GEAR:30
302 episodes - English - Latest episode: 25 days ago - ★★★★★ - 755 ratingsGEAR:30 is the podcast from BLISTER that dives deep into the details of the most interesting and innovative outdoor gear. You'll hear BLISTER reviewers discuss the gear they're testing, as well as product designers, professional athletes, and some of the gear-obsessed folks from our recommended shops weigh in on gear trends and the equipment they’ve been most impressed with. If you love outdoor gear, you're going to love this podcast.
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Episodes
Icelantic & Moment Skis on Ski Design & U.S. Ski Manufacturing
March 29, 2024 15:53 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBWhat’s in and what’s out in ski design? And how have U.S. ski companies been doing over the past few years? At Blister Summit 2024, we discussed this and much more with Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, and Icelantic Skis founder, Ben Anderson. We cover notable trends; why skis cost what they do; the challenges of manufacturing skis in the U.S.; whether a core-shot-proof ski is possible, and more. And, if you’d like to check out the video of this conversation, then head over to the BLISTER Yo...
Reviewer Reports: Taos Ski Valley, Carving Skis, All-Mountain Skis, & Luke’s 3-Day-Old Cheeseburger (Ep.290)
March 22, 2024 22:02 - 1 hour - 68.3 MBThis week, Jonathan, Luke, Kara, Kristin, and JBobb were testing a bunch of skis, boots, snowboards, and apparel in Taos Ski Valley. But it was more than just a review trip, since it was also the first time back at TSV for several of us who previously spent many seasons there — which meant there were a lot of feelings. So in this conversation, we discuss a number of the carving-oriented and narrower all-mountain skis we were on this week; Luke’s food choices; the heated debate between Taos’...
Standout Backcountry Gear: Past, Present, & Future (ft. Vertical Playground)
March 15, 2024 17:22 - 49 minutes - 45.8 MBLuke Koppa and Kara Williard talk with Trygve Sande, one of the founders of Vertical Playground (VPG), which is our Blister Recommended Shop in Oppdal, Norway, to get a read on the past, present, and future of backcountry gear. We discuss current trends; all-time pivotal pieces of gear; the most durable products; the easiest ones to use; gear that helps break down the barriers to entry; skiing in Norway; and last but not least, Trygve’s involvement and collaboration with Hoji and 4FRNT’s new...
Helmet Tech, Head Injuries, & Best Practices for Skiers & Snowboarders
March 08, 2024 17:30 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MBToday we’re discussing current helmet technology, head injuries, and best practices for skiers & snowboarders with Blister reviewer (and physician assistant), Sascha Anastas; Sr. Director of R&D at Giro, Steven Kennedy; the CMO of MIPS, Frederik Kjellberg; and pro skier, Drew Petersen. RELATED LINKS: Blister Recommended Shop: Boone Mtn Sports Get Covered: BLISTER+ VIDEOS: Blister YouTube Channel TOPICS & TIMES: MIPS Backstory & Purpose (4:28) Skull Fractures & Concussions (9:10) Helm...
Jeremy Jones on Gear Reviews; Gear Mistakes; Soft vs. Hard Boots; & More
March 01, 2024 19:59 - 1 hour - 61.8 MBJeremy Jones was in town last week, so in addition to getting out on snow together, Jonathan and he sat down in Blister HQ in Elevation Hotel to talk about gear reviews; the biggest gear mistakes riders make; full-camber vs. no-camber boards; soft vs. hard boots (including Shane McConkey’s tinkering on that front); and more. RELATED LINKS: Blister Recommended Shop: Willi’s Get Covered: BLISTER+ Jeremy & Xavier Nidecker on Re-Up Tech TOPICS & TIMES: Riding CBMR, CBMR Freeride Comp (3:35...
A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 6: Ski Boot Flex w/ Pulse Boot Labs
February 23, 2024 18:04 - 1 hour - 56.3 MBHow should you think about ski boot flex patterns, and which one is “right” for you? For the latest installment of our “Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting” series, Kara Williard talks with bootfitter and Pulse Boot Lab’s Revelstoke store manager, Bryn Vickers, to cover the complex and often misunderstood aspects of ski boot flex. We discuss how the ankle joint and an individual’s biomechanics are the most important pieces of the puzzle; what exactly boot “flex” even means when it comes to on-sn...
New Gear from Blister Summit 2024
February 16, 2024 18:02 - 57 minutes - 53.1 MBLuke Koppa sits down with Kristin Sinnott, Jonathan Ellsworth, Kara Williard, and Justin Bobb to do a bit of a recap on our 2024 Blister Summit, which took place in Mt. Crested Butte last week. We go over a few of the MANY highlights of the event, and then dive into a bunch of the standout products they were each able to try at the Summit. RELATED LINKS: Blister Recommended Shop: Sturtevants Blister Summit 2024: A Brief Recap of an Epic Event BLISTER+ Membership: Sign Up TOPICS & TIME...
Consignment, Gear Repair, & Sustainability w/ Lone Pine Gear Exchange
February 09, 2024 23:01 - 42 minutes - 39.4 MBKara Williard sits down with Katy Jackson, co-founder and CEO of our Blister Recommended Shop, Lone Pine Gear Exchange, to understand the logistics of running a robust consignment program; how to shop for and sell used gear; the importance of consignment for both accessibility and sustainability in outdoor recreation; gear repair; planting trees; how living off-grid led her and her husband to where they are today; and a whole lot more. RELATED LINKS: Lone Pine Gear Exchange | 15% off your...
Blister Labs Update: Ski (and Boot) Flex Test
February 02, 2024 18:31 - 44 minutes - 41.2 MBDr. Sean Humbert is back to provide an update on our Blister Labs’ ski flex project, and to explain how and why ski boots are becoming an integral part of this project, too. RELATED LINKS: Boone Mountain Sports OpenSnow Last Chance! Blister Summit 2024 BLISTER+: Get Yourself Covered TOPICS & TIMES: Scope of the Project (6:26) Dynamic Modeling (7:05) Machine Learning (17:50) Creating a Profile? (23:28) The Holy Grail Project & Ski Boots (28:18) Blister Summit / Blister Labs (41:09...
Reviewer Reports: Storm Cycles, All-Mountain Skis, 3D-Printed Goggles, & More
January 26, 2024 17:21 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBLuke Koppa, Dylan Wood, and Eric Freson join Kara Williard to talk about the epic storm cycle we recently had in Crested Butte, and the powder-ski testing that followed. We also discuss several of the new all-mountain skis we’ve been on lately; Dylan’s new favorite ski poles; a standout touring boot; 3D-printed custom goggles; and a bunch of Crashes & Close Calls. RELATED LINKS: Episode Sponsor: Spokane Alpine Haus Join Us at Blister Summit 2024 Become a Member & Get Yourself Covered: B...
Raide: Building a Solutions-Based Backcountry Brand
January 19, 2024 18:24 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBLuke Koppa sits down with Kyle Siegel, the founder of Raide, which is one of the newest players in the backcountry softgoods category. They launched with a lightweight 40-liter backpack that immediately made a splash when it was released, so we sat down with Kyle to learn about how — and why — he started Raide. We cover the problems he’s looking to solve; how he went about doing so with the Raide LF 40 pack; we do a deep dive on some of the latest high-end, ultralight pack materials; the ch...
Skier Ability Ratings Revisited; Monoskiing; & More with Powder7’s Jordan Jones
January 12, 2024 19:01 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBAre you an “expert” skier or rider? Advanced skier? Intermediate? What’s the difference between “advanced” and “expert”? Today, we’re following up on our GEAR:30 conversation with Luke Koppa (episode 277) to revisit these questions — having received a lot of great responses from all of you. Joining Jonathan today to rethink these things is Jordan Jones, co-founder and president of Powder7, to provide a retailer’s perspective on these things. See what you think, and let us know whether you th...
Gear Predictions, 2024
January 05, 2024 17:41 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MBToday, we’re following up last week’s episode, where we looked back at 2023’s “Gear Of The Year,” and we’re now looking forward to 2024. Jonathan Ellsworth, Kara Williard, Justin Bobb, and Luke Koppa attempt to predict what’s “in” and what’s “out,” what trends will be revived, what categories will see the most change, and spin off into several other tangents. RELATED LINKS: Episode Sponsor: OpenSnow.com/Blister Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+ Join Us! Blister Summit 2024 Ep. 278: Gear of...
Gear of the Year, 2023
December 30, 2023 19:47 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBJonathan Ellsworth sits down with Luke Koppa, Kara Williard, and Justin Bobb to reflect on some of the standout products and notable trends that defined the past year in ski and snowboard gear. So, what trend does Luke think is “the gear equivalent of superhero movies?” How many BOA dials has JBobb broken in a decade as a self-described BOA convert? What’s Kara’s pick for the “Not New But Still Amazing Award?” Take a listen and find out. RELATED LINKS: Episode Sponsor: Taos Ski Valley B...
