Podcasts | BLISTER Outdoor Media & Gear Reviews

Public lands are one of the few unifiers for a huge number of Americans — but they’re currently under attack. On this week’s Blister Podcast, Luke Koppa talks with Blister reviewer and conservation advocate, Paul Forward, about these developments and why anyone who enjoys the outdoors should be concerned about some recent legislation. We cover several worrying provisions in the U.S. Budget Reconciliation bill; how the outdoor community helped get some of the worst additions removed from the current version; and why there’s still a need for all of us to take action to ensure that our public lands are responsibly managed and utilized in the future.

Our (Shrinking) Common Ground: The Latest in the Fight for Public Lands (Ep.358)

June 16, 2025May 26, 2025 by Luke Koppa

Public lands are one of the few unifiers for a huge number of Americans — but they’re currently under attack. Luke Koppa and Paul Forward discuss these recent developments, why anyone who enjoys the outdoors should be concerned about them, and how to take action.

Your Questions: Our Favorite Skis This Season; Big vs Small Brands; Quiver Overlap; & More (Ep.348)

May 27, 2025May 23, 2025 by Luke Koppa

Jonathan and Luke answer your questions, including our go-to backpacks for ski-touring; how a given brand’s size, location, and ethos factor into our own purchasing decisions; what skis to get if you’re spending a lot of time cruising slow-speed groomers; how we view “Quiver Overlap”; and one of the most frequent questions we get: what were our favorite skis this season?

On CRAFTED, Jonathan talks books, book recommendations, the state of independent bookstores, the art of reading, and the craft of writing, and our guest is the perfect person to talk about it all. Arvin Ram is a writer, avid reader, owner of the indie bookstore, Townie Books, and the director of the Mountain Words Festival here in Crested Butte, so we also discuss the intersection of mountain culture and book culture.

Reading Culture: Books, Reading, & Indie Bookstores Today w/ Arvin Ram, Owner of Townie Books (Ep.70)

May 21, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Jonathan talks books, book recommendations, the state of independent bookstores, the art of reading, and the craft of writing, with Arvin Ram, who is a writer, avid reader, owner of the indie bookstore, Townie Books, and the director of the Mountain Words Festival.

Breaking News: Revel Bikes is Back — and So is Revel Founder, Adam Miller (Ep.275)

May 21, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

After announcing just a few weeks ago that it was shutting down operations, Revel Bikes is back. And Revel’s founder, Adam Miller, is back. So, how did this all happen? And what happens next? Jonathan Ellsworth talks with Adam Miller to get the whole story.

On Blister Cinematic, Cody and Jonathan discuss The Eiger Sanction, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this week; it stars Clint Eastwood, the biggest movie star in the world at the time; and, importantly, Alex Honnold has called this the most realistic climbing film that Hollywood has ever produced. So … is Alex right? And how does the rest of the film hold up?

‘The Eiger Sanction’ w/ Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.38)

May 20, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Cody and Jonathan discuss The Eiger Sanction, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this week; it stars Clint Eastwood, the biggest movie star in the world at the time; and, importantly, Alex Honnold has called this the most realistic climbing film that Hollywood has ever produced. So … is Alex right? And how does the rest of the film hold up?

Lots of people dream of starting a company in the outdoor industry. But how do you go about actually doing that? At Blister Summit 2025, we talked with four individuals who had the dream — and the audacity — to start their own companies: Klem Branner, Venture Snowboards; Will Ritter, Spark R&D; Jamie Grant, CARV; and Cobey Nash, AlpenFlow Design. On this episode of the Blister Podcast, you’ll hear them talk about the highs, the lows, and the breakthroughs that come with starting a company — and the even more challenging work of keeping a company going.

