Moment Skis 20/21 Lineup (Ep.111)
Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, is back on the show to talk with Jonathan Ellsworth about the 20/21 lineup. Come to learn what’s new, stay for all their arguments and tangents.
Gear:30 podcast
Voormi: How a ‘Textile Technology’ Company Does Outdoor Apparel (Ep.110)
Voormi is not interested in being just another outdoor apparel company. They develop their own textiles inhouse; they manufacture in the United States; and they’ve got some big plans. So we sat down in Blister HQ with Timm Smith, their head of materials development, to learn more about the Voormi story and where the brand is heading.
WNDR Alpine’s 20/21 Lineup with Matt Sterbenz, Pep Fujas, & Xan Marshland (Ep.109)
Matt Sterbenz, Pep Fujas, and Xan Marshland came to Crested Butte and sat down with us in Blister HQ to fill us in on WNDR Alpine’s new materials, new updates to the Intention 110, and their brand new ski, the Vital 100. And you’ll also hear some stories about Matt and Pep competing in slopestyle events against each other back in the day, and more.
Bikes, Forks, & Our 20/21 Winter Buyer’s Guide (Ep.108)
Jonathan Ellsworth talks to David Golay, Dylan Wood, & Luke Koppa about the Guerrilla Gravity Gnarvana; Manitou Mezzer & RockShox ZEB; Rocky Mountain Instinct BC; our 20/21 Winter Buyer’s Guide; and … ‘The Year of Ellsworth.’
Reviewing the Reviewer: Kristin Sinnott (Ep.106)
On our latest “Reviewing the Reviewer” episode of GEAR:30, we talk to Kristin Sinnott about her gear preferences; Family Feud; killer bees; her background in alpine and nordic skiing; and more.
Kingswood Skis founder, Alex Herbert (Ep.104)
Kingswood Skis is a custom indie ski manufacturer based on the South Island of New Zealand, and we caught up with Kingswood founder, Alex Herbert, to talk about ski materials, sidewalls, cosmetics & ski repairs, base material thickness, Kingswood’s rather unconventional Race Department.
Your Questions + What We’re Celebrating (Ep.103)
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth answer your questions and discuss our preferred gear for skiing funky spring / summer snow; what we’re reading; ski knickers?; mountain bike shoes; ski boot liners & durability; and more.
Strongest Wheels on the Market? Revel Wheels & “Fusion Fiber” Ep.101
We dive deep into the details with Revel Bikes founder, Adam Miller, about Revel’s new wheels — which he claims are the strongest wheels on the market — and this thing they’re using called “fusion fiber.” We talk about what fusion fiber is; their recyclability; the unique production process; other applications of fusion fiber, and more.
Hoji on Tinkering, Climbing Skins, Monoskiing, & Michael Jordan (Ep.100)
In celebration of episode #100, we of course had to have Hoji back on, our patron saint of GEAR:30. We discuss all the tinkering he’s been doing during quarantine; what ski gear has the most room for improvement; snowmobiles; climbing skins; monoskiing; and then, one of the all time greats talks about another all time great, Michael Jordan.
Your Questions + Our Review of PBR’s ‘Hard Coffee’ (Ep.99)
What outdoor gear is in need of the biggest improvement? How old is too old to try your first backflip?; If you had to opt for skis that are too long or too short, which would you pick? What should I do with my life? How does one start reviewing for Blister? Could you please provide an unbiased review and comparison of the Blister Membership, Deep Dive Subscription, and Blister Premier Membership? Luke Koppa and Jonathan answer these and many more.
Reviewing the Reviewer: Eric Freson (Ep.98)
On our latest “Reviewing the Reviewer” episode of GEAR:30, we talk to mountain bike and ski reviewer, Eric Freson, about his gear preferences; how many times he’s broken his neck; co-founding the freeride team at Western Colorado University; and Fresonisms like “torksmash” and “smokin rocks.”