Blister Community Reviews Launch; How Much Info is Too Much / Too Little; & Other Contentious Topics
December 22, 2023 16:36 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBWe just launched our new Blister Labs project, Blister Community Reviews, so Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss where it is today; how it will evolve; and some big questions like, how much info is too much or too little?; how to best define the difference between an intermediate, advanced, and expert skier; rating scale debates; and more. RELATED LINKS: Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+ Join Us! Blister Summit 2024 Video: Blister Labs Summit Panel Session GEAR:30 #257: Previous Labs...
Skiing with Your Eyes Closed, Shop Pizza, Egg Beaters, & Ski Boots with Greg Klein
December 15, 2023 16:58 - 1 hour - 61.1 MBShane McConkey’s college roommate is back on GEAR:30, and Jonathan talks to Greg Klein (president of Willi’s Ski & Snowboard Shops) about all the stuff in the episode title, plus the $10,000 bet made at our Blister Summit that it looks like he’s won? RELATED LINKS: Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+ Join Us! Blister Summit 2024 TOPICS & TIMES: Shop Pizza (4:02) Greg @ the White House / Sustainability (8:17) Ski Boots, Walk Modes & Winning Bets (22:04) The Future: Cables, BOAs, or Buckles...
Folsom’s Spar 78, New ‘Rotor’ Pow Ski, & Jonathan’s Custom Touring Ski Project
December 08, 2023 18:19 - 1 hour - 94.9 MBJonathan and Folsom Custom Ski’s Mike McCabe discuss the skinniest ski in the Folsom lineup, the Spar 78; Folsom’s new huge pow ski, the Rotor; and then they discuss a new custom touring-ski project for Jonathan, and dive deep into the various layup & core combinations one would use to hit certain weight targets. Our fellow gear dorks, you’re going to dig this one. RELATED LINKS: Episode Sponsor: Powder7.com Join Us! Blister Summit 2024 Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+ TOPICS & TIMES: Wh...
Reviewer Reports: Early-Season Ski Gear Testing, Mtn Biking in Nepal, & More
December 01, 2023 15:45 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBLuke Koppa, Kara Williard, and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss getting back on snow, the best holiday of the year, ski boots, frontside skis, mountain biking in Nepal, engagement taco parties, and new apparel. RELATED LINKS: Join Us! Blister Summit 2024 Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+ TOPICS & TIMES: Blister Summit Update (0:00) Back on Snow (3:41) Ski Boots (12:16) Mtn Biking in Nepal (23:49) Frontside Skis (32:02) Apparel (50:01) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic CRAFT...
Biggest Ski Buying Mistakes + Ski Tuning, Ski Wax, & Ski Boots
November 24, 2023 17:25 - 1 hour - 80.8 MBWhat are some of the biggest mistakes skiers make when buying gear? And what do regular, recreational skiers & snowboarders need to know about ski tuning and waxing? Jonathan discusses these questions and more with Logan and Riley Boone of Boone Mountain Sports. They also talk about how they all met (it was in Austria), and Jonathan reveals the upcoming ‘Blister 90-Flex Challenge’. TOPICS & TIMES: Blister Summit Update (1:50) How / Where We All Met (8:09) Intros: Logan, Riley, & Boone Mo...
The Pro's Gear: Ted Ligety
November 17, 2023 16:42 - 1 hour - 68.3 MBJonathan talks with Ted Ligety (2x Olympic Gold Medalist & 5x World Cup champion) about his approach to gear; the specific gear he’s using today; how to best deal with flat light and low-vis conditions; his take on the current state of skiing and ski racing; and more. TOPICS & TIMES: How Do You Prepare & Train for Ski Season? (3:55) Ski Boots (11:25) CARV (18:59) Your Ski Quiver These Days? (35:07) Tuning & Waxing (37:32) Goggle Lenses for Flat Light (46:16) Current State of Skiing &...
