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:30Jonathan’s Gear for AK, Luke’s Latest Crash, & More
Jonathan and Luke talk about closing day at CBMR; the gear JE is bringing to AK; liners; the Rossi Sender Free 110, Armada Declivity 102 Ti, Volkl Revolt 114…
GEAR:30Diving into Blizzard’s 23/24 Ski Lineup
Jonathan talks with Blizzard’s Christian Avery about the overhauled Rustler & Sheeva skis; where their Hustle line of skis slots into the mix; and why we…
GEAR:30Shop Talk: Gear West on Year-Round Relevance, Community, & Specialty Service
For this edition of Shop Talk, Kara Williard talks with Jeff Perry and Isabel Berg from Gear West, our Blister Recommended Shop in Long Lake, Minnesota, to…
GEAR:30ZipFit “Inner Boots”; the Growth of ZipFit; Reviewing Ski Boots; & More with Jeff Colt
Kara Williard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk with Jeff Colt, Brand Director of ZipFit, to make the case for why liners, or “inner boots” are one of the most…
GEAR:30Skiing with Kids w/ Spokane Alpine Haus
For this edition of Shop Talk, Kristin Sinnott is back with the owners of the Spokane Alpine Haus, Drew and Rachel Harding, to discuss skiing with kids. We…
GEAR:30New Gear from Blister Summit 2023
Luke Koppa is joined by Justin Bobb, Kara Williard, Dylan Wood, and Kristin Sinnott to discuss some of the standout gear they were able to test at last week’s…
GEAR:30Shop Talk: 3D Printing & Bootfitting w/ Pulse Boot Lab
For this edition of Shop Talk, we are back with Kai Palkeinen, founder of Pulse Boot Lab, to hear about what Kai’s been up to since we last talked, including…
GEAR:30Blister Labs: AI, Machine Learning, & Ski Reviewing
Dr. Sean Humbert is back to provide an update on our ski testing at Blister Labs; discuss the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning for…
GEAR:30Year of the BOA? Atomic’s Matt Manser on New Ski Boots, Liners, & BOA Systems
Matt Manser is back to go deep on the just-unveiled 23/24 Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD (and Hawx Ultra XTD BOA GW); the new Hawx Ultra XTD Mimic Professional liner…
GEAR:30Shop Talk: Powder7 + ‘Crashes & Close Calls’
Jonathan talks about shop life, gear, the price of single-day lift passes, and more with Alex and Matt from Powder7 in Golden, Colorado. Then Blister bike…
GEAR:30Jeremy Jones on the Evolution of Snowboard Design
Today we’ve got a masterclass on the history and evolution of snowboard design with Jeremy Jones, as well as Jeremy’s own philosophy behind product creation…
GEAR:30Shop Talk: Outdoor Gear Exchange, Burlington, VT + Crashes & Close Calls
We’re talking ski gear, customer trends, & sustainability initiatives (from the POV of a shop owner) with Mike Donohue of Outdoor Gear Exchange, our Blister…
GEAR:30Reviewer Reports + Crashes & Close Calls
Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, Kara Williard, and Dylan Wood discuss some of the notable gear they’ve been reviewing this season. They also discuss Christmas…
GEAR:30Blister Labs: Travis Hainsworth on Soft Robotics, MoCap, & Wheelsets
Travis Hainsworth is a whole lot of fun. And when he’s not out on his highly questionable one-ski quiver, he’s busy being the associate director of the…
GEAR:30Heritage Lab Skis, with Marshal Olson
Too often, passionate skiers have to mourn the discontinuation of our all-time favorite ski designs. So Marshal Olson started Heritage Lab Skis to fix that. In…
GEAR:30Matt Manser on Atomic's 22/23 Ski Boot Lineup & More
Matt Manser, Atomic’s ski boots product manager, is back to discuss the current lineup of Atomic ski boots and what’s new for this season; running through…
GEAR:30Shop Talk: Willi’s Ski & Board on Ski Shops as Conduits and Founding Winter Divas
Kristin Sinnott and Kara Williard caught up with Kjerstin Klein, co-owner of Willi’s Ski and Board. They dove into Kjerstin’s adventurous background as a model…
GEAR:30Blizzard-Tecnica's Women2Women Program with Leslie Baker-Brown
Kristin Sinnott and Kara Williard talk with Blizzard-Tecnica’s Women2Women program founder and ski legend, Leslie Baker-Brown, about her background in ski…
GEAR:30Shop Talk: Celebrating 10 Years of Powder Hound in Girdwood, AK with Eric Helmbrecht
Just in time for our Blister Recommended Shop, Powder Hound, to celebrate its 10-year business anniversary, Kara Williard chatted with the owner and founder…
GEAR:30A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 4: Big-Mountain Freeride Bootfitting with Fasa
For the fourth installment of our Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, we talked with Jake "Fasa" Nelson, who not only works at the Moment Ski Factory, but also…
