GEAR:30

Today we are launching a new series called, “Reviewing the Reviewer,” and the idea is pretty simple: we’ll be asking various Blister reviewers questions about their backgrounds and gear preferences, to give you a more complete picture of the people behind our reviews. And since we like to rank & review things around here, we will be scoring each of our reviewers’ answers to come up with a review grade for each of them.I sat down with Luke in Blister HQ and asked him about where he grew up and what he was into as a kid; his gear preferences and what gear he is most picky about and least picky about and why; then ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, wrote in with a number of questions for Luke; and I also asked Luke things like: who his favorite BLISTER reviewer is, and I got him to rank his siblings from most favorite to least favorite, before wrapping up with some questions about Luke’s favorite books, music, and movies.This episode is presented by Tribe Alpha — tribealpha.com/gearTribe Alpha is great ecommerce for the great outdoors, and can help you improve the performance of your ecommerce site. With more than 25 years of web experience, Tribe Alpha has a long and successful history working with retailers in the outdoor industry, and will help you grow your ecommerce business.Bonus: GEAR:30 listeners get a special discount. Just visit tribealpha.com/gear to receive 10% off their standard pricing.TOPICS & TIMES:Random Review: Orange Vanilla Coke (5:52)Luke’s Background (7:02)How did you first get connected with BLISTER? (19:05)What are you ski preferences? (22:30)Who is your favorite reviewer at BLISTER? (25:13)What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done? (26:32)What are you better at than Sam Shaheen? (37:07)What gear are you most & least picky about? (38:11)Questions from ON3P’s Scott Andrus (43:07)Rank your siblings from favorite to least favorite (50:07)Top 3 favorite books, movies, and musicians (52:29)Give us a random review (1:03:19)What’s the best question I haven’t asked you? (1:04:32) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much do you actually know about the clothes in your closet, and the stuff you wear to go play in the mountains? Today we’re introducing our “What You’re Wearing” miniseries, where we’ll be shining a light on the most foundational part of apparel: the fibers.In part one, we dive into the world synthetic fibers with Sara Ellis from Gore (the makers of GORE-TEX) to discuss everything from the performance and environmental impact of synthetics compared to natural fibers; the crazy new material that Gore developed with Underarmour; what’s on the horizon in terms of waterproof / breathables; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Synthetic vs. Natural fibers (2:15)Where do synthetic fibers come from? (8:08)Which synthetics are the most durable? (9:17)Polyester vs. Nylon (12:18)What are the environmental issues associated with synthetics? (14:38)The story behind Gore’s new ePTFE baselayer with Underarmour (24:05)Gore’s current (and upcoming) waterproof / breathable lineup (36:54)What’s the biggest misconception about synthetics? (52:12) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to DPS Skis founder, Stephan Drake, about the new DPS 19/20 product lineup, and about two new skis — that incorporate a brand-new construction — they are introducing for their DPS “Dreamtime” event, which officially runs from July 15th to August 1st.Stephan also breaks news about their “Koala” skis, gives an update on the DPS ski boots that he and I spoke about back on Ep. 38 of the Blister Podcast, and shares some new developments with DPS Phantom base glide treatment.TOPICS & TIMES:Building skis in Salt Lake City, Utah (2:45)What is “DPS Dreamtime”? (7:17)Foam & DPS’ new construction (11:01)DPS Wailer 100 RP vs 112 RP (25:10)DPS’s “C2“ vs “RP” (29:30)The redesigned DPS Wailer 106 (35:12)DPS freestyle skis / DPS Koala 119 (36:25)Update on the DPS Ski boot (41:10)Update on DPS Phantom (44:27)Other Conversations We’ve Had with Stephan:Blister Podcast, Ep. #38: DPS Skis Founder, Stephan Drake (4.17.17)Blister Podcast, Ep. #59: DPS Phantom & the End of Ski Wax (11.1.17)GEAR:30, Ep. #22: New DPS Skis & Products with Stephan Drake (7.20.18) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week on GEAR:30, we talked plastics with Atomic Ski Boots product manager, Matt Manser. Here in part 2, we talk with Matt about the messy world of flex ratings; progressive vs. linear flex patterns; the actual differences between some brands’ 120 and 130 rated boot; how Atomic arrives at their own flex ratings; the next areas of innovation that Atomic is focused on, and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Flex Patterns & All the Feels (4:13)“Progressive” vs. “Linear” flex patterns (5:10)The mess that is Flex Ratings (13:13)How Atomic arrives at their own flex ratings (17:24)How brands make a “110” vs. “120” vs. “130” etc. (27:34)Colorways & Geopolitics (34:20)Why a standardized flex rating probably won’t happen (35:55)The damping / “suspension” of a boot (42:32)Weight & Damping (47:04)Next areas of innovation for Atomic boots? (55:08) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ski boots are made of plastic, and different plastics feel and perform very differently from one another. So we get deep into the details with Atomic Ski Boots product manager, Matt Manser, to help you figure out which