Parlor Custom Skis: Building Skis in Boston, Custom vs. Semi-Custom Skis, & the Age-Old Question of Ski Width for East-Coast Skiing
November 10, 2023 17:08 - 1 hour - 68 MBJonathan was at the Parlor Custom Skis factory in East Boston to check out the factory and talk with Parlor owner & manager, Mark Wallace, about building custom skis in Boston; assessing skiers (and skiers assessing themselves); custom vs. semi-custom skis; and more. TOPICS & TIMES: What is Parlor? (4:46) Parlor’s Ski Building Classes (7:45) Assessing Skiers & Self Assessments (21:17) Fitting skiers into the right skis (23:27) Bringing Back Old Skis (30:15) Custom vs. Semi-Custom Skis...
Jeremy Jones & Xavier Nidecker on Re-Up Tech: What it Is & Why it Matters
November 03, 2023 15:08 - 1 hour - 72.5 MBJeremy Jones is back on GEAR:30, and this time, he brought along with him Xavier Nidecker, global brand director of Jones Snowboards, to talk about Jones’ new Re-Up Tech — what it is, how it works, why it matters, and what it could mean for the greater ski & snowboard industry. We also discuss FIS, POW, and climate change, and Jonathan solicits some advice about which board Jeremy and Xavier think he ought to get on as a never-ever. TOPICS & TIMES: Update: Blister Crash Course Video (2:00)...
Giray Dadali on the new Daymaker Touring TEKDAPTERS
October 27, 2023 17:06 - 1 hour - 71.7 MBA very intriguing — and extremely affordable — new piece of ski-touring gear has just been released, and you ought to know about it. So on our latest GEAR:30 episode, Jonathan talks with Giray Dadali, a pro skier, engineer, ski designer, and founder of Daymaker Touring, about their new product, TEKDAPTERS, that allow you to ski tour using a pin-tech toe on the way up, then click into your DIN-certified alpine binding of choice on the way down. Giray and I dive deep into the design, material...
Our 23/24 BLISTER Winter Buyer’s Guide Recap
October 20, 2023 19:04 - 1 hour - 78.7 MBJonathan Ellsworth sat down with Kara Williard, Dylan Wood, Justin Bobb, and Luke Koppa to debrief about our 2023-2024 Winter Buyer’s Guide, discuss what changed this year (and more importantly, what has *not* changed), go over some trends, and more. Along the way, we dole out our unofficial “RIP,” “Good Riddance,” and new “Best Glow-Up” awards; talk about what we’re most excited to get on this season; and Jonathan debates whether Luke isn’t even invited to his funeral, or if he’ll be mana...
A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 5: Debunking Bootfitting Myths & Misconceptions
October 13, 2023 17:02 - 1 hour - 79.9 MBKara Williard sat down with Jake “Fasa” Nelson from the Moment Factory Store to clear up some of the most common bootfitting myths and misconceptions, including the idea that ski boots have to be cold and uncomfortable; why adding forward lean to a boot might not help someone get more forward over their skis; why *everyone* (not just experts) will benefit from a well-fit ski boot and custom insoles; how picking the “right” boot can’t fix all your problems, and more. We also discuss why the...
GEAR THERAPY! (Session #4)
October 06, 2023 16:19 - 1 hour - 62.8 MBIn our latest edition of GEAR THERAPY, Luke and Jonathan talk with Blister Member, Giovanni Saccarola (an Italian living in Switzerland), about his ski quiver, ski boots, and ski boot liner options. TOPICS & TIMES: Giovanni: most interesting man in the world? (8:25) Blizzard Zero G 95 (17:03) Height / Weight (23:09) Bindings & Pairing Down His Quiver (26:09) ATK Free Raiders (28:50) Giovanni’s Current Quiver (32:27) Black Crows Atris (36:18 4th ski (38:10) Tecnica Cochise 130 & Lin...
Norrøna Owner & CEO, Jørgen Jørgensen, on Norrøna’s History & Design Philosophy
September 29, 2023 20:25 - 1 hour - 75.6 MBNorrøna has been making gear since 1929, and this family-owned company aims to make the best outdoor recreation products on the market. But that’s easier said than done, so Jonathan Ellsworth talks with Jørgen Jørgensen — the 4th-generation owner & CEO of Norrøna — about the brand’s approach to product design & testing, and the origins, evolution, and future of the brand. TOPICS & TIMES: Origins & Evolution of Norrøna (4:32) Customer Satisfaction (31:39) Product Testing (34:03) Quality ...