Mystery Ranch Backpacks: From Special Ops to Backcountry Skiing (Ep.97)
Mystery Ranch has a long history of working with and making packs for the US military, fire departments, and law enforcement. They also make everything from backpacks for everyday use, to packs for backcountry skiing, and the company has quite a unique culture. So we sat down with product designer, Alex Rich, to discuss what it’s like to design packs for US special forces; how their military designs trickle down to outdoor packs (and vice versa); how their design ethos reflects their sustainability culture; and more.
AT Binding Shootout, New Touring Skis, & Tiger King (Ep.96)
Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, and Luke’s mustache discuss the pros and cons of a number of current AT bindings, including the new Marker Duke PT, the SHIFT binding, Daymaker Alpine Touring adapters, frame bindings, and tech toe bindings. They then discuss four new touring skis: the J Skis Slacker, Sego Condor, 4FRNT Raven, and Volkl Blaze 106. Then it’s time to talk Tiger King.
Crash Course: Telemark Ski Gear, Part 1 (Ep.95)
Since we have to learn how to tele ski and shoot a tele video, we’re crowdsourcing a crash course in telemark technique (see Blister Podcast episode 125) and in telemark gear. So here in Tele Gear Part 1, we’re talking again with the artist, Geoff McFetridge; Flylow Gear co-founder and president, Dan Abrams; and Blister reviewers Paul Forward and Kristin Sinnott.
McConkey’s Spatula, Modern Pow Skis, & Luke’s Mustache (Ep.94)
Paul Forward, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about the signs we’re going stir crazy; Shane McConkey’s Volant Spatula vs. other modern pow skis; the DPS Koala 119; the new LINE Vision 118; our current nominations for best underwear; Luke’s new mustache; and more.
What You’re Wearing, Part 5: Bison Fibers? (Ep.93)
Bison Wool? Bison Down? That’s a thing? Well it’s being used by United By Blue,
who started salvaging otherwise wasted bison fibers, and is now incorporating them into a growing range of products. So we talked with Brendan Raugh at United By Blue about how the company was founded as a waterway cleanup company; how they went on to develop an entire line of apparel around salvaged bison coat fibers; how bison fibers compare to sheep’s wool and goose down; and more.
Full Tilt Ski Boots: Past & Present (Ep.92)
Full Tilt ski boots are beloved by some (including the likes of Bode Miller, Tom Wallisch, Seth Morrison, and Sammy Carlson), but they get pigeonholed by others who think of them as only being for park rats. So we talk to Austin Peters, the Ski Boot Engineering Manager for Full Tilt and K2 Ski Boots, about the history of Full Tilt; what makes them unique; why you might opt for a Full Tilt over an overlap boot; and what’s new for 20/21.
Sugar Cane, Castor Beans, & Poly Bags — Picture Organic Clothing (Ep.91)
Picture Organic Clothing is going way beyond common sustainability practices with things like castor bean oil waterproof membranes and sugar cane waste-derived polyester, and they are attempting to eliminate polybags from their entire supply chain. So we talked to Picture’s co-founder, Julien Durant, and their sustainability manager, Florian Palluel about these ambitious projects — including their new air-permeable membrane, Xpore, that they are putting in direction competition with Gore Pro and TNF Futurelight.
New Skis, Tight Pants, & Farm Animal Analogies (Ep.90)
Luke Koppa, Kristin Sinnott, and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the new skis, boots, and apparel they’ve been testing, including products from K2, Blizzard, Nordica, Rossignol, WNDR Alpine, Atomic, Dynastar, & more. We also discuss what skis we prefer for off-piste, icy conditions; the merits of slim-fit ski pants; which ski boots are best described as “donkeys”; and more.
Ski Wax & Waxing Skis: What You Need to Know (Ep.89)
We talk with Graham Lonetto, the Alpine Director for the USA at Swix — the company that invented color-coded waxes, and one of the largest manufacturers of ski wax in the world — about different types of waxes and application methods; the most common mistake made when ski waxing; the FIS’s ban on fluorocarbons in waxes; and more.