plastics are used in your ski boots, and the pros & cons & general performance characteristics of different plastics — which will help you understand why you might like or dislike your current boots, and what you ought to be looking for in your next pair.TOPICS & TIMES:What has been the focus of your recent work in ski boots? (2:10)The 3 main families of plastics: PP, PU, and PA (6:57)“PP” — Polypropylene (11:15)How recycled plastics are used in the production process (19:18)“PU” — Polyurethane (23:06)Low-grade PU: Recycled PU (26:53)Mid-grade PU: PU-Ester (27:53)High-grade PU: PU-Ether (31:33)Colors: how they affect plastics’ performance (33:44)What is Desmopan? (38:32)“True Flex” PU — Atomic’s proprietary PU (44:26)How to make a lightweight boot out of heavy materials (49:40)“PA” — Polyamide (53:58)How to verify which plastics your boot is made of (1:00:24) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BLISTER Editors Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa discuss their time this week at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, including mind-boggling new technologies like titanium-coated fibres; inventive sustainability stories involving recycled medical supplies; and noteworthy trends — both good and bad. TOPICS & TIMES:Rumpl Puffy Blankets (1:08)Gore-Tex Infinium Fibers (3:08)Topo Designs’ new apparel & packs (6:37)Mystery Ranch Skyline 23 Pack (9:11)Sunski Sunglasses (10:40)Patagonia Storm Racer Shell (12:35)Rab Mythic Ultra sleeping bags (14:34)New Gore-Tex Paclite Plus (17:53)Black Diamond Z4 Cams (20:02)Saola Shoes (23:05)Notable trends (26:16)Products we wanted to steal (29:34)Weirdest / most alarming booths (30:55) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Things get a little loose in this roundtable conversation, and kind of go off the rails. So consider yourself warned. But there are a few gems in here, including our group review of the ON3P Woodsman 108; Luke Koppa’s take on the new Tecnica heat-moldable hiking shoe, the Plasma S; Kristin Sinnot’s and my conversations about two new ski boots we’re excited about, and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Review: Hard Seltzers (2:30)Salomon S/Max 120 W (6:20)K2 Mindbender 99Ti (9:45)Tecnica Plasma S Hiking Shoe (16:47)Nordica Promachine 120 (21:34)Fjallraven Keb Eco-Shell Jacket (27:39)Maui Jim North Star Sunglasses (29:10)ON3P Woodsman 108 (31:40)Smashburger’s Black Bean Burger (34:47)Larabar flavors (37:33)Dirtbag Chic (39:17) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GPS communication devices can be the difference between life and death in remote places. So we talk with Bivy’s Pitt Grewe about the different types of technology and devices on the market; how these devices can affect decision making; satellite networks; complicated payment plans; and … Pitt’s impressive skills as a DJ.TOPICS & TIMES:Pitt’s background in the outdoor industry (1:21)Bar Mitzvahs and the Humpty Dance? (5:32)The differences between GPS devices (10:13)When should you bring a GPS device? (13:53)Providing peace of mind for friends & family (21:28)Garmin vs. Spot vs. Bivystick: the state of the market (25:44)After you push the SOS button, what happens next? (31:26)(Confusing) payment plans of various GPS devices (37:50) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last Saturday, Sam Shaheen skied three different lines in one day on the Colorado 14er, Torrey’s Peak. Jonathan Ellsworth sits down with Sam to discuss the details of this “Torrey’s Peak Triple Crown”; the ‘D-Scale’ of rating ski descents; the gear, apparel, and food he used on the mountain; and the safety and decision-making process throughout the day. We’ve also included a complete list of the gear, apparel, and food that Sam used on the day in the the shownotes to this episode.  TOPICS & TIMES:Torrey’s Peak Triple Crown (1:03)What is the D-scale? (3:45)What did Sam pick for skis? (14:04)Bindings (18:00)Skins (19:40)Poles (20:53)Pack (21:20)Apparel (22:39)Food (27:04)Avalanche forecasts vs. decision making in the field (33:10) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Ellsworth talks about testing the ON3P Woodsman 108 and Black Crows Navis while heli skiing with Eleven Experience in Iceland, and Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa talk about their time on the Volkl Mantra 102 & Revolt 121, Faction Candide 5.0, and more.TOPICS & TIMES:Heli Skiing at Deplar Farm, Iceland (1:15)ON3P Woodsman 108 (5:00)Volkl Mantra 102 (13:25)Volkl Revolt 121 (17:05)Faction Candide 5.0 (20:51)HEAD Raptor 140 RS (24:12)Fischer Ranger 99 (25:49)Salomon QST 99 (27:16)Icelantic Nomad 105 (31:08)Black Crows Navis (33:02)Liberty Origin 106 (36:45) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supercapacitors, Venturi valves, and scary-high currents — this week we discuss airbag design and technology with Black Diamond’s Director of Design Engineering.TOPICS & TIMES:Pete’s Background at BD (1:10)Why is BD using 3 different airbag technologies in 19/20? (2:55)Supercapacitors, pt. 1 (7:30)Jetforce technology and design (11:03)Airbag standards testing (16:04)Alpride E1 — Supercapacitors pt. 2 (18:54)Alpride canister systems (27:19)Pete’s airbag pack of choice (35:45) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk to Patagonia’s senior material developer, Pasha Whitmire, about how Patagonia designs, develops, and tests their technical fabrics; myths surrounding waterproof / breathable materials; why the future of fabric development lies in sustainability; the advantages and disadvantages of working with big names like Gore-Tex; and a whole lot more outerwear geekery.TOPICS & TIMES:The “Killer Wash” and Patagonia’s other fabric tests (3:50)The relationship between fabric and garment (12:50)Waterproof laminates — 3L? 4L?? 5L?!?! (19:00)What comes first: concept or material? (22:43)Designing fabrics to be recycled (23:45)Gore-Tex — challenges and advantages of working with the fabric juggernaut (29:44)Biggest misconceptions about waterproof / breathable fabrics (34:52)Why the future of fabric tech is green (46:08)Other brands that Pasha is excited about (48:04)Sam and Luke’s article on Outerwear CareOuterwear 101Outerwear 201Information on Breathability Testing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to ON3P founder, Scott Andrus, about the 19/20 ON3P lineup, building skis for Michael Jordan & Tinker Hatfield, and we break quite a bit of news along the way.TOPICS & TIMES:ON3P’s 10-yr anniversary & the ON3P name (2:41)Building custom ON3Ps for Michael Jordan & Tinker Hatfield (5:22)Wrenegade Lineup (12:00)Metal Wrenegades (13:18)Metal Jeffrey & Woodsman?? (18:30)ON3P Touring Skis (19:22)How Scott’s trying to help people understand skis specs better (21:04)Jeffery and Jessie Lineups (23:30)Mount Points, Part 1 (26:24)Woodsman Lineup (29:21)Mount Points, Part 2 (31:55)Sidecut Radius: why it does — and doesn’t — matter (36:08)ON3P custom skis (40:35)Scott’s Random Review selection for us (43:02) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Near-death experiences, avalanche airbags, and changing risk tolerance — this week we talk to mountain guide and Mammut’s safety expert, Doug Workman, about life and survival in the mountains.TOPICS & TIMES:Doug’s background in the mountains (2:18)Does safety gear affect risk assessment? (3:55)How an airbag saved Doug’s life (12:15)Are airbags becoming “required” backcountry gear? (22:34)An unfair hypothetical: airbags or transceivers? (25:12)The importance of good partners in the backcountry (29:40)Doug’s favorite guiding experiences (32:33) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Shaheen, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about new goggles; new skis; which ski companies made the biggest impressions on us this season; funniest answers so far to our BLISTER Survey; and more.TOPICS & TIMES:New Goggles: high-end, price-point, and awful ones (5:50)Armada ARV 106Ti & 96Ti (16:00)Which ski companies stood out the most to us this season? (14:25)Some favorite answers from our Blister Survey (29:40)Some very random reviews (35:10) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avalanche beacons might not be as sexy as other ski & snowboard gear, but their proper use and design can be the difference between life and death. So we sat down with the co-founder of Backcountry Access, Bruce Edgerly, to talk about avalanche transceiver design, backcountry safety research, and the most important — yet often overlooked — aspects of a rescue.TOPICS & TIMES:BCA’s transceiver design philosophy + a new Tracker (1:21)Improving backcountry strategy & increasing your safety (7:24)Scenario: multiple burials (13:59)Ski media & backcountry safety (16:28)How old is too old when it comes to transceivers? (18:50)The changing backcountry scene (20:31) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Shaheen, Kristin Sinnott, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about some of their favorite new skis, then — in what might be our most anticipated review ever — Sam Shaheen gives us his honest, in-depth, pretty hilarious, and surprisingly insightful take on the dating app, Tinder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alaska is a place where your gear really needs to hold up. So we talk to Eric Helmbrecht, owner of Powder Hound Ski Shop in Girdwood Alaska, about the trends he’s seeing in skiing and snowboarding; the gear with the most and the least durability issues; some of his favorite gear; the most Alaskan thing ever; and more.TOPICS & TIMESHow Powder Hound has evolved (2:30)Trending: Resort skiing vs. backcountry skiing (7:00)What gear are you most psyched on? (9:58)Ski boots: heat molding shells vs. traditional boot work (15:37)Favorite bindings? (19:53)Some favorite skis for Alyeska / AK? (24:29)Gear with the least & most durability issues (31:32)Eric’s take on “Bang for your buck” products (35:23)Favorite new outerwear (40:55)Powder Hound’s growing snowboard business (43:17)The most Alaskan thing ever (51:08) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blister editors Sam Shaheen, and Luke Koppa, talk about the enormous amount of new apparel that has arrived at our HQ over the past few weeks. Sam and Luke are both serious nerds when it comes to this stuff, and their conversation highlights a ton of new apparel, from crazy new tech all the way to head-turning casual pieces. Let the geek-out begin.TOPICS & TIMES:The most sustainable shoe ever? (2:15)Ultra-comfortable hardshells from Patagonia & Flylow (5:32)Super warm, super shiny, and super “extra” Mammut Anorak (14:24)What Holden’s Jacket has in common with wine corks (17:18)The recent anorak takeover at Blister (20:46)New Brand Alert: Forward (25:06)Update on the product Sam wanted to steal (27:58) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Prior’s head snowboard and ski shaper, Dominic Morin, about the