Founder Stories: Creating a Company in the Outdoor Industry (Venture Snowboards, CARV, Spark R&D, & AlpenFlow Design) (Ep.357)

May 19, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We talk to Klem Branner, Venture Snowboards; Will Ritter, Spark R&D; Jamie Grant, CARV; and Cobey Nash, AlpenFlow Design about the highs, the lows, and the breakthroughs that come with starting a company — and the even more challenging work of keeping a company going.

Gearing Up for the Famous Chamonix-to-Zermatt Haute Route (Ep.347)

May 16, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Jonathan talks to BLISTER members, Bobak Farzin and Lukas Friedli, who teamed up to take on the famous Haute Route. We talk about their trip; the gear they used; what worked well for them; what worked less well; and, they offer some great advice for anyone thinking about doing any multi-day ski touring trip.

Reviewer Reports: Tons of Suspension, Long Travel Enduro Bikes, Trickstuff Brakes, & More (Ep.274)

May 15, 2025 by David Golay

David and Zack discuss a ton of new gear they’ve been testing, including a whole lot of suspension from Fox, Trickstuff’s Maxima brakes, and more; compare their experiences converting their Enduro bikes to ultra-long-travel setups; chat about both of Pivot’s Trailcat variants, & more.

‘Jeremiah Johnson’ stars one of the most famous actors of all time, Robert Redford. But why did Mountain Gazette editor, MIke Rogge, want to discuss this film that came out 53 years ago? Why was it so important to Robert Redford? And how did it inspire one of the most popular GIFs / memes today?? Get all the answers on our latest episode of Blister Cinematic.

‘Jeremiah Johnson’ w/ Mike Rogge & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.37)

May 13, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

‘Jeremiah Johnson’ stars one of the most famous actors of all time, Robert Redford. But why did Mike Rogge want to discuss this film that came out 53 years ago? Why was it so important to Robert Redford? And how did it inspire one of the most popular GIFs / memes today??

Craig ‘Weazy’ Murray on Winning Natural Selections’ 1st SKI Comp; GRITT; & More (Ep.356)

May 12, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We go behind the scenes of Natural Selection’s first ski comp with Craig ‘Weazy’ Murray, winner of the men’s division. We also talk about Weazy’s other passions, including riding mtn bikes at an increasingly high level, and why his work with GRITT means so much to him.

Reviewer Reports: Testing at Palisades, Ski Touring Gear, Favorite Ski Socks & Midlayers (Ep.346)

May 9, 2025 by Luke Koppa

Luke, Kristin, and Jonathan discuss some of the skis, boots, and bindings that have stood out during their recent testing; Luke’s experience at Palisades Tahoe + Level 1 SuperUnknown; which ski socks they each used most this season; some interesting new midlayers, & more.

Kona founders Dan Gerhard and Jacob Heilbron

The Resurrection of Kona w/ Jacob Heilbron (Ep.273)

July 8, 2025May 8, 2025 by Simon Stewart

In April 2024, Kona Bikes set up their tent at Sea Otter and promptly tore it back down. Kent Outdoors, which owned Kona at the time, pulled the rug right out from under them and declared that Kona was no longer in business. A year later, we check in with Kona founder Jacob Heilbron about selling Kona to Kent, how things have been since buying it back, and more.

The Highlands of Jalisco where Don Julio Tequila is made.

Amateur Hour: Tequila, with Simon Stewart, Eli Brown, & Troy Rarick (Ep.69)

May 7, 2025 by Simon Stewart

CRAFTED co-hosts Simon Stewart and Eli Brown talk with Troy Rarick, the founder of Over the Edge bike shops and the person who first got Simon into tequila, about why tequila might be the quintessential craft spirit. They also share their current favorite tequilas, some advice on how to choose a good bottle; and more.

Mali Noyes just pulled off a mind-blowing feat in the ski world: completing the Chuting Gallery in 47 days. That’s 93 chutes (she actually did more than that) around the Wasatch in 47 days, with over 200,000 feet of vert climbed, while navigating tricky conditions, complex terrain, incredible physical demands, and mental and emotional fatigue. And she pulled it all off in a time that seems almost unfathomable. So how did she do it? And what led her to take it on? Jonathan Ellsworth talks with Mali about all of it, including some of the best advice she received from Greg Hill, Cody Townsend, Janelle Smiley, and Sam Smoothy.

Mali Noyes’ Incredible Feat: Skiing the Chuting Gallery in 47 Days (Ep.355)

May 5, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Mali Noyes just pulled off a mind-blowing feat: skiing the Chuting Gallery in 47 days. So how did she do it? And what led her to try? Jonathan talks with Mali about all of it, including some of the best advice she received from Greg Hill, Cody Townsend, Janelle Smiley, and Sam Smoothy.

What new thoughts and ideas emerge when you bring together in conversation makers of hybrid ski bindings and AT bindings and snowboard bindings and splitboard bindings? At Blister Summit 2025, Jonathan Ellsworth led a conversation along these lines with Will Ritter of Spark R&D; Royal White, from Burton; Andy Merriman, from ATK Bindings; and Cobey Nash, from the very new company, AlpenFlow Design.

What’s New in Ski & Snowboard Bindings (Burton, Spark R&D, ATK Bindings, AlpenFlow Design) (Ep.345)

May 14, 2025May 2, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

What new ideas emerge when you bring together makers of hybrid ski bindings and AT bindings and snowboard bindings and splitboard bindings? At the Blister Summit, we brought together Will Ritter of Spark R&D; Royal White, from Burton; Andy Merriman, from ATK Bindings; and Cobey Nash, from the new company, AlpenFlow Design. Enjoy.

Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, April 2025 (Ep. 272)

May 1, 2025 by Simon Stewart

Mike and Simon discuss the sad news about Revel Bikes closing shop, the exciting start to mountain bike World Cup XC racing, Tadej Pogačar's incredible Spring Classics campaign, Specialized’s polarizing eMTB speed limit decision, some of their favorite new products, and a whole lot more.

Viticulture, Wine Making, & Karaoke w/ Field Recordings’ Andrew Jones (Ep.68)

May 2, 2025April 30, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Andrew Jones has spent decades planting vines for other people — some of the biggest names in California. But then his side project turned into Field Recordings, and that has grown into one of the most talked-about labels in the country. Here, Andrew talks with us about nursery hustle, breaking the rules, and why wine should be fun, not fussy.

When Sh!t Hits the Fan / How to Recreate Responsibly, with Nick Russell, Bjarne Salen, Drew Petersen, & Dr. Gloria Beim (Ep.354)

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Today, an all-star lineup of guests share their stories of times when things went wrong in the mountains, and also share some of their best advice and tips to respond to such moments — or, ideally, avoid them altogether. If you recreate in the mountains, please listen.

If you think all goggles are the same, well, think again. At our Blister Summit 2025, Jonathan Ellsworth spoke with Steven Kennedy (Giro), Ted Ligety (Shred Optics), Stefan Stahl (Glade Optics), and Gabriel Lobbi (Provuu) about some different approaches — and solutions — to the problem of seeing well on snow. Check it out on GEAR:30

See Better, Ski Better: the State of Goggle Lens Tech (Ep.344)

April 25, 2025 by Luke Koppa

At our Blister Summit 2025, Jonathan spoke with Steven Kennedy (Giro), Ted Ligety (Shred Optics), Stefan Stahl (Glade Optics), and Gabriel Lobbi (Provuu) about some different approaches — and solutions — to the problem of seeing well on snow.

Outlier MTB on Product Design, Founding a Company, & Their Wild Looking Flat Pedals (Ep.271)

April 24, 2025 by David Golay

Making a flat pedal design stand out is hard — especially in a manner that brings real performance changes vs. just aesthetic ones — but Outlier has done so twice with their Void and Pendulum pedals. Hear all about the concepts, the prototyping process, founding a company on products that truly are, well, Outliers, and a whole lot more.