Podcasts

Jonathan Ellsworth talks with Blister managing editor, Luke Koppa, about his background, skiing, biking, running, and fishing preferences, and more on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast.

Reviewing the Reviewer: Luke Koppa (Ep.58)

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Today we’re launching a new series on GEAR:30 called, “Reviewing the Reviewer,” where we’ll ask Blister reviewers questions, then score their answers to determine a cumulative grade for each reviewer. First up, BLISTER managing editor, Luke Koppa. (And ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, wrote in with some bonus questions for Luke, too.)
LJ Strenio talks about competing and filming as a pro skier, working for NASA, being a stuntman for Vin Diesel, and more on the Blister Podcast.

From Skiing Park to Working for NASA: LJ Strenio (Ep.94)

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Last week, LJ Strenio, posted a photo of a letter from NASA congratulating him on being accepted as an intern to the Armstrong Flight Research Facility. But how does a park skier from Vermont, this star of the LINE Traveling Circus, this guy who once served as Vin Diesel’s stunt double, and this guy who has a 29-minute crash reel that is shot after shot of him destroying himself, get accepted to work for NASA? We talked to LJ to get the whole story — and it’s a great one.
Sam Shaheen talks with Gore's Sara Ellis about synthetic fibers, their pros and cons, how they compare to natural fibers, Gore's new fabric with Under Armour, and more on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast

What You’re Wearing, Part 1: Synthetic Fibers (Ep.57)

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How much do you actually know about the clothes in your closet, and the stuff we all wear to go play in the mountains? In our new “What You’re Wearing” miniseries, we’re shining a light on the most foundational part of apparel: the fibers. And in part 1, we dive into the world synthetic fibers with Sara Ellis from Gore (the makers of GORE-TEX).
Jonathan Ellsworth talks Leadville 100 winner, Duncan Callahan, about running, "burning out" on running, and how to cope with it.

Duncan Callahan on Reaching the Top, Burning Out, & What Comes Next (Ep.9)

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There’s a common narrative in the running world about people who are struggling in life, then they are saved by running. But what happens when you’ve been an endurance athlete for over twenty years, and you then find yourself in search of some answers? We talk to Duncan Callahan — 2-time winner of the Leadville 100 and a number of other ultras — about his story, things he’d do different, and what he’s still hoping to learn.
Jonathan Ellsworth talks to DPS Skis founder, Stephan Drake, about DPS's Dreamtime sale, their new touring ski construction, foam cores, DPS ski boots, and more on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast

19/20 DPS Skis Lineup with Stephan Drake (Ep.56)

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We talk to DPS Skis founder, Stephan Drake, about the new DPS 19/20 product lineup, and two new skis — that incorporate a brand-new DPS construction — they’re introducing for their “Dreamtime” event. Stephan also breaks news about their “Koala” skis, gives an update on the DPS ski boot they’re working on, and shares some new developments with DPS Phantom.
Jonathan Ellsworth talks to Taiga Motors CEO & co-founder, Sam Bruneau, about the world's first electric snowmobile on the Blister Podcast.

Making the 1st Electric Snowmobile: Taiga Motors (Ep.92)

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While more and more electric cars are hitting the streets, Taiga Motors is about to bring the world’s first commercial electric snowmobiles to the backcountry and ski areas. So we talked with Taiga Motors CEO & co-founder, Sam Bruneau, about taking the electric snowmobile from a college project to an actual business; and we get into the specifics of charging a Taiga, and how these electric sleds measure up against gas-powered ones in terms of power, torque, weight, range, and performance in harsh temperatures.
Kristin Carpenter interviews Jonathan Ellsworth about the history of BLISTER on the Channel Mastery podcast.

How & Why We Do What We Do

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If you're curious about Blister's history, how the review world generally works, and how and why we do things differently, check out the recent Channel Mastery podcast, where Jonathan Ellsworth was asked to discuss Blister's background and mission.
Guerrilla Gravity co-founders Matt Giaraffa and Will Montague and their director of composites engineering, Ben Bosworth, talk about the brand's origins and how they're making affordable carbon mountain bikes in the USA on Blister's Bikes & Big Ideas podcast

Guerrilla Gravity’s New Bikes & Big Ideas (Ep.3)

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When a small indie bike company with a heavy-metal vibe makes extremely big claims about the cutting-edge materials they are using to manufacture bikes right here in the USA, and doing all of this at a pretty modest price point … are they full of crap, or are they truly onto something here? And if so, how big of a deal is this? Jonathan Ellsworth headed to Guerrilla Gravity HQ in Denver to sit down with their co-founders and their director of composites to find out.
Jennifer Pharr Davis talks about the differences between hiking and trail running, lessons from her book, "Pursuit of Endurance," and more on Blister's Off The Couch podcast

Jennifer Pharr Davis on ‘Hiking’ vs ‘Trail Running’ Culture (Ep.7)

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Scott Jurek called his attempt to break Jennifer Pharr Davis’ FKT record for hiking the Appalachian Trail the hardest thing he’d ever done. And yet, hiking and thru-hiking often isn’t given proper credit either as a monumental test of endurance, or as a more accessible / less intimidating activity to get more people outdoors. So we talk to Jennifer about the divides between hiking culture & trail running culture; lessons from her book, The Pursuit of Endurance, and more.
Atomic's global product manager for ski boots, Matt Manser, discusses how ski boots and different ski-boot plastics differ on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast

A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots — Part 1: Plastics (Ep.54)

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Ski boots are made of plastic, and different plastics feel and perform very differently from one another. So we get deep into the details with Atomic Ski Boots product manager, Matt Manser, to help you figure out which plastics are used in your ski boots, and the pros & cons & general performance characteristics of different plastics — which will help you understand why you might like or dislike your current boots, and what you ought to be looking for in your next pair.
Maddie Hart and Gordon Gianniny talk to Jonathan Ellsworth about the future of trail running on Blister's Off The Couch podcast

Fresh Takes on Trail Running & its Future (Ep.6)

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While participation in trail running and ultra trail races is increasing, it has tended to draw an older crowd. But younger runners are getting into the sport, and they aren’t following all the old conventions. So we discuss the current and future state of trail running and ultra running with two young and rising trail runners, Maddie Hart and Gordon Gianniny.
Blister's recap of the 2019 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market trade show

Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2019 (Ep.53)

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Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa discuss mind-boggling new technologies like titanium-coated fibres; inventive sustainability stories involving recycled medical supplies; and the noteworthy trends — both good and bad — that they saw this week at the OR show.
Brendan Leonard talks with Jonathan Ellsworth about completing the Bighorn Trail 100 Mile Run on Blister's Off The Couch podcast

Brendan Runs the Bighorn 100 (Ep.5)

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This past weekend, our Off The Couch co-host, Brendan Leonard, ran the Bighorn Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run. So Jonathan Ellsworth talks with him about why he decided to run it; how he prepared; the highs and lows of the experience; his advice for anyone thinking of running a 100; and whether or not he plans on running another 100 miler.
Sam Shaheen, Kristin Sinnott, and Luke Koppa discuss White Claw, ON3P Woodsman 108, Salomon S/Max 120 W, Tecnica Plasma S Shoe, and much more on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast

The Dumpster Fire Episode (Ep.52)

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Things kind of go off the rails in our latest GEAR:30 episode, with topics ranging from the ON3P Woodsman 108, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, new ski boots, and heat-moldable hiking shoes, to very contentious debates about Hard Seltzer, energy bar flavors, and Smashburger.
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