A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 2: Flex Patterns (Ep.55)
We’re talking again with Atomic Ski Boots product manager, Matt Manser, about the messy world of ski boot flex ratings; the actual differences between some brands’ 120 and 130 rated boot; how Atomic arrives at their own flex ratings; the next areas of innovation that Atomic is focused on, and more.
A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots — Part 1: Plastics (Ep.54)
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.
Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2019 (Ep.53)
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.
The Dumpster Fire Episode (Ep.52)
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.
GPS Devices & Backcountry Safety with Bivy (Ep.51)
GPS communication devices can be the difference between life and death in remote places. So we talk with Bivy’s Pitt Grewe about the different types of technology and devices on the market; how these devices can affect decision making; satellite networks; complicated payment plans; and … Pitt’s impressive skills as a DJ.
Gearing Up for Big Days in the Mountains (Ep.50)
Last Saturday, Sam Shaheen skied three different lines in one day on the Colorado 14er, Torrey’s Peak. Jonathan Ellsworth sits down with Sam to discuss the details of this “Torrey’s Peak Triple Crown”; the ‘D-Scale’ of rating ski descents; the gear, apparel, and food he used on the mountain; and the safety and decision-making process throughout the day.
Skiing in Iceland + New Ski Reviews (Ep.49)
Jonathan Ellsworth talks about testing the ON3P Woodsman 108 and Black Crows Navis while heli skiing with Eleven Experience in Iceland, and Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa talk about their time on the Volkl Mantra 102 & Revolt 121, Faction Candide 5.0, and more.
Avalanche Airbag Tech Talk with Black Diamond (Ep.48)
Supercapacitors, Venturi valves, and scary-high currents — this week we discuss airbag design and technology with Black Diamond’s Director of Design Engineering.
Patagonia’s Technical Fabric Development & Design (Ep.47)
This week we talk to Patagonia’s senior material developer, Pasha Whitmire, about how Patagonia designs, develops, and tests their technical fabrics; myths surrounding waterproof / breathable materials; why the future of fabric development lies in sustainability; the advantages and disadvantages of working with big names like Gore-Tex; and a whole lot more outerwear geekery.
19/20 ON3P Lineup with Scott Andrus (Ep.46)
We talk to ON3P founder, Scott Andrus, about the 19/20 ON3P lineup, building skis for Michael Jordan & Tinker Hatfield, and we break quite a bit of news along the way.
Avalanche Airbags, Close Calls, & Backcountry Safety (Ep.45)
Near-death experiences, avalanche airbags, and changing risk tolerance — this week on GEAR:30 we talk to mountain guide and Mammut’s safety expert, Doug Workman, about life and survival in the mountains.
New Skis, New Goggles, & Random Reviews (Ep.44)
Sam Shaheen, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about new goggles; new skis; which ski companies made the biggest impressions on us this season; funniest answers so far to our BLISTER Survey; and more.
Avalanche Beacons & Backcountry Safety with BCA Co-Founder, Bruce Edgerly (Ep.43)
Avalanche beacons might not be sexy, but their proper use and design can be the difference between life and death. So we sat down with BCA’s co-founder, Bruce Edgerly, to talk about avalanche transceiver design, backcountry safety research, and the most important — yet often overlooked — aspects of a rescue.
New Gear + Sam’s Review of Tinder (Ep.42)
Sam Shaheen, Kristin Sinnott, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about some of their favorite new skis, then — in what might be our most anticipated review ever — Sam Shaheen gives us his honest, in-depth, pretty hilarious, and surprisingly insightful take on the dating app, Tinder.
Trends, Favorite Gear, and Most / Least Durable Products, with Eric Helmbrecht of Powder Hound AK (Ep.41)
Alaska is a place where your gear really needs to hold up. So we talk to Eric Helmbrecht, owner of Powder Hound Ski Shop in Girdwood Alaska, about the trends he’s seeing in skiing and snowboarding; the gear with the most & least durability issues; some of his favorite gear; and more.