origins of Prior, their philosophy of ski and snowboard shaping, their craziest designs, their new shapes for 19/20, and the legacy of Chris Prior.TOPICS & TIMES:The origins of Prior (2:15)Why Prior shapes cores by hand (3:43)What’s the craziest custom design you’ve done? (8:08)How do your snowboard designs influence Prior’s ski designs? (12:13)Why is there a wider variety of snowboard shapes than ski shapes? (15:38)The Prior CBC and Husume (20:23)The Prior Northwest 110 and 100 (26:06)Why Prior has several niche models (31:12)How does Prior respond to trends in snowboard shapes? (33:37)Chris Prior’s lasting legacy (42:21) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, about next year’s lineup of skis; space movies; Ryan Gosling; Tyler Curle’s ski preferences; the “Google Bump”; and … more Ryan Gosling.TOPICS & TIMES:“Freestyle” collection: PB&J, Meridian, Wildcat 108, Deathwish, & Wildcat (5:00)The inspiration behind Moment’s space-themed 19/20 graphics (17:00)“Freeride” collection: Commander 98, 108, 118, & 124 (24:00)Moment team rider and ski builder Tyler Curle’s ski preferences (27:50)How the Commander 124 differs from the rest of the Commander series (36:20)Luke & Jonathan’s suggestions for alternative ski names (39:43)“Tour” collection: Wildcat Tour 108, Deathwish Tour, & Wildcat Tour (41:22)“Women’s” collection: Hot Mess, Sierra, & Bella (46:00)Moment’s collaboration with Google and the “Google Bump” (53:00) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re talking about a whole bunch of skis, including the new Line Outline and new Sir Francis Bacon; the new Nordica Enforcer 104 Free; the 4FRNT InThayne; and the J Skis Friend. We also talk a bit about Luke and Sam’s article on caring for outerwear; and Jonathan Ellsworth makes a quasi-apology / mini confession about his previous stance on lightweight, inbound skis. Finally, there is a MASSIVELY IMPORTANT teaser about a forthcoming GEAR:30 episode.TOPICS & TIMES:Line’s Outline and new Sir Francis Bacon (3:24)Nordica Enforcer 104 Free (11:33)4FRNT Inthayne (16:36)J Skis The Friend, 183 cm (19:29)Change in perspective on lightweight inbound skis (23:30)Luke and Sam’s article on outerwear care (26:10)Sneak peek of an incredible upcoming episode (30:10) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Outdoor Retailer / SIA show ended yesterday, so we sat down right after to debrief and discuss some of the most notable trends we saw, talk about the products we’re dying to try (and were most tempted to just steal), and some of the other odd and / or noteworthy people and things we saw at the show.TOPICS & TIMES:New trends in apparel and skis (1:10)What we’re most curious to try (8:29)Gear we’re most tempted to steal (16:31)Weirdest thing we saw (25:44)Swagger Award (27:05)Best graphics (30:57) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you one of the many people who have ever wished that your ski touring boots were a bit stiffer or more comfortable? Well then listen up, because the bootfitters at Pulse Boot Lab in Revelstoke have come up with a number of innovative ways to achieve both.TOPICS & TIMES:Pulse’s “mathematical” approach to bootfitting (2:12)The Pulse Fit Assistant App (5:26)New tools for shell modifications (8:30)Thermo-moldable vs. injection-style liners (11:12)Biggest trends in bootfitting (17:24)What is the Pulse Proflex? (18:48)And how exactly does it work? (22:24)Why did they choose to work with Pebax? (28:10)The Pulse ProFlex Kickstarter Campaign Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to K2 ski designer, Jed Yeiser, about the 13 new skis that make up K2’s brand new “Mindbender” series.TOPICS & TIMES:Background: the Mindbender series (2:55)The individual skis: Mindbender 85 (9:20)Mindbender 90C (10:50)Torsional stiffness and design controls (12:21)Mindbender 90Ti (16:50)Mindbender 99Ti (18:55)Mindbender 108Ti (22:40)Mindbender 116C (29:10)Mindbender vs the previous Pinnacle series (32:25)Men’s line vs Women’s line (35:03)New “Powerwall” Tech (38:10)Mindbender Jr. Ski (41:22) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the latest skis and outerwear we’re reviewing, including the Black Crows Corvus, Rossi Black Ops, Parlor Cardinal 90, Argent Skis Badger, Flylow Baker Bibs, and Patagonia Micro Puff Storm.TOPICS & TIMES:Rossignol Black Ops (1:40)Black Crows Corvus (6:35)Parlor Cardinal 90 (13:41)Argent Badger (18:51)Flylow Baker Bib (plus bibs vs. non-bibs) (21:33)Patagonia Micro Puff Storm (25:03) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb and Morgan Weinberg are brothers who founded Romp Skis in Crested Butte, Colorado, so we sat down with them at our headquarters in CB to discuss their backgrounds, what it specifically means to them to be a “custom” ski building manufacturer, how they ended up building skis for the 10th Special Forces Group, and more.Follow Romp Skis on InstagramTOPICS & TIMES:Finding their way to Gunnison / Crested Butte (1:18)Why the name “Romp”? (9:25)The early days: figuring it out (10:25)What does the word “custom” mean for Romp? (18:13)Their approach to shaping skis (29:35)Thoughts on ski weight & related tech (33:20)Building skis for the 10th Special Forces Group (42:35) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are making good on some past promises, so I sat down with Luke Koppa and Sam Shaheen at our Blister headquarters at Elevation in Mt Crested Butte. We start by talking about 3 skis that just missed the cut from earning a Best Of award from us this year. Then we turn to talk about a number of new skis we’ve been getting on or are about to get on, including the Folsom Trophy Carbon, Rossignol Black Ops 118, the HEAD World Cup Rebel i.Speed Pro, the Dynastar PR-OTO Factory, and the Moment Commander 98 and 108.TOPICS & TIMES:Prior CBC (2:06)Fischer Ranger 102 FR (5:00)Dynastar Mythic 97 (8:30)Folsom Trophy (9:10)Rossignol Black Ops 118 (9:53)Head Worldcup Rebels i.Speed Pro (13:05)Dynastar PR-oto (15:48)Moment Commander 98 & 108 (18:43)Blister Showroom (23:45) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not all gear is great — or even good. So today we’re discussing a number of intriguing products that turned out to disappoint. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re talking with the one and only Eric Hjorleifson about his brand-new boot, the Dynafit Hoji Free, what’s new with this boot, and how it differs from the current Hoji Pro Tour.Then you’re going hear Eric talk about trying to improve and refine the latest iteration of his favorite ski, the 4FRNT Renegade, and finally, we wrap up our gear geekery by talking a bit about outerwear and Eric’s work with Arc’teryx.And if you somehow missed it yesterday, we ran over on the Blister Podcast platform what was basically Part 1 of our conversation, where we talk to Hoji about his new film, “Hoji.”TOPICS & TIMES:Hoji on the Dynafit Hoji Free. (3:00)Differences between the Hoji Pro Tour and Hoji Free. (5:50)Did weight play a factor in designing the Hoji Free? (22:32)Hoji Free crampon compatibility? (27:12)What’s new with the 4FRNT Renegade? (30:55)The problem with updating for the sake of updating. (37:55)Does Eric geek out on outerwear, too? (43:30) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week we talked to Will Ritter, the founder of the biggest splitboard binding company in the world, Spark R&D, about the origin story of Spark R&D, and some of the milestones and setbacks that the company has achieved — and survived — along the way.This week we’re running Part 2 of our conversation, and Will and I discuss some of Spark R&D’s current products, discuss the old hard boots vs. soft boots debate, talk collaborating with companies like CAST Touring and 22 Designs, and using solar power at the Spark R&D factory.TOPICS & TIMES:Sparks’ new "Pro Series" of bindings (1:05)Should we expect any drastic changes in Spark's splitboard interface? (4:43)Thoughts on Karakoram’s new interface? (14:02)Hard boots vs. soft boots (15:48)Will the next biggest innovation be in bindings, splitboards or boots? (21:30)Spark's collaborations with CAST Touring, 22 Designs, Phantom, etc. (29:31)What’s the best question I haven't asked you? (35:54)Using solar power at Spark R&D (38:45) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Ritter is the founder of Spark R&D, the largest splitboard binding company in the world, and Spark R&D designs and manufactures all of their products in Bozeman, Montana. This turned into such an interesting conversation with Will that we are presenting it in two parts. Here in part 1, we talk about the history of Spark R&D, and whether or not you’ve ever ridden a snowboard, if you have ever thought about starting any company of any kind, listen closely, because I promise you that you will glean some very real insights into what actually goes into starting and running a company.And then we will be posting later part 2 of our conversation, where Will and I went deeper into Spark R&D’s specific products, we discuss hard boots vs. soft boots, how much room Will thinks there is for splitboards to improve, and more.But for now, let’s get the origin story of Spark R&D, and listen to Will kindly share some real words of wisdom for anyone thinking of starting anything.TOPICS & TIMES:Trick or Treating & the myth of the Sugar Sprite?? (1:44)When, where, and why did Will start Spark R&D? (3:48)The many products Will worked on as an engineering consultant (5:25)Working on the MFD ALLTIME touring binding with Jason Prigge (7:27)The move from consulting to factory production (10:06)The backcountry touring scene back when Will started Spark R&D (14:05)"Making One" - and other major milestones (23:35)How to have Zen get beaten into you (35:35)The state of Spark R&D today (46:35)STAY TUNED FOR PART 2... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blister editors Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, and Sam Shaheen talk about the making of our 18/19 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide, the current state of Buyer's Guides in general, some of the “Best Of” award winners, and our Product of the Year.And if you have any comments or questions about the Guide that you’d like to see us address on a future GEAR:30 episode, feel free to email us or leave a question in the comments section to this episode’s show notes on the website.TOPICS & TIMES:On the Print Buyer's Guide & Other News (2:12)Our Guide and the state of Buyer's Guides in general (5:31)Our Product of the Year (9:12)Some of our "Best Of" Award Winners (11:56)What we'll be discussing in Part 2 (29:06) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're discussing the wonders and weirdness of Interbike, 2018, with Blister's bike editor, Noah Bodman. Noah gives the rundown on Interbike's new digs (it moved from Las Vegas to Reno this year), what he saw, what he didn't see, and what he rode.And we open with Jonathan Ellsworth