits; his new partnership with Canyon bikes; his interest in all types of riding; and more.
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