GEAR:30Q&A with Hoji: Gear, Training, Mental Prep, the Blister Summit, & More
Eric Hjorleifson is back on GEAR:30 to answer questions from our Blister Members about gear; his tinkering process; coming to the Blister Summit; how he trains…
GEAR:30Shop Talk: Hickory & Tweed
We talk with Skip and Mac Beitzel, the owners — and father / son duo — from Hickory & Tweed, located in Armonk, New York. We go over the history of the shop…
GEAR:30Our 22/23 BLISTER Winter Buyer's Guide Recap
A bunch of our reviewers discuss why our 22/23 Winter Buyer’s Guide is still unique and still the best resource for your winter gear; what’s new & different…
GEAR:30A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 3: Stance Balancing with Pulse Boot Labs
For Part 3 of our Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting series, Kara Williard and Kai Palkeinen, Founder of Pulse Boot Labs, dive into the intricate topic of stance…
GEAR:30Folsom Custom Skis: 22/23 Updates
Folsom builds custom skis in Denver, Colorado, and they have a LOT going on these days. So we discussed it all with their head ski builder / owner / CEO, Mike…
GEAR:30Blister Labs: Technical Apparel Ratings & Standards - Origins & Relevance
Those waterproof & breathability ratings on the tags of that rain jacket or those ski pants you’re about to buy: where did they come from? What’s the history?…
GEAR:30A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt 2: Your Questions Answered by Master Bootfitters, Sam and Kara
In the second installment of our “Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting” series, Blister reviewer (and bootfitter) Kara Williard is joined again by Master Bootiftter…
GEAR:30Blister Labs: Product Manufacturers vs. Researchers & Reviewers
Can engineering actually help us discover real-world characteristics about products that will be meaningful to end users? Or, when we incorporate quantitative…
GEAR:30A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt 1: The Basics
Few things in the world of ski gear are as complex, important, or misunderstood as bootfitting. So in this 1st episode of our new series on bootfitting, we…
GEAR:30Blister Labs: MTB Wheelset Testing & Establishing Proof of Concept
Greg Vanderbeek is back with a Blister Labs update on our mountain-bike-wheels testing. We discuss why the dynamic modeling we’ve been doing in the field is a…
GEAR:30Optics & the Eyewear Industry with Julbo CEO, Dave Crothers
You do your research when it comes to your ski & bike & trail gear. But what about your eyewear? Julbo CEO, Dave Crothers, makes the case that there’s a whole…
GEAR:30Reviewing the Reviewer: Kara Williard
On the latest edition of our Reviewing the Reviewer series, our resident ski reviewer, bike tester, boot fitter, and sustainable farmer, Kara Williard, is in…
GEAR:30Our (Massive) Ski Binding Shootout + Wildlife Encounters
Luke Koppa, Kara Williard, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about our upcoming test, where we’ll be mounting up more than 20 pairs of the same ski with more than 20…
GEAR:30Domestic Apparel Manufacturing, Supply-Chain Logistics, & More
A few years ago, Kitsbow undertook an incredibly ambitious plan to move to Old Fort, North Carolina, and bring all of their apparel production to the United…
GEAR:30The Design Principle of “Simplexity”
We talk to Naked Sports Innovations’ president and co-founder, Lindsay Dakota, about how the concept of “simplexity” drives Naked’s design process; growing a…
GEAR:30Reviewing the Reviewer: Drew Kelly
Blister reviewer, Drew Kelly — the man with the best turn in Crested Butte — is in the hot seat today, and in this insanely wide-ranging conversation, we talk…
GEAR:30Blister Labs: Motorcycles, Laser Art, & Mtn Bikes with Greg Vanderbeek
In this Blister Labs update, we sit down with Greg Vanderbeek to talk about how he chose his grad school based on proximity to climbing; starting a custom…
GEAR:30European Food Reviews & Trip Report + Updates on our Buyer’s Guides
Luke and Jonathan discuss Jonathan’s travels across France & Italy; his visits to the Lange factory and ATK bindings factory; provide updates on our Mtn Bike…
GEAR:30Ski Development & Ski Testing with AJ Kruajitch & Jake Stevens
Few people spend as many days as we do testing skis on snow. But Rossignol’s AJ Kruajitch definitely does. So Jonathan Ellsworth spent a day at Les Deux Alpes…
GEAR:30Rossignol’s Recyclable “Essential” Ski, with David Bouvier