giving a bit of an update on our 18/19 Winter Buyer’s Guide, and revealing some sketchy details about his participation at Interbike last year.TOPICS & TIMES:Update on Winter Buyer's Guide (2:20)Confessions from Interbike, 2017 (4:00)Interbike's New Digs — from Vegas to Reno, NV (6:40)The new Pivot Shuttle and the predominance of e-bikes (8:20)Pivot 429 Trail (14:45)How this year's show compared to last year's (16:20)Dumb or Niche: folding e-fat bikes (20:05)Tariffs impact on Asian companies (20:45)Single bike racks are for the lonely and / or lazy (22:06)PRESENTING SPONSOR:750 Miles of Trail in Gunnison/Crested Butte, CO Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Boston-based Parlor Custom Skis co-founder, Mark Wallace, about the origins story of Parlor; the very successful “Build Your Own Skis” class they offer; the new models in their 18/19 lineup — including Parlor snowboards and splitboards; and several trends on the East Coast ski scene.And if you’d like to hear Mark talk more about custom ski building, check out our Round Table on Custom Skis, which is episode #33 of the Blister Podcast.TOPICS & TIMES:Brief history of Parlor Skis (2:50)On Parlor's "Build Your Own Skis" class (8:21)18/19 Parlor Skis Lineup (19:58)"Project Warbird" (21:20)Naming skis (22:53)Working with titanal (24:47)The Cardinal Pro (26:59)The "Dad Skinner"?? (29:24)Parlor's New Snowboards (31:39)Trends in East Coast Skiing: backcountry skiing (34:15)East Coast Ski Width (36:54)EC Snowmaking (43:55)What's the best question I haven't asked you? (48:38) PRESENTING SPONSOR:750 Miles of Trail in Gunnison/Crested Butte, CO Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back with round 2 of Bikes vs. Skis, where our bike editor, Noah Bodman, and I ask the question, “Which particular bike company is most like which particular ski company?”And the response to Bikes vs Skis, Part 1 certainly warmed our hearts, since we learned that a lot of you wonder about these sorts of questions, too. Noah and I talk about a number of your suggestions in this episode, so listen up to see where we think you had the better answer, and where we think you are clearly crazy.Here in Part 2, Noah offers his rather surprising vote for the “best looking bikes ever made"; we discuss which bike is the equivalent of the Moment Bibby / Wildcat / Blister Pro; and we give our take on another 20+ bike companies.TOPICS & TIMES:Which bike company is Moment Skis? (4:50)Santa Cruz (7:50)Yeti (9:16)Bike equivalent of Kaestle or Stockli? (10:40)What bike is the Moment Bibby Pro? (13:19)Commencal (22:39)Canfield (25:01)Devinci (26:30)Zerode (30:35)Surly (32:17)Salsa (36:40)Intense (39:38)Kona (43:59)Rocky Mountain (46:08)J Skis? (47:40)Knolly (51:09)Schwinn (54:57)Smaller indie bike vs. indie ski co's (57:15)Scott (1:02:30)KHS (1:08:34)Diamondback (1:11:25)GT (1:13:44)Mongoose (1:16:33)How to apply for Team Disappointment (1:20:30)RELATED LINKS:Bikes vs Skis, 3rd Edition (2021): Part 1Bikes vs Skis, 3rd Edition (2021): Part 2Bikes vs Skis, 2nd Edition (2020): Part 1Bikes vs Skis, 2nd Edition (2020): Part 2Bikes vs Skis, 1st Edition (2018): Part 1Bikes vs Skis, 1st Edition (2018): Part 2PRESENTING SPONSOR:750 Miles of Trail in Gunnison/Crested Butte, CO Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with DPS Skis founder, Stephan Drake, about DPS Dreamtime; the new DPS Wailer 110; the DPS Spoon, Lotus 138, and 124; and some very big news about DPS Phantom, the ski and snowboard base treatment that DPS introduced this past season.(If you’d like to learn more about Stephan’s own background and the history of DPS skis, you should check out Episode #38 of the Blister Podcast. And if you’d like to hear the conversation I had with Stephan about the introduction of DPS Phantom, check out Episode #59 of the Blister podcast.)Presenting Sponsor: The 750 Miles of Trail in the Gunnison Valley — Check out Outerbike in Crested ButteTOPICS & TIMES:Stephan's current ski testing (2:45)What is DPS Dreamtime? (3:22)DPS "Powderworks" - and the new DPS Wailer 110 (5:18)Clarifying the DPS framework: constructions & shapes (9:49)The DPS Lotus 138 (13:47)DPS Spoon (17:53)Lotus 138 vs. DPS Spoon (19:10)Lotus 124 vs. Lotus 138 (22:40)Cassiar 94 and Cassiar 79 (24:54)Big News about DPS Phantom (27:52) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Which ski company is most like which bike company? Who is the Moment Skis of the bike world? And which ski company shares the most family resemblance with Yeti? Or Transition?Jonathan Ellsworth and Blister's bike editor, Noah Bodman, have been having this conversation for years, and they're now taking the debate public. So give it a listen, then let us know in the comments section of the show notes to this episode on the site where you agree, where you disagree, and where you've got the better analogies. Then in a week or two, we'll run Part 2 of this conversation, where we’ll share some of your comments and questions, and do another round of Bikes vs Skis.TOPICS & TIMES:Which ski brand is most like Specialized? (4:15)Evil & Transition? (8:48)Yeti (15:41)Santa Cruz (25:40)Giant (34:02)Trek (42:04)YT (45:55)Cannondale? (51:08)Ellsworth? (52:48)Pivot vs. Ibis, Transition, and Yeti (55:03)Preview of Part 2 of Bikes vs. Skis (59:25)RELATED LINKS:Bikes vs Skis, 3rd Edition (2021): Part 1Bikes vs Skis, 3rd Edition (2021): Part 2Bikes vs Skis, 2nd Edition (2020): Part 1Bikes vs Skis, 2nd Edition (2020): Part 