Why All Your Jackets Are Going to Change: Ditching PFAS w/ Outdoor Research
September 22, 2023 15:21 - 57 minutes - 53.1 MB“PFAS” or “Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances” are a hot topic today, especially in the outdoor apparel world, where they’ve been used for decades, most notably in the “DWR” or Durable Water Repellant finishes that are applied to a lot of clothes these days. But that’s going to be coming to an end in the near future. So, to learn more about why this matters and what it means for manufacturers and consumers alike, Luke Koppa sat down with Alex Lauver, the Senior Director of Materials, Inno...
GEAR THERAPY! (Session #3)
September 15, 2023 15:50 - 1 hour - 63.6 MBWhen it comes to gear, we’ve all been there: loads of questions, crippling confusion, severe analysis paralysis. Sometimes you don’t even know where to start. You need some help! In our 3rd session of GEAR THERAPY, Blister Member, Arika Poulin Weller, joins Blister reviewers Kara Williard and Kristin Sinnott. Arika is a longtime skier with roots in Nordic skiing (Fun Fact: she and Kristin raced together in college) and a mother who wants to spend more time skiing after moving back to CO, b...
BOA & Ski Boot Design with Hoji, K2’s Tom Pietrowski, Fischer’s Christoph Lentz, Dalbello’s Riccardo Bonaiti, and Dynafit’s Ross Herr
September 08, 2023 16:36 - 1 hour - 63.4 MBAt Blister Summit 2023, we brought together ski boot designers, Tom Pietrowski (K2), Christoph Lentz (Fischer), Riccardo Bonaiti (Dalbello), Ross Herr (Dynafit), and pro skier / designer / obsessive tinkerer, Hoji, to discuss ski boot design in general; the hype and skepticism around BOA (are boot buckles dying??); the role that weight plays in the development of boots of all types; the balancing act of designing a walk mechanism; the challenges presented by the boot-binding interface, and m...
Blister Labs: Technical Apparel Testing Update
September 01, 2023 17:23 - 49 minutes - 45.8 MBApparel testing, show pigs, & the underrated importance of ballpoint pens. Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss these things with our Blister Labs colleague, Melanie Peddle, who is a faculty member in the partnership program between Western Colorado University & the University of Colorado Boulder. We also discuss some takeaways from the compression, abrasion, and UV tests we’ve been running; steps toward developing new standards; and more. TOPICS & TIMES: Mel’s Background (1:47) Appa...
A Guide to Skiing in New Zealand with Outside Sports
August 25, 2023 15:10 - 1 hour - 55.9 MBHave you ever dreamt about skiing in New Zealand? Well, in this episode, Kara Williard talks with local Kiwi experts, John Knight and Darren Grimmett, from our Blister Recommended Shop, Outside Sports, to give us the rundown on what skiing in this Southern Hemisphere destination entails, and how to make the most of it. We discuss the best gear for the conditions and terrain in NZ; the difference between ski fields and club fields; backcountry skiing and heliskiing; plus all the other things...
GEAR THERAPY! (Session #2)
August 18, 2023 21:22 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBWhen it comes to gear, we’ve all been there: loads of questions, crippling confusion, severe analysis paralysis. You need some help! So in our 2nd episode of GEAR THERAPY, Blister Member & Spokane-based ski patroller, Kam Smith, poses his most-pressing gear questions to Jonathan and Luke, and gets their best recommendations (and a bit of a tongue-lashing from Jonathan). Enjoy! TOPICS & TIMES: Meet Kam, Ski Patroller (4:10) Kam’s Ski Boot Situation (9:45) Our Suggestions (15:27) Spokane ...
G3’s Recyclable R3 Skis & Boards with G3 Founder, Oliver Steffen
August 11, 2023 15:53 - 1 hour - 56.2 MBOliver Steffen founded Genuine Guide Gear (G3) many years ago because of his passion for innovation and problem-solving, and while this has largely been aimed at creating solutions related to gear and backcountry touring, most recently, he turned his focus to the environmental impacts and life cycles of G3’s skis and snowboards. This year, G3 is launching their recyclable “R3” ski and snowboard program, guaranteeing that products manufactured going forward can be broken down, reused, and r...
Blister Labs: Blister Community Reviews Update
August 04, 2023 17:38 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBToo often, the consumer reviews you find online are incomplete and unhelpful. But through our Blister Labs partnership with Western Colorado University & the University of Colorado Boulder, we’re working to change that. With Blister Community Reviews, we are creating a better method of gathering, synthesizing, and displaying user feedback from people of all shapes, sizes, ability levels, and locations, to produce even more helpful consumer product information for outdoor enthusiasts all arou...
