Shows / GEAR:30
GEAR:30
GEAR: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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
GEAR:30Runways, Race Courses, & Riding Gear: Curious Creatures’ Unique Origin Story
Launching your own outdoor apparel company is no small feat, especially if it’s a one-woman operation. But with Curious Creatures, that’s exactly what Tasha…
GEAR:30Outdoor Photography: Tips, Tricks, & Gear with Taylor Ahearn
Taylor Ahearn has been photographing skiing, snowboarding, biking, and day-to-day life in the Gunnison / Crested Butte Valley for many years now, and in this…
GEAR:30Reviewer Reports: Travel Gear, Dinosaurs, & Camcorders
For this episode, Luke Koppa sat down with Kristin Sinnott to go over some of the products they’ve found useful, surprising, or otherwise noteworthy while on…
GEAR:30GEAR THERAPY: A Skier (Blister’s founder) Learns to Snowboard, Part 2
In part 2 of this GEAR THERAPY mini-saga, Justin Bobb lays out his specific recommendations for boots, bindings, boards, & more to get Jonathan started on his…
GEAR:30GEAR THERAPY: A Skier (Blister’s founder) Learns to Snowboard, Part 1
How much does knowing how to ski help when learning how to snowboard? How do you slam as little as possible while learning to ride? Why don’t snowboards have…
GEAR:30Sex & Ski Boots: Hoji, Matt Manser, & Greg Klein on the Present & Future of Ski Boot Design
At Blister Summit 2024, we got a state of the union on the present and future of ski boot design from 3 people with a wealth of experience in this world: Eric…
GEAR:30Alaska’s Epic El Niño Season, Ski Bindings, & More with Powder Hound
We’re back with Eric Helmbrecht, co-owner of Powder Hound in Girdwood, AK, to discuss Alaska’s banner El Niño season; the gear he enjoyed most; the gear Kara…
GEAR:30Whiskey, Murder, and a Bunch of New Skis
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the new skis they’ve been testing this spring RELATED LINKS: Blister Rec Shop: Powder Hound Get Yourself…
GEAR:30New Tech to Simplify Decision Making in the Backcountry
After years in the backcountry and a near-death experience, IFMGA Guide, Jeff Banks, wanted to build a tool that could simplify and improve the decision-making…
GEAR:30Icelantic & Moment Skis on Ski Design & U.S. Ski Manufacturing
What’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…
GEAR:30Reviewer Reports: Taos Ski Valley, Carving Skis, All-Mountain Skis, & Luke’s 3-Day-Old Cheeseburger (Ep.290)
This 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…
GEAR:30Standout Backcountry Gear: Past, Present, & Future (ft. Vertical Playground)
Luke 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…
GEAR:30Helmet Tech, Head Injuries, & Best Practices for Skiers & Snowboarders
Today we’re discussing current helmet technology, head injuries, and best practices for skiers & snowboarders with Blister reviewer (and physician assistant)…
GEAR:30Jeremy Jones on Gear Reviews; Gear Mistakes; Soft vs. Hard Boots; & More
Jeremy 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:30A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 6: Ski Boot Flex w/ Pulse Boot Labs
How 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…
GEAR:30New Gear from Blister Summit 2024
Luke 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…
GEAR:30Consignment, Gear Repair, & Sustainability w/ Lone Pine Gear Exchange
Kara 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…
GEAR:30Blister Labs Update: Ski (and Boot) Flex Test
Dr. 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…
GEAR:30Reviewer Reports: Storm Cycles, All-Mountain Skis, 3D-Printed Goggles, & More
Luke 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…
GEAR:30Raide: Building a Solutions-Based Backcountry Brand
Luke 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…
GEAR:30Skier Ability Ratings Revisited; Monoskiing; & More with Powder7’s Jordan Jones
Are 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:30Gear Predictions, 2024
Today, 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…
GEAR:30Gear of the Year, 2023
Jonathan 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…
GEAR:30Blister Community Reviews Launch; How Much Info is Too Much / Too Little; & Other Contentious Topics
We 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…
GEAR:30Skiing with Your Eyes Closed, Shop Pizza, Egg Beaters, & Ski Boots with Greg Klein
Shane 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…
GEAR:30Folsom’s Spar 78, New ‘Rotor’ Pow Ski, & Jonathan’s Custom Touring Ski Project
Jonathan 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…
GEAR:30Reviewer Reports: Early-Season Ski Gear Testing, Mtn Biking in Nepal, & More
Luke Koppa, Kara Williard, and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss getting back on snow, the best holiday of the year, ski boots, frontside skis, mountain biking in…
GEAR:30Biggest Ski Buying Mistakes + Ski Tuning, Ski Wax, & Ski Boots
What 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…
GEAR:30The Pro's Gear: Ted Ligety
Jonathan 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…
GEAR:30Parlor Custom Skis: Building Skis in Boston, Custom vs. Semi-Custom Skis, & the Age-Old Question of Ski Width for East-Coast Skiing
Jonathan 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…
GEAR:30Jeremy Jones & Xavier Nidecker on Re-Up Tech: What it Is & Why it Matters
Jeremy 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…
GEAR:30Giray Dadali on the new Daymaker Touring TEKDAPTERS
A 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…
GEAR:30Our 23/24 BLISTER Winter Buyer’s Guide Recap
Jonathan 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…
GEAR:30A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 5: Debunking Bootfitting Myths & Misconceptions
Kara Williard sat down with Jake “Fasa” Nelson from the Moment Factory Store to clear up some of the most common bootfitting myths and misconceptions…
GEAR:30GEAR THERAPY: An Italian Skier in Switzerland
In our latest edition of GEAR THERAPY, Luke and Jonathan talk with Blister Member, Giovanni Saccarola (an Italian living in Switzerland), about his ski quiver…
GEAR:30Norrøna Owner & CEO, Jørgen Jørgensen, on Norrøna’s History & Design Philosophy
Norrøna 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…
GEAR:30Why All Your Jackets Are Going to Change: Ditching PFAS w/ Outdoor Research
“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…
GEAR:30GEAR THERAPY: A Mother Gets Back into Skiing — Where to Start??