2Bikes vs Skis, 1st Edition (2018): Part 1Bikes vs Skis, 1st Edition (2018): Part 2PRESENTING SPONSOR:The 750 miles of trail in Gunnison / Crested Butte Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with Blister editors, Luke Koppa and Sam Shaheen, about the recent Alpenglow Mountain Festival and running with our hero, Courtney Dauwalter. Then we talk about some of the key things we learned during our ski testing this spring, including the correct thing to think about Domino's thin-crust pizza, dumb gear, and great gear.TOPICS & TIMES:Luke's recap of the Alpenglow Summer Mountain Festival (2:01)In praise of our hero, Courtney Dauwalter (4:02)Rants & Revelations from our spring ski testing - #1: Domino's thin-crust pizza (7:36)Recommendation #2: Primus Kuchoma Grill (11:05)On Hubris - groomers & pond skims (12:08)Rant #1: waterproof jackets: hard shells vs soft shells (19:05)Rant #2: socks (24:14)Rant #3: waterproof low-cut shoes (26:33)Recommendation #3: Patagonia's new R1 TechFace (28:18)Recommendation #4: the redesigned Flylow Richie Hoody (29:15) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Ellsworth sat down with Mike McCabe at the Folsom Skis headquarters in Denver, Colorado, to dial in "The Hammer" that they have been discussing for a long time now, and that's based on the Folsom Primary Jonathan reviewed last season.They then talk about three other new skis that Mike's recently developed, the Spar 88, some new editions of the Rad Dad, and the Primary Plus. (You can see graphics for all these skis - including The Hammer - here on the site.)TOPICS & TIMES:Background on The Hammer (2:33)Folsom's new "Primary Plus" (11:14)Tweaks to the Primary to create The Hammer (12:08)The new Folsom SPAR 88 (27:06)New variation of the Folsom Rad Dad (31:09)More on the new Folsom Primary Plus (35:53) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Ellsworth and Blister senior editor, Sam Shaheen, discuss a number of new skis they've been reviewing recently, including two skis from Prior Skis — the CBC and the Husume. They then discuss the new Atomic Bent Chetler 100, the K2 Wayback 106, the Scott Super Guide 105, and Sam offers his thoughts on the ski that is serving as our reference ski for the lightweight AT binding comparison review we’re conducting, the Salomon MTN Explore 95.TOPICS & TIMES:Prior CBC (1:50)Prior Husume (7:44)K2 Wayback 106 (11:55)Scott Super Guide 105 (15:33)Atomic Bent Chetler 100 (16:47)Salomon MTN Explore 95 (20:01) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It seems like everyone who hasn’t been to Alaska dreams of going, and those who have been dream of going back. So today we’re talking about spring skiing and biking in Alaska with Eric Helmbrecht, the owner of Powder Hound ski shop in Girdwood, AK.Eric and I talk a bit about some of the inbounds and touring gear that he thinks works particularly well in Alaska’s maritime snowpack and unique terrain, and some of the boots and bindings that are coming out next year. Then, Eric provides a bit of beta on spring skiing and biking in Alaska, and we wrap up with some talk about the quickly-growing mountain bike scene around Girdwood and Anchorage.TOPICS & TIMES:Introducing Eric / starting Powder Hound in Girdwood, AK (1:05)What skis do you like for AK's snowpack and terrain? (7:32)AT boots - Scarpa Maestrale RS, Atomic XTD 130, Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro (19:14)AT boot liners (27:57)AT bindings (31:29)Beta on spring ski skiing in Alaska (38:31)Spring mountain biking in Alaska (46:04) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

G3 (aka, Genuine Guide Gear) is introducing a new touring binding — the Zed — that they’re calling the lightest fully-featured AT binding on the market. So we talk to G3’s engineers about their design philosophy and development process, current trends in AT bindings, and the compromises inherent in any AT binding.TOPICS & TIMES:Introductions (2:15)When did work begin on this binding, and what was the primary aim? (4:55)The “Dark Swamp of Despair” (8:03)The difficulty of naming products (11:09)The G3 ION as the precursor to the ZED (12:37)Cutting weight on the ZED (17:14)Why choose the ION over the ZED? (26:03)Why choose the Zed over "ultralight" bindings (29:07)Using ultralight bindings on wide skis (30:19)Carbon reinforced plastics (33:51)Current binding trends and U-Spring bindings (37:15)Understanding the inherent compromises in bindings (44:55) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We just finished testing a bunch of skis at Taos, and because of a closing-week snowstorm, we ended up getting on everything from very heavy, modified race skis, to a new, extremely light big mountain ski. So Blister editors Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa join me to go over a number of the highlights, including the new Atomic Bent Chetler 100, the HEAD Supershape i.Titan, a new carver from DPS, the Black Crows Orb, and what might be my new personal favorite ski from Blizzard.TOPICS & TIMES:Shredding West Basin in a Hello Kitty onesie & snowblades (2:04)Atomic Bent Chetler 100 (5:48)Bent Chetler 100 vs. LINE Sick Day 104 (8:20)Renoun Citadel 106 (13:41)Blizzard Brahma (17:28)Update on the Fritschi Tecton (20:00)Black Crows Orb (22:15)HEAD SuperShape i.Titan (29:10)HEAD i.Speed Pro (33:10)DPS Cassiar 79 - “The Trainer” (35:34) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're talking about new backcountry gear