Podcasts | BLISTER Outdoor Media & Gear Reviews

Mountain bike derailleur drivetrains haven’t fundamentally changed for just about as long as there have been mountain bikes — until now, anyway. Cedric Eveleigh has a very promising idea for how to rethink the derailleur and founded LAL Bikes to make it a reality. So on our latest episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, we brought Cedric on to talk about the limitations of existing derailleurs; why gearboxes (still) haven’t taken off; prototyping and refining the Supre Drive; what’s next for LAL Bikes, and more.

Cedric Eveleigh of LAL Bikes, on Reinventing the Derailleur (Ep.94)

December 9, 2021December 2, 2021 by David Golay

Mountain bike derailleurs have improved immensely, but is there a better way entirely? Cedric Eveleigh thinks so, and he founded LAL Bikes to make his Supre Drive a reality. We sat down with Cedric to break down this extremely promising new design, and get the full story on its development, the next steps, and more.

Marcus Caston on the Return of the Turn (Ep.192)

November 29, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

When it comes to true ‘all-mountain’ skiing, Marcus Caston makes one of the nicest turns in the game. He’s also got one of our favorite video series, Return of the Turn. So we talked to Marcus about the new episode; coaching; why people think he’s from the East Coast; and we discuss some Best / Worst episode ideas. (Paging Glen Plake…)

Shop Talk: Pulling Back the Curtain on Gear Testing (Ep.172)

November 26, 2021November 26, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Today we’re talking all things ski testing, and to provide their wealth of experience in this arena are The Ski Monster’s George Michaelsen and Matt Berkowitz. We discuss good ways and bad ways to conduct gear tests; how and why The Ski Monster has been able to ramp up the amount of gear testing they’re doing; and why not all gear tests are created equal.

Mic Williams was racing as a privateer when Covid hit, and racing went on hold. But instead of binging Netflix, he used his free time to start a very unusual bike company — Williams Racing Products. Mic has a whole lot of ideas for how to make bikes better, and WRP has offered a lot of out-there products, including what can only be described as the reincarnation of the Honda RN-01 downhill bike. So on our latest episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with Mic to talk about all the big ideas he has for WRP; the Privateer Parts Program and privateer racing in general; and much more.

The Many, Many Big Ideas of Williams Racing Products (Ep.93)

December 9, 2021November 25, 2021 by David Golay

Few people have as many big ideas for the bike world as Mic Williams of Williams Racing Products, and even fewer have started their own companies to make them a reality. So we sat down with Mic to hear all about it, privateer racing at the top level, and more.

A Life Lived Wild: Rick Ridgeway (Ep.191)

November 22, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Rick Ridgeway has lived right at the center of the modern outdoor recreation movement. He was a part of the first American ascent of K2; he has gone on numerous adventures with his friends, Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard and The North Face founder, Doug Tompkins, and filmmaker, Jimmy Chin; and he has been right there working to protect wild places with them, Kristine Tompkins, and others.

On GEAR:30, Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss our 21/22 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide and some corresponding industry trends and category highlights. They also talk snowblades, clarify our Buyer’s Guide ‘Best Of’ Awards, and go on a rant or two.

Our 21/22 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide (Ep.171)

November 19, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss our 21/22 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide and some corresponding industry trends and category highlights. They also talk snowblades, clarify our Buyer’s Guide ‘Best Of’ Awards, and go on a rant or two.

Jordi Cortes spends much of the year on the road, working with Fox’s top racers on their suspension setups, and that has left him with both a wealth of knowledge about suspension setup and a unique perspective on the mental aspects of racing at the top level. So we sat down with Jordi to talk about all that, and along the way get into it about the importance of consistency; developing working relationships with a huge range of athletes; how the pros’ setups differ from those for mere mortals; and a whole lot more.

Fox’s Jordi Cortes on Suspension, Tuning, & the Mental Side of Racing (Ep.92)

December 9, 2021November 18, 2021 by David Golay

We talk to Jordi Cortes about setting up suspension for Fox’s top racers, the mental battle of World Cup racing, and a whole lot more.