GEAR THERAPY! (Session #1)
July 28, 2023 21:38 - 1 hour - 64.3 MBWhen it comes to gear, we’ve all been there: loads of questions, crippling confusion, severe analysis paralysis. You need some help! So in this inaugural edition of GEAR THERAPY, Jason Verlinde — a self-described “average / normal / non-industry / non-pro Blister member” — poses some gear questions and conundrums to Jonathan Ellsworth & Luke Koppa, and “gets to confess my ignorance and state my real-world situation, with the experts weighing in, straightening me out, and steering me toward s...
Magnus Granér & Peyben on 1000 Skis & Moving the Culture Forward
July 21, 2023 16:21 - 1 hour - 70.4 MBTwo years ago, a group of pro skiers, photographers, filmmakers, and friends launched 1000 Skis. They did this because they wanted to “move the culture forward,” make skis they weren’t seeing on the market, and because they just flat-out love skiing. Magnus Graner and Pär “Peyben” Hägglund were two of those founding members, and Luke Koppa sat down with them for a wide-ranging conversation that covers everything from the origins of the brand to their prototyping process; how they’ve priori...
SCARPA CEO, Kim Miller, on Their ‘Green Manifesto’ & B Corp Status
July 14, 2023 18:19 - 1 hour - 75.6 MBFor this week’s edition of GEAR:30, Scarpa North America’s CEO, Kim Miller, is back to talk about Scarpa’s Green Manifesto and their pathway to B Corp certification. Kim and Kara Williard discuss what measuring and accounting for progress looks like; the tricky balance of sustainably innovating without compromising performance; the process of recycling products and materials; assessing the life cycle of various products; and some of the gear that best exemplifies Scarpa’s commitment to these...
Blister Labs: Wheelset Testing — Updates & Initial Results
July 07, 2023 17:58 - 41 minutes - 37.7 MBToday we’re providing some updates and discussing the implications of the initial results of our Blister Labs wheelset testing with Greg Vanderbeek (assistant professor of mechanical engineering at CU Boulder & the Western Colorado University / CU Boulder partnership program here in Gunnison, CO) and Travis Hainsworth (associate director of the Western-CU Boulder Computer Science Program). TOPICS & TIMES: Project Overview (4:19) Carbon vs Aluminum = Complicated (7:13) Preliminary Data /...
Athletes & Product Design
June 30, 2023 15:37 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBWhen it comes to gear, how do you balance the specific needs of world-class athletes with those of average skiers and riders? In this conversation from Blister Summit 2023, McKenna Petersen (K2 athlete), Drew Peterson (Salomon athlete), Tyler Curle (Moment athlete & ski builder), and Jed Yeiser (K2 engineer) discuss the product development process; the roles that athletes, designers, and product managers play; the weirdest prototypes they’ve tried; what “evolutionary” and “revolutionary” ch...
Rethinking Apparel: WNDR Alpine & Beyond Surface Technologies
June 23, 2023 14:42 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBOdds are that just about every piece of clothing you own has been applied with some sort of surface treatment, and those (typically petroleum-based) treatments contribute to a significant portion of the apparel industry’s already massive carbon footprint. With their recent collaboration, Beyond Surface Technologies and WNDR Alpine are changing that. So Luke Koppa got the whole story from BST’s CEO, Matthias Foessel, and WNDR Alpine’s Matt Sterbenz, including the details of WNDR Alpine’s Pha...
Kästle Ski Boots: Origins, Design, & 23/24 Lineup
June 16, 2023 15:12 - 1 hour - 62.7 MBFor decades, Kästle has been making high-end skis for everything from racing to Nordic and skimo. But what sparked their recent launch into the ski boot category? It’s far from a simple process, so Kara Williard talked with Alessandro Speranzoni, Kästle’s global ski boot product engineer, and Alex Pritzlaff, their U.S. product manager, to discuss the origins of the project; the design details of their boots, including their mysterious “Secret Mix” plastic composition; the 23/24 Kästle boot l...
New Binding Tech: Tyrolia Protector Bindings with Full Heel Release
June 09, 2023 17:00 - 1 hour - 70.6 MBTyrolia’s Protector bindings with “Full Heel Release” is something that every skier ought to know about. Tyrolia calls it “the safest binding we have ever made,” and exactly how it works and how it’s supposed to reduce knee injuries is the topic of this conversation with Andrew Couperthwait, VP of Winter Sports for HEAD / Tyrolia. TOPICS & TIMES: Overview of Protector Bindings (4:10) How Traditional Alpine Bindings Release (5:51) Protector Technology (8:19) Backwards Twisting Falls (10:...