and some of the changes to backcountry ski culture with the founder of Bentgate, Greg Floyd. Greg founded Bentgate in Golden, Colorado back in 1994, and Bentgate has become a cornerstone shop in the front range of Colorado for all things skiing and climbing.TOPICS & TIMES:How Bentgate got its start (2:20)How Greg has watched backcountry skiing culture change (6:05)Bentgate’s Backcountry 101 sessions (7:23)Sam Shaheen’s close call in Japan (19:04)Some of Greg’s favorite AT gear (23:25)Bentgate’s take on the Atomic / Salomon Shift binding (25:47)G3 Zed binding (28:07)Icelantic Skis (29:44)22 Designs bindings (31:04)Arc’teryx outerwear (32:00)Flylow Gear (33:36)Black Crows skis (34:32)Climbing skins: G3 vs. Black Diamond vs. Pomoca vs. Contour (35:31) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve got 2 parts to this episode — first, I talk with Blister reviewer, Sam Shaheen, about the most unusual ski we’ve ever reviewed (and the ski that nearly caused Sam and me to fight), the Renoun Endurance 98. And then Sam and I wrap up with an update on the Scott Scrapper 115.Then I talk with Blister reviewers Sascha Anastas and Kara Williard about women’s ski boots and the problem it can be for good skiers (that happen to have small feet) to find boots that works for them. Having Sascha and Kara weigh in on this is great, since they are both good skiers, and Kara also happens to be very good bootfitter who works at the Boot Doctors in Taos Ski Valley. Sascha has just gone through a pretty extensive process of trying to find a new boot that really works for her, so she and Kara talk a bit about that, and why Sascha ended up going with the Atomic Hawx Ultra 110 W.TOPICS & TIMES:Renoun Endurance 98 (1:42)Scott Scrapper 115 (16:15)Sascha & Kara's backgrounds (19:30)Sascha & Kara on the problem of women's ski boots (24:50)Atomic Hawx Ultra 110 W (30:28) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ON3P is releasing their entire new ski line early next month. So we talk to ON3P founder, Scott Andrus, about this decision, then go over every ski in the 18/19 line, including what’s new, what's unchanged, and what’s so new and experimental that Scott didn’t want to talk about it. (But we got him to anyway.) And you can also see all the new 18/19 ON3P graphics in the show notes to this episode on blister.TOPICS & TIMES:Why release the new line next month? (03:20)Kartel 96, 108, & 116 (05:06)Magnus 90 & 102 (08:16)Wrenegade 96, 108, & 114 (12:41)New *Metal* Wrenegades (15:59)Jessie 96 & 108 (20:47)Women’s Billy Goat? (22:34)Billy Goat - and the 2 skis that originally inspired it (24:24)Graphics & Scott’s all-time favorite ON3P graphic (26:26)ON3P Kid’s Ski: the Charlie Murphy + Scott’s cats (31:45)ON3P snowblades & ON3P monoski? (34:15)Cease & Desist (35:36)The Super Goat (37:25)Experimental New Project - The St. Lucas (39:46)Touring Skis: available “Tour” layups of the Kartels, Wrens, and Billy Goats (46:58) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss a bunch of the brand new ski equipment we've been testing at Telluride, including the Line Sakana, ON3P Wrenegade 114, Faction Dictator 4.0, Rossi Soul 7, the new Atomic-Salomon SHIFT binding, and more.TOPICS & TIMES: A recap of Telluride, plus JE getting back on snow - and heli skiing (1:23)Rossignol Soul 7 HD & Blizzard Rustler 11 (5:00)Line Sakana (10:30)ON3P Wrenegade 114 (12:45)Faction Dictator 4.0 (15:00)Atomic / Salomon SHIFT MNC binding (18:55)Black Crows Daemon (23:20)Volkl Mantra M5 & Blizzard Bonafide (26:30)Renoun Endurance 98 (29:31)ON3P Kartel 108 (35:55) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to the CEO and head designer of Moment Skis, Luke Jacobson, about Moment's lineup for next season — what’s new, what's unchanged, and what's tweaked — and we cover everything from touring skis, kid's skis, women’s skis and even … the Chief Commander.TOPICS & TIMES:On Moment athlete - and current Olympian - David Wise winning X Games SuperPipe (1:12)The 18/19 Moment lineup: the revised Deathwish (4:55)Meridian 107 & 117 (10:18)PB&J - “unchanged but changed” (10:42)Wildcat & Wildcat Tour (13:08)Commander 98 and Commander 108 (17:06)“Women’s” skis - Hot Mess, Sierra, Bella (28:58)The Carson (and Zephyr) - Moment’s kid's ski (31:34)Touring Skis - Deathwish Tour 106 & Wildcat Tour (35:40)Meridian Tour (37:25)The Chief Commander! (40:30) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to blister reviewer, Paul Forward, about some of the powder skis he’s been reviewing recently in Alaska and Japan, including the Faction Prime 4.0, the Black Diamond Helio 116, and the DPS Spoon.And then we talk to Jeremy Cole, owner of Alpine Sports, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is one of our Blister Recommended Shops. Jeremy and I cover 3 topics: new gear; some of his favorite price-point boots & skis, and some real-world issues surrounding boots, bindings, and bench test results.TOPICS & TIMES:Join us in Telluride the weekends of February 24, March 10, March 17 (2:11)Paul Forward on the DPS Spoon, Faction Prime 4.0, Black Diamond Helio 116 (3:01)Jeremy Cole, owner of Alpine Sports, Santa Fe, New Mexico (20:31)As a buyer, what were some of the most intriguing new products you saw at OR/SIA (21:52)Bang for the Buck: some of Jeremy’s favorite price-point boots & skis (27:02)Bench Test Results: real-world issues around boots + binding compatibility (32:41) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.