Blister Labs: Motorcycles, Laser Art, & Mtn Bikes with Greg Vanderbeek (Ep.204)
Greg Vanderbeek talks about starting a custom motorcycle business; the mountain bike projects we’re working on at Blister Labs; and more.
European Food Reviews & Trip Report + Updates on our Buyer’s Guides (Ep.203)
Luke and Jonathan discuss Jonathan’s travels across France & Italy; his visits to the Lange factory and ATK bindings factory; provide updates on our Mtn Bike Buyer’s Guide and Winter Buyer’s Guide; and more.
Ski Development & Ski Testing with AJ Kruajitch & Jake Stevens (Ep.202)
Few people spend as many days as we do testing skis on snow. But Rossignol’s AJ Kruajitch definitely does. So Jonathan Ellsworth spent a day at Les Deux Alpes going through AJ’s testing process, then talking with him and Jake Stevens about the similarities and differences in our approaches.
Rossignol’s Recyclable “Essential” Ski, with David Bouvier (Ep.201)
A recyclable ski? We sat down with David Bouvier to talk about Rossignol’s new “Essential” ski; discuss the origin of the project; the challenges posed by making the circular economy of a ski a priority; who this Essential ski is for; and how this project will influence other Rossignol products.
ATK Bindings, Part 2: Product Lineup & Design Differences (Ep.200)
In part two of our conversation with ATK CEO, Davide Indulti, we discuss ATK’s current binding lineup; the design differences between their four collections: Race, Speed Touring, Touring, & Free Touring; how Davide thinks ATK bindings stack up against the competition; some new products that are in the works; and more.
ATK Bindings, Part 1: Brand Origins & the Evolution of Tech Bindings (Ep.199)
ATK Bindings has been taking the tech-binding world by storm. We talk with ATK’s CEO, Davide Indulti, about the surprising origins of this family business; a pivotal moment in ATK’s history; where ATK saw the biggest opportunities to improve tech bindings; and more.
Blister Labs: Ski Testing & Dynamic Modeling with Sean Humbert (Ep.198)
In this Blister Labs update, Sean Humbert joins us to talk about the movie Real Genius; flies; ski testing and dynamic modeling; math and slarving; and more.
Reviewer Reports: Touring Setups, Resort Skis, & Jelly Bean Bribery (Ep.197)
Kristin Sinnott, Dylan Wood, Kara Williard, Drew Kelly, and Luke Koppa cover everything from the setups Drew used while touring for several weeks in Alaska this spring, to a whole bunch of skis, boots, and bindings from Faction, Blizzard, K2, Nordica, Salomon, and more. We also touch on some new Strafe outerwear, get an update from Kara on some heated socks, and discuss some unique gear and tricks that Kristin’s been using to ski with her son.
Spark R&D founder, Will Ritter, on the Current State of Splitboarding (Ep.196)
We talk with Spark R&D founder, Will Ritter, about the current happenings at Spark; compare the splitboarding and backcountry skiing communities and gear trends; go over design highlights from their current lineup; and more.
DPS Skis: State of the Union + 22/23 Product Lineup (Ep.195)
We talk with DPS’s VP of product and operations about the recent history of DPS; discuss some of the specific skis in their lineup; hear a defense of carbon fiber; define a new rule for product design; clarify DPS Phantom; & more.
Shop Talk: Recap of the Season; Skiing with Kids; & Heated Socks (Ep.194)
We talk with Rachel and Drew Harding from The Spokane Alpine Haus about the highlights and challenges of this past season; skiing with kids; heated socks; and more.
A Few GEAR:30 & BLISTER Updates (Ep.193)
Today we tell you about our most recent Blister Summit panel sessions; our upcoming Blister ‘Brand Lineup’ videos; an event this weekend; what we’re celebrating; & more.
New Skis, Ski Boots, & Gas-Station Food (Ep.192)
Luke and Jonathan discuss new skis, ski boots, liners, and apparel from Faction, Salomon, ZipFit, Dynastar, Renoun, Majesty, Strafe, Lange, and more. Plus gas-station food and owls.
