Podcast | Blister

‘Quicksilver’ w/ Steve Smith & Simon Stewart (Ep.47)

July 29, 2025July 29, 2025 by Simon Stewart

Former San Francisco bike messenger Steve Smith joins Blister senior editor, Simon Stewart, to talk about this film starring a young Kevin Bacon. The lads dive right into why the film had a memorable bike influence on them, how realistic it is, and what the hell Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon is all about.

Rebecca Rusch on Battling Back, Switching Gears, Mtn Biking vs Gravel Biking, & More (Ep.367)

July 28, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

What happens when you go from being so tenacious that you earn the name, ‘the Queen of Pain’ to struggling just to get off the couch? Today, Rebecca Rusch shares the story of her journey, and it’s a journey that every single one of us will relate to, and all of us need to hear.

Big News & Updates: Our New Mtn Bike Buyer’s Guide; Our Winter Buyer’s Guide; & the State of Buyer’s Guides in 2025 (Ep.357)

July 25, 2025July 25, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We’re releasing our first-ever Blister Mountain Bike Guide, and we’re doing it in a way that we don’t think has ever been done in the bike (or ski) world. We’re also talking about the state of buyer’s guides in 2025, and you’ll get the latest updates on our 25/26 Winter Buyer’s Guide.

Is it possible that a Disney kids movie from 1999 is the single best movie ever made about the age-old clash between skiers & snowboarders? It is, and ‘Johnny Tsunami’ is also a contender for our highest award, the ‘Single Best Film in its Class.’ Listen to Blister Cinematic to hear why

‘Johnny Tsunami’ w/ Mike Rogge, Justin Bobb, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.46)

July 22, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Is it possible that a Disney kids movie from 1999 is the single best movie ever made about the age-old clash between skiers & snowboarders? It is, and ‘Johnny Tsunami’ is also a contender for our highest award, the ‘Single Best Film in its Class.’

Ups, Downs, & Unspoken Aspects of Pro Skier Life w/ Noah Gaffney, Anne Wangler, Mallory Duncan, & Jake Hopfinger (Ep.366)

July 21, 2025 by Dylan Wood

At Blister Summit 2025, we sat down with professional skiers Mallory Duncan, Anne Wangler, Noah Gaffney, and Jake Hopfinger. What followed was a very candid conversation about how they present themselves during hard times, the personal financial aspects of being a pro, career longevity, and much more.

Reviewer Reports: Enduro Bikes, Italian Suspension, & More (Ep.283)

July 17, 2025July 17, 2025 by David Golay

David and Simon sat down to chat about a sampling of the stuff they’re currently testing, from the new Pivot Firebird to the EXT Vecta, Bosch’s higher-output software for their CX drive system, and a whole lot more.

Amaro is bitter, complex, and a little mysterious, and most people have no idea what it actually is. But you should, and in this CRAFTED conversation with the folks at Sennza Finne, a Seattle-based amaro producer, you’ll find out why.

What is ‘Amaro’ & Why is Bitter Better? Sennza Finne on a Spirit You Should Know (Ep.78)

July 16, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Amaro is bitter, complex, and a little mysterious, and most people have no idea what it actually is. But you should, and in this conversation with the folks at Sennza Finne, a Seattle-based amaro producer, you’ll find out why.

‘Inception’ w/ Ian McIntosh, Todd Ligare, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.45)

July 15, 2025July 15, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Pro skier, Ian McIntosh, was Leonardo DiCaprio’s stunt double for the ski scenes in ‘Inception’, and he’s got a bunch of fantastic behind-the-scenes stories to share. And pro skier, Todd Ligare, brings his own great questions for Ian and excellent answers for our film awards for this movie.

‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ w/ McKenna Peterson & Jed Yeiser, Blister Book Club (Ep.365)

July 14, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Back in 2022 on a ski-testing trip, K2 ski designer, Jed Yeiser; K2 skier, McKenna Peterson; and I agreed that we would one do have a conversation about ‘The Hitchhiker's Guide’. And this strange little book seems to only be gaining more relevance with each passing year.

BTR’s Paul ‘Burf’ Burford on Rat Bikes & Making Affordable UK-Built Frames (Ep.282)

July 10, 2025 by David Golay

Building frames by hand in the UK is expensive. But Paul ‘Burf’ Burford, the man behind BTR Fabrications, has an ambitious plan to make solid, simple ones at very affordable prices. So we sat down with Burf to hear all about Rat Bikes, how and why he wants to do it, and much more.

Knives & Knifemaking w/ Jamison Chopp of Acre Forge (Ep.77)

July 9, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Jonathan talks about the ancient craft of knifemaking with Jamison Chopp, a bladesmith who works with a group of individual knife makers at Acre Forge, in Portland, Oregon.

Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, June 2025 (Ep.364)

July 9, 2025July 9, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Cody and Jonathan are back to review the news, rate your takes, and share what we’ve been reading & watching.

Ep. 44: '180° South: Conquerors of the Useless' w/ Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth

‘180° South: Conquerors of the Useless’ w/ Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.44)

July 29, 2025July 8, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

What film has had the greatest impact on Blister’s managing editor, Luke Koppa? This one. It details the adventures, friendship, & philosophies of Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tomkins; it documents Jeff Johnson’s attempt to retrace their 1968 trip to Patagonia; & more.

Public Lands Update, More Peak Skis News, & New Gear We’re Reviewing (Ep.354)

July 8, 2025July 4, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Luke and Jonathan discuss the latest with respect to public lands and the revisions to the reconciliation bill; share more news about Peak Skis; and preview some new gear they’re going to be talking about and testing in the very near future.

Fermentation, the Key to Most of the Things You Love w/ Nile Zacherle, Eli Brown, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.76)

July 2, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Many of us love (and love talking about) coffee, wine, or beer, but few of us go around professing our love of fermentation. But after this conversation with Nile Zacherle, Eli Brown, and Jonathan Ellsworth, you’ll see why you should.

‘Ski Party’ w/ Amie Engerbretson & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.43)

July 1, 2025July 1, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Today we are talking about a film that just celebrated its 60th anniversary: ’Ski Party’ came out on June 30, 1965; it stars a couple major actors and singers; and when we recently learned of its existence, we immediately knew who we needed to recruit to discuss: Amie Engerbretson.

Training for Outdoor Sports & the Current State of PT w/ Dr. Stephen Burkert (Ep.363)

July 3, 2025June 30, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Today, we are talking about training and outdoor-sports performance with Dr. Steve Burkert of Snow Beast Performance. We discuss best practices for training, the most common summer injuries, and some alarming trends in the physical therapy world that we all need to understand.

Our Thoughts on Peak Skis & What Needs to Happen Next (Ep.353)

July 1, 2025June 27, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Jonathan lays out his thoughts about the Peak Skis debacle, Luke Koppa offers his perspective too, and we discuss what we think needs to happen going forward.

Craft N/A Cocktails & Why They Matter More Than You Think (Ep.75)

June 25, 2025June 25, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Craft N/A Cocktails are on the rise, but there is still much that needs to evolve in this space. Jonathan Ellsworth and our CRAFTED co-host (and professional mixologist) Eli Brown discuss, and you’ll learn why fast-growing whiskey company, Uncle Nearest, is so interested in the N/A space.

‘Unbreakable: The Western States 100’ w/ Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.42)

June 24, 2025June 24, 2025 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Cody and Jonathan discuss what many regard as the greatest ultra film of all time, ‘Unbreakable.’ It documents the 2010 running of Western States, and the 2025 race happens this Saturday, June 28.