A recyclable ski? Jonathan sat down with David Bouvier to talk about Rossignol’s new “Essential” ski; discuss the origin of the project; the challenges posed…
GEAR:30ATK Bindings, Part 2: Product Lineup & Design Differences
In part two of our conversation with ATK CEO (and one of ATK’s chief product testers), Davide Indulti, we discuss ATK’s current binding lineup; the design…
GEAR:30ATK Bindings, Part 1: Brand Origins & the Evolution of Tech Bindings
The Italian company, ATK Bindings, has been taking the tech-binding world by storm. And in this first podcast that the brand has ever done, we talk with ATK…
GEAR:30Blister Labs: Ski Testing & Dynamic Modeling with Sean Humbert
In this Blister Labs update, Sean Humbert joins us to talk about the movie Real Genius; flies; ski testing and dynamic modeling; math and slarving; and more…
GEAR:30Reviewer Reports: Touring Setups, Resort Skis, & Jelly Bean Bribery
Today, in another edition of our Reviewer Reports series, we’ve got a wide-ranging conversation with Kristin Sinnott, Dylan Wood, Kara Williard, Drew Kelly…
GEAR:30Spark R&D founder, Will Ritter, on the Current State of Splitboarding
We talk with Spark R&D founder, Will Ritter, about the current happenings at Spark; compare the splitboarding and backcountry skiing communities and gear…
GEAR:30DPS Skis: State of the Union + 22/23 Product Lineup
We talk with DPS’s VP of product and operations about the recent history of DPS; discuss some of the specific skis in their lineup; hear a defense of carbon…
GEAR:30Shop Talk: Recap of the Season; Skiing with Kids; & Heated Socks
We talk with Rachel and Drew Harding from The Spokane Alpine Haus about the highlights and challenges of this past season; skiing with kids; heated socks; and…
GEAR:30A Few GEAR:30 & BLISTER Updates
Jonathan talks about our most recent Blister Summit panel sessions; our upcoming Blister ‘Brand Lineup’ videos; an event this weekend; what we’re celebrating…
GEAR:30New Skis, Ski Boots, & Gas-Station Food
Luke and Jonathan discuss new skis, ski boots, liners, and apparel from Faction, Salomon, ZipFit, Dynastar, Renoun, Majesty, Strafe, Lange, and more. Plus…
GEAR:30Bode Miller on his new Peak Skis; the Winter Olympics; & More
We talk with Bode Miller about his new company, Peak Skis and their new “Keyhole Technology”; revolutionizing ski manufacturing; his vision for Scarpa ski…
GEAR:30Gear West on Current Trends + New Ski & Snowboard Gear
We’re talking new gear and gear trends with Lucas Evans and Jeff Perry of Gear West, our Blister Recommended Shop in Long Lake, Minnesota. TOPICS & TIMES: Shop…
GEAR:30McKenna Peterson & Jed Yeiser on Developing Skis; the Blister Alpine Binding Test; & More
Jonathan Ellsworth was in the Cascade mountains of Washington this week with K2 skier, McKenna Peterson, and K2 ski designer, Jed Yeiser, and after a great day…
GEAR:30Blister Summit Recap & Ski Reviews
Kristin Sinnott, Kara Williard, and Sascha Anastas talk about some of their highlights from the Blister Summit and discuss a bunch of the gear they spent time…
GEAR:30Gear Myths & More w/ Cody Townsend
Cody and Jonathan review some news, then talk about 5 gear myths; cookware; coffeemakers; & more. TOPICS & TIMES: Diversity, Fairness, & the Olympics (10:10)…
GEAR:3012 New Skis from the Blister Summit
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth give a quick recap of the Blister Summit, then discuss a dozen of the skis we spent time on at the event. TOPICS & TIMES…
GEAR:30Blister Summit Panel Session Topics & Speakers + Product Design & Innovation
Today we’re giving you an update on the topics we’ll be discussing at our upcoming Blister Summit, and telling you who the athletes, founders, product…
GEAR:30Reviewer Reports: Custom Insoles, Skis Boots, & Skis
Kara Williard spells out the case for custom insoles in your ski boots, and discusses the Blizzard Black Pearl, Volkl Secret 96, & Salomon Stance 88W. Eric…
GEAR:30Boot Fitting & How to Get a Proper Ski Boot Fit
How should a ski boot actually fit? What does it feel like to have a “properly fitting” ski boot? And how do you achieve that? We’re discussing these questions…
GEAR:30New 2022/2023 Ski Gear
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss a ton of next season’s new products, and some of the most intriguing product categories. TOPICS & TIMES: Lightweight…
GEAR:30Shop Talk: Sturtevants, Sun Valley, & a Blueprint for Community Ski Areas
We were recently in Sun Valley, Idaho, hanging out at Sturtevants, one of our Blister Recommended Shops, and talking with Sturtevants owner, Olin Glenne about…