Bode Miller on his new ski company, Peak Skis; the Winter Olympics; & More (Ep.191)
We talk with Bode Miller about his new company, Peak Skis and their new “Keyhole Technology”; revolutionizing ski manufacturing; his vision for Scarpa ski boots; his take on the Winter Olympics; and a whole lot more.
Gear West on Current Trends + New Ski & Snowboard Gear (Ep.190)
We’re talking new gear and gear trends with Lucas Evans and Jeff Perry of Gear West, our Blister Recommended Shop in Long Lake, Minnesota.
McKenna Peterson & Jed Yeiser on Developing Skis; the Blister Alpine Binding Test; & More (Ep.189)
Jonathan was in the Cascade mountains of Washington this week with K2 skier, McKenna Peterson, and K2 ski designer, Jed Yeiser, and after a great day of skiing, we sat down to talk about ski developing and prototyping; ski testing; our ski-binding shootout; biathlons; flip flips; & books.
Blister Summit Recap & Ski Reviews (Ep.188)
Kristin Sinnott, Kara Williard, and Sascha Anastas talk about the Blister Summit and discuss a bunch of the gear they spent time on from Fischer, Salomon, Dynastar, Renoun, Rossignol, and more.
Gear Myths & More w/ Cody Townsend (Ep.187)
Cody Townsend and Jonathan Ellsworth review some news, then talk about 5 gear myths; cookware; coffeemakers; & more.
12 New Skis from the Blister Summit (Ep.186)
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth give a quick recap of the Blister Summit, then discuss a dozen of the skis we spent time on at the event.
Blister Summit Panel Session Topics & Speakers + Product Design & Innovation (Ep.185)
We give an update on the topics we’ll be discussing at our upcoming Blister Summit, and tell you who the athletes, founders, product designers, and snow safety experts are that we’ll be discussing these things with. Then, we’re reposting a fantastic conversation on product design and innovation — it’s a must-listen for anyone interested in either of those things.
Reviewer Reports: Custom Insoles, Skis Boots, & Skis (Ep.184)
Kara Williard spells out the case for custom insoles in your ski boots, and we discuss everything from the Volkl Secret 96, Salomon Stance 88W, WNDR Alpine Reason 120, 4FRNT Renegade, the Lange RX 130 LV, Salomon Shift Pro 130, the new Line Blade Optic 96, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, and Moment Deathwish 104 with Kara, Luke Koppa, and Eric Freson.
Boot Fitting & How to Get a Proper Ski Boot Fit (Ep.183)
How should a ski boot actually fit? What does it feel like to have a “properly fitting” ski boot? And how do you achieve that? We’re discussing these questions and topics with Sebastian Steinbach, who is a boot fitting instructor in Europe for Masterfit University, and the owner of the freeride ski shop, Black Sheep Sports, in Munich, Germany.
New 2022/2023 Ski Gear (Ep.182)
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss a ton of next season’s new products, and some of the most intriguing product categories.
Shop Talk: Sturtevants, Sun Valley, & a Blueprint for Community Ski Areas (Ep.181)
We were recently in Sun Valley, Idaho, talking with Sturtevants owner, Olin Glenne, about Rotarun Ski Area (which could serve as a blueprint for local ski hills in other places); Olin’s lifelong love of skiing; the skiing in and around Sun Valley, and some of his favorite gear.
Introducing: Blister Labs (Ep.180)
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.
On our Upcoming Blister Summit (Ep.179)
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.
Skiing Austria, Ski-Boot Mods, & the Atomic Redster G9 RS, X9 S, & X9 WB (Ep.178)
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.
ON3P Skis 22/23 Lineup with Scott Andrus (Ep.177)
We talk with ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, about what’s been going on at ON3P, and we walk through the brand’s 22/23 lineup of skis.
Reviewer Reports: Backcountry Ski Touring Gear (Ep.176)
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.
MountainFLOW founder, Peter Arlein, on How Ski Wax Works; its Environmental Impact; Ceramic Nano Technology; & More (Ep.175)
We discuss the environmental impacts of ski wax (and how ski wax actually works); Peter’s appearance on Shark Tank; the upcoming ban on fluorocarbon waxes at the highest levels of ski racing; and Peter reveals mountainFLOW’s brand-new product.