Ferreol Skis: Reenvisioning Ski Construction
June 02, 2023 16:11 - 1 hour - 56.3 MBFerreol is a relatively new company that designs and builds skis in Quebec, and they are working hard to push beyond conventional ski materials and construction. They created their own “Innovation Lab” to not only test skis but also develop new materials — and they’re not keeping it to themselves. Instead, they’re collaborating with other brands in order to move things forward at a greater scale. So Luke Koppa sat down with Ferreol co-founder, Jonathan Audet, to discuss all of that, includi...
Bikes vs. Skis, 4th Edition (2023): Part 3
May 26, 2023 17:23 - 1 hour - 75.9 MBOk, you know the drill. Which ski company is most similar to which bike company? What’s the latest incendiary thing that will come out of Dylan Wood’s mouth? This final installment of our 4th edition of Bikes vs Skis is definitely another fun one. TOPICS & TIMES: Yeti (5:53) Black Crows vs Revel (9:36) Line Skis (12:10) Propain Bikes vs. Line Skis (18:54) Season Skis & Snowboards (20:08) DPS (22:11) Ibis (28:07) Commencal (35:22) Kids Gear (40:11) Elan (41:51) Icelantic (43:50) ...
Ski Binding Design with Hoji, Lars Chickering-Ayers, & Giray Dadali
May 19, 2023 16:51 - 1 hour - 73.6 MBAt Blister Summit 2023, we brought together Hoji (Dynafit), Lars Chickering-Ayers (CAST Touring), and Giray Dadali (Daymaker Touring) for an extremely interesting and important discussion on the past, present, and future of ski bindings. We get their thoughts on “acceptable use” for certain bindings; the “Age of Confusion” surrounding different binding designs; being “handcuffed by standards” and thinking about the binding / boot / ski interface as a whole; what we should (or should hope to)...
Bikes vs. Skis, 4th Edition (2023): Part 1
May 12, 2023 16:31 - 1 hour - 77.6 MBWhich bike company and which ski company is currently holding the ‘Cool Kids Belt’? Which brand do other companies secretly wish they could trade places with? We debate these questions and more in our latest edition of Bikes vs. Skis. Check it out, and let us know your current answers to these questions. TOPICS & TIMES: Best Bang for The Buck: Bike (7:22) Best Bang for The Buck: Skis (10:39) Most Dialed & Complete Lineup? (14:51) Who Holds the ‘Cool Kids’ Belt? (22:52) Specific Bike th...
Safeback SBX: A New Avalanche Survival System
May 05, 2023 15:15 - 1 hour - 60.4 MBIf you spend any time — inbounds or in the backcountry — skiing or riding in avalanche terrain or near tree wells, then you need to listen to this episode. Because we’re talking about a new system designed to increase your chances of survival if buried in an avalanche or tree well: the Safeback SBX. Our guest is Tor Berge, the CEO of the Norwegian company, Safeback, and Tor and I have a wide ranging conversation about avy gear in general, while also diving deep into the development process o...
Powder Ski Design w/ Folsom's Mike McCabe
April 28, 2023 17:04 - 1 hour - 104 MBToday we’re talking about skis built for the deepest of days, the ones we dream about — and the kind that Mike McCabe and Jonathan Ellsworth were fortunate enough to ski recently in Alaska. And if you’ve ever heard someone say, “All skis are great in pow,” well, they’re here to blow up that notion. So what design elements work best in deep snow? What about low-angle terrain vs. steeper terrain? How wide is too wide? Is a softer flex pattern better? They discuss all of this and more. TOPICS ...
Coalition Snow: 10 Years of Skis & Snowboards, 23/24 Lineup, & More w/ Founder & CEO, Jen Gurecki
April 21, 2023 13:41 - 56 minutes - 77.8 MBKara Williard speaks with Coalition Snow founder and CEO, Jen Gurecki, about running a ski and snowboard brand owned and operated by women that designs products for everyone; what the evolution of these business goals has looked like; their brick-and-mortar storefront; “Far Out” trips around the world; inclusive initiatives designed to grow snowsports and build a lasting community; Coalition's 23/24 ski and snowboard lineup; what needs to happen for the ski industry to survive and thrive; Je...