When 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…
GEAR:30BOA & Ski Boot Design with Hoji, K2’s Tom Pietrowski, Fischer’s Christoph Lentz, Dalbello’s Riccardo Bonaiti, and Dynafit’s Ross Herr
At Blister Summit 2023, we brought together ski boot designers, Tom Pietrowski (K2), Christoph Lentz (Fischer), Riccardo Bonaiti (Dalbello), Ross Herr…
GEAR:30Blister Labs: Technical Apparel Testing Update
Apparel testing, show pigs, & the underrated importance of ballpoint pens. Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss these things with our Blister Labs…
GEAR:30A Guide to Skiing in New Zealand with Outside Sports
Have 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…
GEAR:30GEAR THERAPY: A Ski Patroller's Most-Pressing Gear Questions
When 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:30G3’s Recyclable R3 Skis & Boards with G3 Founder, Oliver Steffen
Oliver 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…
GEAR:30Blister Labs: Blister Community Reviews Update
Too often, the consumer reviews you find online are incomplete and unhelpful. But through our Blister Labs partnership with Western Colorado University & the…
GEAR:30GEAR THERAPY: A Guitarist's Ski Gear Questions
When 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…
GEAR:30Magnus Granér & Peyben on 1000 Skis & Moving the Culture Forward
Two years ago, a group of pro skiers, photographers, filmmakers, and friends launched 1000 Skis. They did this because they wanted to “move the culture…
GEAR:30SCARPA CEO, Kim Miller, on Their ‘Green Manifesto’ & B Corp Status
For 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…
GEAR:30Blister Labs: Wheelset Testing — Updates & Initial Results
Today we’re providing some updates and discussing the implications of the initial results of our Blister Labs wheelset testing with Greg Vanderbeek (assistant…
GEAR:30Athletes & Product Design
When 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…
GEAR:30Rethinking Apparel: WNDR Alpine & Beyond Surface Technologies
Odds 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…
GEAR:30Kästle Ski Boots: Origins, Design, & 23/24 Lineup
For 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…
GEAR:30New Binding Tech: Tyrolia Protector Bindings with Full Heel Release
Tyrolia’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…
GEAR:30Ferreol Skis: Reenvisioning Ski Construction
Ferreol is a relatively new company that designs and builds skis in Quebec, and they are working hard to push beyond conventional ski materials and…
GEAR:30Bikes vs. Skis, 4th Edition (2023): Part 3
Ok, 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?…
GEAR:30Ski Binding Design with Hoji, Lars Chickering-Ayers, & Giray Dadali
At Blister Summit 2023, we brought together Hoji (Dynafit), Lars Chickering-Ayers (CAST Touring), and Giray Dadali (Daymaker Touring) for an extremely…
GEAR:30Bikes vs. Skis, 4th Edition (2023): Part 1
Which 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?…
GEAR:30Safeback SBX: A New Avalanche Survival System
If 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…
GEAR:30Powder Ski Design w/ Folsom's Mike McCabe
Today 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…
GEAR:30Coalition Snow: 10 Years of Skis & Snowboards, 23/24 Lineup, & More w/ Founder & CEO, Jen Gurecki
Kara Williard speaks with Coalition Snow founder and CEO, Jen Gurecki, about running a ski and snowboard brand owned and operated by women that designs…
GEAR:30Powder Skis in AK with Paul & Jonathan
Jonathan is currently in AK with Paul Forward, Chugach Powder Guides, and a great crew. So he & Paul talk about the skis they’ve been getting time on (from…