On our Blister Podcast, we talk to Adrien Grabinski, who Mark Abma calls, “the most responsible 21-year-old I have ever met.” Adrien is the ski patrol director (plus a lot of other things) at Shames Mountain in BC, and he’s a surprise star of Matchstick Productions’ film, The Stomping Grounds.

Ski Patroller & Surprise Ski-Movie Star, Adrien Grabinski (Ep.190)

November 15, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Adrien Grabinski lives to ski, and Mark Abma calls him, “the most responsible 21-year-old I have ever met.” Adrien is the ski patrol director (plus a lot of other things) at Shames Mountain in BC, and he’s a surprise star of Matchstick Productions’ film, The Stomping Grounds.

Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, is back on GEAR:30 to talk about Moment’s 21/22 lineup of skis; the new Moment factory; the new Deathwish 104; snowblading; & more.

Moment Skis 21/22 Lineup with Luke Jacobson (Ep.170)

November 12, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, is back to talk about Moment’s 21/22 lineup of skis; the new Moment factory; the new Deathwish 104; snowblading; & more.

Sealant-based tubeless systems are now ubiquitous on mountain bikes, but how did we get here? On our latest episode of Bikes & Big Ideas we sat down with Mike Bush, the President of Stan’s, to talk about the early days of tubeless development; why we still use rim tape and sealant; rim profiles; tire inserts; sealant formulation and how it actually works; and a whole lot more. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts, or on our site.

Stan’s No Tubes on the Past, Present, & Future of Tubeless Tech (Ep.91)

December 15, 2021November 11, 2021 by David Golay

We go deep on tubeless tire systems with Mike Bush of Stan’s No Tubes, including the history of the rim tape and sealant design we all use today; rim and tire design for tubeless; how sealant actually works; and a whole lot more.

For our 100th episode of Off The Couch, Tessa Chesser (who just podium’d at the Javalina 100 miler, earning a gold ticket to Western States) came on droppin’ mics, spittin’ inspiration, telling her story and mincing no words, and talking about how she has dealt with negativity and adversity.

Tessa Chesser on the Javelina 100; “Diesel Mode”; & Dealing with Adversity (Ep.100)

November 10, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Tessa Chesser (who just podium’d at the Javalina 100 miler, earning a gold ticket to Western States) came on droppin’ mics, spittin’ inspiration, telling her story and mincing no words, and talking about how she has dealt with negativity and adversity.

On the Blister Podcast, we talk to one of our all-time favorite skiers (and people), Angel Collinson, about her recent announcement of her retirement from professional skiing; why she felt that now was the time; the factors that led to her decision; how she thinks about and processes change; what she’s up to now, and what might be next.

Angel Collinson on Her Retirement from Skiing, Processing Change, & More (Ep.189)

November 8, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We talk to one of our all-time favorite skiers (and people), Angel Collinson, about her recent announcement of her retirement from professional skiing; why she felt that now was the time; the factors that led to her decision; how she thinks about and processes change; what she’s up to now, and what might be next.

On our latest GEAR:30 podcast, you’ll hear the tale of how a couple of friends who were scheming to get some gear for their own adventures ended up creating a phenomenal outdoor shop in the process. We talk to Trygve Sande and Rune Kvalsnes about the origins of Vertical Playground; their trip with Hoji where the idea of the 4FRNT Raven was born; some of their favorite gear; and more.

Shop Talk: Vertical Playground, Oppdal Norway (Ep.169)

November 5, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Once upon a time, a couple of friends who were scheming to get some gear for their own adventures ended up creating a phenomenal outdoor shop. We talk to Trygve Sande and Rune Kvalsnes about the origins of Vertical Playground; their trip with Hoji where the idea of the 4FRNT Raven was born; some of their favorite gear; and more.