19/20 Apparel — Sustainability, New Tech, & the Death of Full-Zip Jackets?? (Ep.40)
We’ve been inundated at HQ with new apparel from Patagonia, Mammut, Flylow, Sole, and much more in the past few weeks. Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa recently sat down to do their favorite thing — geek out on new apparel.
Prior Snowboards & Skis, with Dominic Morin (Ep.39)
We talk to Prior’s head snowboard and ski shaper, Dominic Morin, about the origins of Prior, their philosophy of ski and snowboard shaping, their craziest designs, their new shapes for 19/20, and the legacy of Chris Prior.
Moment Skis 19/20 Lineup (Ep.38)
We talk to Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, about next year’s lineup of skis; space movies; Ryan Gosling; Tyler Curle’s ski preferences; the “Google Bump”; and … more Ryan Gosling.
New Skis from LINE, Nordica, 4FRNT, and J Skis + a Confession & Sneak Peek (Ep.37)
We talk new skis from Line, Nordica, 4FRNT, and J Skis. Also, I share my change of heart over light skis, Luke and Sam discuss their new article on caring for your outerwear, and we give a sneak peek for our upcoming and very intimate episode of GEAR:30.
2019 Outdoor Retailer / SIA Show Highlights (Ep.36)
We just wrapped up our time at the Outdoor Retailer / SIA trade show, so five of us sat down to discuss the most interesting trends we saw, the products we were most tempted to steal, and more.
New Innovations in Bootfitting with Pulse Boot Lab (Ep.35)
Are you one of the many people who has wished that your ski boots were a bit stiffer or more comfortable? Well then listen up, because, the bootfitters at Pulse Boot Lab in Revelstoke have come up with a number of innovative ways to achieve both.
New K2 Mindbender Skis (Ep.34)
We talk to K2 ski designer, Jed Yeiser, about the 13 new skis that make up K2’s brand new “Mindbender” series.
New Skis & Outerwear (Ep.33)
We discuss the latest skis and outerwear we’re reviewing, including the Black Crows Corvus, Rossi Black Ops, Parlor Cardinal 90, Argent Skis Badger, Flylow Baker Bibs, and Patagonia Micro Puff Storm.
Romp Skis (Ep.32)
We sat down with Romp Skis founders Caleb and Morgan Weinberg to talk about their backgrounds, their approach to building “custom” skis, how they ended up building skis for the 10th Special Forces Group, and more.
“Best Of” Runner-Ups + New Skis (Ep.31)
We discuss 3 skis that very narrowly missed getting a “Best Of” selection from us, then we turn to some new skis we’ve been getting on from Folsom, Rossignol, Head, Moment, Dynastar, and more.
All That Glitters is Not Gold (Ep.30)
Not all gear is great — or even good. So today we’re discussing a number of intriguing products that turned out to disappoint.
Hoji on the Hoji Free & 4FRNT Renegade (Ep.29)
We talk with Hoji about his brand-new boot, the Dynafit Hoji Free; the differences between it and the current Hoji Pro Tour; how he’s been refining his signature ski, the 4FRNT Renegade; and his work with Arc’teryx.
Spark R&D — Part 2 (Ep.28)
We talk to Spark R&D founder, Will Ritter, about some of Spark’s current products, collaborating with CAST Touring and 22 Designs, and implementing solar power in their factory in Bozeman, Montana.
Zen & the Art of Creating the World’s Biggest Splitboard Binding Company: Will Ritter, Spark R&D (Ep.27)
We talk to Will Ritter about starting – and running – the largest splitboard binding company in the world, Spark R&D, and Will provides a number of valuable insights for anyone thinking of starting anything.
Our 18/19 Winter Buyer’s Guide & “Best Of” Awards (Ep.26)
Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, and Sam Shaheen discuss some of the “Best Of” award winners in the 18/19 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide.