Jonathan Ellsworth

Ski Boot Engineering Manager for Full Tilt and K2 Ski Boots, Austin Peters, goes on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast to discuss the history and future of Full Tilt Ski Boots

Full Tilt Ski Boots: Past & Present (Ep.92)

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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.
Blister Outdoor Gear review Crested Butte

Without Precedent: COVID-19, Ski Area Closures, & Ski Towns (Ep.122)

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We talk to veteran ski industry reporter, Jason Blevins of the Colorado Sun, about the COVID-19 pandemic and this past weekend’s historic and abrupt mass closure of ski areas. We discuss what, exactly, is going on; what is likely to come next; the impact on ski towns; and what each of us should and shouldn’t be doing right now.
Joe Grant joins Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth on the Off the Couch Podcast

Joe Grant: Adventurer, Endurance Athlete, & Storyteller (Ep.42)

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Joe Grant is an endurance athlete, a mountain runner, a reader, a writer, a thinker, a filmmaker, and, as you are about to find out, an exceptional storyteller. In this conversation, Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Joe about how he got into running; racing (and winning) the 2008 Caballo Blanco Copper Canyon Ultra and how that affected his life; his Tour de Fourteeners, a self-powered and self-supported link up of all Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks by bike and on foot; and a whole lot more.
Jonathan Ellsworth, Kristin Sinnott, & Luke Koppa discuss on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast some of the K2, Blizzard, Nordica, Rossignol, Dynastar, & WNDR Alpine skis they've been reviewing, and more.

New Skis, Tight Pants, & Farm Animal Analogies (Ep.90)

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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.
Jonathan Ellsworth, David Golay, Ben Sims, & Noah Bodman discuss on Blister's Bikes & Big Ideas podcast the upcoming 2020 UCI World Cup Downhill Mountain Bike Season

The Upcoming DH Season (Ep.17)

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The World Cup Downhill season starts in just a couple of weeks, so we checked in with Blister reviewers Noah Bodman, David Golay, and Ben Sims to get their thoughts on and predictions for the upcoming season. We also discuss the future prospects and popularity of World Cup DH racing versus the popularity and trajectory of Enduro World Series racing, and we place one very big wager on the upcoming season.
Hayden Hawks joins Jonathan Ellsworth on the Off the Couch Podcast

Hayden Hawks on the Black Canyon 100K & Western States (Ep.41)

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When a 15-year-old Hayden Hawks first learned about the Western States 100, he knew that he would someday get into running ultras, and it became his dream to race Western States. Fast forward 14 years later, and the now-29-year-old Hayden Hawks is a world-class runner, he’s just won the Black Canyon 100k, and he’s qualified to race Western States this June. So we talked to Hayden about his Black Canyon 100 win and the specific lessons he learned there. And we discuss his trajectory from running track in high school to where he is today, and more.
Tommy Caldwell presents at the Blister Speaker Series at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO.

Blister Speaker Series 2.5: Tommy Caldwell (Ep.120)

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Last week at Western Colorado University, we talked to Tommy Caldwell about speed climbing & setting the speed record on the Nose with Alex Honnold; strength vs. experience; how he focuses on climbing projects while also having more disparate responsibilities than ever; and how and why he’s become increasingly involved with environmental causes; and more.

Drilling for Oil under Moab’s Slickrock Trail? (Ep.16)

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Recently, a preliminary proposal from the Bureau of Land Management was put forward to auction the right to drill for oil and natural gas under Moab’s Slickrock Trail, one of the most famous mountain bike trails in the world. How is this possible? And what should each of us be doing to protect our trails? For answers to these questions and to learn what exactly happened with Slickrock Trail, we talked to Ashley Korenblat, the founder of Public Land Solutions.
Atomic's Matt Manser goes on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast to discuss the new Atomic Hawx Prime XTD boot, Atomic's new Mimic Liners, Forward Lean, Ramp Angle, & More

A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 4: Liners, Ramp Angle, & Forward Lean (Ep.88)

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Ski boot liners are probably the most overlooked and least appreciated piece of ski gear out there, but they are a critical piece of equipment. So Matt Manser, the product manager of Atomic Ski Boots, is back to demystify the extremely complex, very expensive, and poorly understood category of ski boot liners. Along the way, we also discuss Atomic’s new “Mimic” liner technology and the new-for-next-season Hawx Prime XTD.
Eric Walker talks with Jonathan Ellsworth and Brendan Leonard on the Off the Couch Podcast

Eric Walker on Running 5k a Day for 365 Days (Ep.39)

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By some measures, Eric Walker is a pretty normal guy. He lives in Minnesota, he’s not a professional runner, he’s 38 years old, and he’s a husband and a dad. But at some point in 2018, Eric found himself committed to the goal of running 5 kilometers every day for 365 days … and a year later, he’d done it. So Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talked to Eric to find out what motivated him to do this? How he actually pulled it off? What he learned in the process? And whether this something he thinks the rest of us should try?
Rob Coppalillo joins Jonathan Ellsworth on the Blister Podcast to talk about guiding.

Mtn Guide Rob Coppolillo on Backcountry Travel, Education, & Gear (Ep.119)

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We talk to IFMGA / AMGA mountain guide, Rob Coppolillo (author of The Mountain Guide Manual and the new book, The Ski Guide Manual) about how he got into guiding; the current state of backcountry and avalanche education; his take on the pros and cons of avalanche airbag packs; the fundamental question of the most effective way to travel in the backcountry; and more.
Nell Rojas goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss training for the USA Olympic Marathon Team

Marathoner Nell Rojas on Strength Training, Speed Work, & Low Mileage (Ep.38)

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Nell Rojas is fascinating. And fast. So fast that on February 29th, she's got a shot at making the USA Marathon team, despite the fact that she didn’t race her 1st marathon until 2018. But she then won her 2nd marathon (the very competitive Grandma's Marathon), and now, the Olympic Trials are right around the corner. So we talked to Nell about her unique background; the dynamics of being coached by her dad (Rick Rojas); her uncommon emphasis on strength training, low mileage, speed work, and more.
Wendy Fischer speaks at the Blister Speaker Series at Western Colorado University.

Blister Speaker Series 2.4: Wendy Fisher (Ep.118)

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Wendy Fisher is one of the all-time greats. She is a two-time World Extreme Skiing Champion; was on the U.S. Ski Team; filmed with Warren Miller and MSP; and played a huge role in showing the world what women could do in big-mountain arenas. We spoke to Wendy about all of this and more (including a few fantastic Shane McConkey and Seth Morrison stories).
Thor Verdonk joins Jonathan Ellsworth on the BLISTER Podcast

Thor Verdonk: A Life in Ski & Ski Boot Design (Ep.117)

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In the world of ski and ski boot design, Thor Verdonk is well known and very well respected. So we talked to Thor about his background, his 25+ year career with the Rossignol Group and how he became the Global Brand Director for Lange, then we talk about the history of ski design and ski boot design; developing the Rossi S7; and we get his predictions about what the ski industry will look like 10 years from now.

Bike Industry Predictions for the Next Decade (Ep.14)

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What will the mountain biking industry look like 10 years from now? What current product categories have the most room for improvement, and where will the actual advancements in bike tech take place by the end of 2029? What categories of riding will have grown, and which will have shrunk? We discuss all of this and more, including our wildest predictions for this next decade.
Grayson Murphy goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss her running career and more.

The Evolution of Grayson Murphy (Ep.34)

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In 2019, Grayson Murphy won the US Mountain Running Championship; the World Mountain Running Championship; and the Xterra Trail Run World Championship. But there were many twists and turns along the way in getting there, and perhaps even more impressive and instructive than her wins is her willingness to experiment, adjust, and explore new ideas and practices, which we discuss in this conversation.
Geoff McFetridge goes on the Blister Podcast to discuss designing artwork for Beastie Boys, Pharrell Williams, Spike Jonez and Rick Rubin, and companies ranging from Patagonia, Nike, the New York Times, Oreo, and many more; designing skateboards; skateboarding vs. skiing vs. snowboarding culture; telemark skiing; and more

Geoff McFetridge: Artist, Designer, Skater, Skier (Ep.116)

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Geoff McFetridge is an iconic designer and visual artist who’s worked with the Beastie Boys, Pharrell Williams, Spike Jonez and Rick Rubin, and companies ranging from Patagonia, Nike, the New York Times, Oreo, and many more. Geoff is also a passionate skateboarder and skier, and a big fan of … BLISTER??? So we talk to Geoff about going from being a sponsored skater to starting a skateboard company to designing for some of the biggest companies, bands, musicians, and directors in the world. We discuss skate vs. ski vs. snowboard culture; being a “conflicted” telemarker; and a whole lot more.
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