We’ve been testing a lot of bikes of late, so on our latest episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down to give a rundown of what we’ve been riding, including the Santa Cruz Bronson, We Are One Arrival, Norco Range, and more.

Reviewer Reports: Santa Cruz Bronson, Norco Range, We Are One Arrival, & More (Ep.90)

December 9, 2021November 4, 2021 by David Golay

We’ve been testing a lot of bikes of late, so we sat down to give a rundown of what we’ve been riding, including the Santa Cruz Bronson, We Are One Arrival, Norco Range, and more.

On the Blister Podcast, Cody and Jonathan discuss ‘fast pass’ programs at ski areas; Angel Collinson’s retirement announcement; the recent climate change / energy bill; bighorn sheep terrain closures in the Tetons; what we’re reading & watching; and more. (And note: yesterday, Jonathan talked to Angel about her recent announcement, so stay tuned for that conversation.)

Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Oct 2021) (Ep.188)

December 22, 2021November 1, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Cody and Jonathan discuss ‘fast pass’ programs at ski areas; Angel Collinson’s retirement announcement; the recent climate change / energy bill; bighorn sheep terrain closures in the Tetons; what we’re reading & watching; and more.

Pete Wagner goes on our GEAR:30 podcast to discuss the new Wagner Summit skis, Wagner's wood cores sourced from avalanche debris, Wagner's collaboration with James Niehues, & More

Pete Wagner on Wagner’s new Summit Skis, Avalanche Cores, & Niehues Collab (Ep.168)

October 29, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We talk to Pete Wagner about three big new things happening at Wagner Custom Skis, where everything is built right in Telluride, Colorado.

Mick Hannah just concluded a 20-plus year career racing World Cup DH, but he’s far from being done in the bike world. So on Bikes & Big Ideas, we caught up with Mick to look back on two decades of top-level racing; discuss how the sport has (and hasn’t) changed; racing alongside his sister, Tracey; retirement; what comes next, and more. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts, or on our site.

Mick Hannah on Racing & What Comes Next (Ep.89)

December 15, 2021October 28, 2021 by David Golay

Mick Hannah just concluded a 20-plus year career on the World Cup DH circuit, but he’s far from done with bikes — and has a whole lot to say about racing, bike tech, growing mountain biking, and more.

On our Off The Couch podcast, Grayson Murphy is back on the show to talk about her 2021 race season; trail racing in Europe vs. the US; the Olympic trials; avoiding injuries; the biggest changes to her own training; the most ‘off the couch’ thing she’s ever done; and more.

Catching Up with Grayson Murphy (Ep.99)

October 26, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Grayson Murphy is back on Off The Couch to talk about her 2021 race season; trail racing in Europe vs. the US; the Olympic trials; avoiding injuries; the biggest changes to her own training; the most ‘off the couch’ thing she’s ever done; and more.

On the Blister Podcast, we talk to the American skier who now calls Sweden home, Jackie Paaso, about her very raw, very real new film, The Arctic 12. We discuss her background; being on the Freeride World Tour with her husband, Reine Barkered; and the ins and outs of their 26-day expedition through the tallest peaks of northern Sweden.

Jackie Paaso on her Arctic 12 Expedition (Ep.187)

October 25, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We talk to the American skier who now calls Sweden home, Jackie Paaso, about her very raw, very real new film, The Arctic 12. We discuss her background; being on the Freeride World Tour with her husband, Reine Barkered; and the ins and outs of their 26-day expedition through the tallest peaks of northern Sweden.

Willi's Ski Shops — BLISTER Recommended Shops

Shop Talk: Willi’s Ski and Snowboard Shops (Ep.167)

October 22, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We’re talking with Greg Klein, president of Willi’s Ski and Snowboard Shops, which is family owned and operated with several locations in the greater Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania. We talk about what brought Greg’s father (Willi) to PA; Seven Springs Mountain Resort; the key ingredients of a great ski shop; ski length & ski width; Willi’s women’s program; shop beer vs. shop pizza; & more.

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