Podcasts | BLISTER Outdoor Media & Gear Reviews

A Brief-ish History of Blister with Jonathan Ellsworth and Michael Clarke (Ep.306)

April 23, 2024April 22, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

So who was really behind the creation of BLISTER, and did the whole thing get started because of a misunderstanding over a couple of beers? Today, we dive into the origins story of Blister, with the two people most responsible for it.

Alaska’s Epic El Niño Season, Ski Bindings, & More with Powder Hound (Ep.294)

April 19, 2024 by Kara Williard

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 Williard brought to Girdwood; what’s changed at Alyeska Resort since joining the Ikon pass; the reliability of various AT & alpine bindings, and more.

Reviewer Reports: So Many New Bikes (Ep.218)

April 18, 2024 by David Golay

It’s been an insanely busy last few weeks for new bike launches, and we’ve been riding a whole lot of them. We sat down to chat about our early impressions of a *lot* of new bikes, from the Specialized Epic Evo to the Yeti SB165, and a whole bunch in between.

On our latest Blister Podcast, Mountain Gazette owner, Mike Rogge, is back to talk with Jonathan about their ongoing feud; media coverage of the eclipse; two stories from the soon-to-be-released MG #201; what they’re reading and watching (including Bluey, Road House, and why Rogge often tells people to watch the movie, Cocktail with Tom Cruise), and more.

Mountain Gazette owner, Mike Rogge on Feuds, Media Coverage, Movies, & More (Ep.305)

April 17, 2024April 15, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Mountain Gazette owner, Mike Rogge, is back to talk with Jonathan about their ongoing feud; media coverage of the eclipse; two stories from the soon-to-be-released MG #201; what they’re reading and watching; and more.

On today’s GEAR:30 podcast, Luke and Jonathan discuss a number of the new skis they’ve been testing this spring, including ones from Blizzard, K2, Armada, Moment, Line, Rossignol, Black Crows, & more.

Whiskey, Murder, and a Bunch of New Skis (Ep.293)

April 12, 2024April 12, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Luke and Jonathan discuss some of the new skis they’ve been testing this spring

Reviewing The News w/ Ryan Palmer, March 2024 (Ep.217)

April 11, 2024April 11, 2024 by Simon Stewart

In their third installment of Reviewing The News, Ryan and Simon get into: the slopestyle strike; Scott’s apparent management instability; riding in Tuscany; some reflections on how we ever rode without dropper posts; and some new lightweight eMTBs running the hotrod Bosch SX motor — including the 39 lb Norco Fluid VLT.

At our Blister Summit, Angel Collinson, Mallory Duncan, Elyse Saugstad, & Vasu Sojitra shared stories about their all-time favorite days in the mountains; their scariest experiences; times they were the most starstruck; what they wish they could tell their younger selves; and more. Listen Here, or watch on our YouTube Channel.

Angel Collinson, Mallory Duncan, Elyse Saugstad, & Vasu Sojitra: Stories from the Field (Ep.304)

April 8, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Angel Collinson, Mallory Duncan, Elyse Saugstad, & Vasu Sojitra share stories about their all-time favorite days in the mountains; their scariest experiences; times they were the most starstruck; what they wish they could tell their younger selves; and more.

New Tech to Simplify Decision Making in the Backcountry (Ep.292)

April 6, 2024April 5, 2024 by Kara Williard

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 of any backcountry user. The result is Aspect Avy. We talk with Jeff about how this app compares to and complements other backcountry tools; how it accounts for human factors; the general state of tech in the backcountry; and more.

Brook Macdonald on Fresh Starts, DH Race Bike Design, Moving to Forbidden, & More (Ep.216)

April 4, 2024 by David Golay

Brook Macdonald’s return to racing World Cup DH after breaking his back at Mont Sainte Anne in 2019 was nothing short of remarkable, but the last few race seasons have still been difficult ones for Brook. On this week’s episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, he opens up about a lot of those struggles, and the things he’s changed in order to come into the 2024 season feeling refreshed, reenergized, and with a renewed hunger to compete.

Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, March 2024 (Ep.303)

April 1, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Cody and JE discuss the end of The Fifty; the Crankworx riders’ strike; JHMR’s parking lot controversy; the drugged-up Olympic Games; the ‘Road House’ remake; & more.

Moment & Icelantic Skis on Ski Design & U.S. Ski Manufacturing (Ep.291)

March 29, 2024March 29, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

What’s in and what’s out in ski design? And how have U.S. ski companies been doing over the past few years? We discuss this and much more with Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, and Icelantic Skis founder, Ben Anderson.

Georgia Astle on Racing, Freeriding, & Finding Her Way to MTB (Ep.215)

March 28, 2024March 28, 2024 by David Golay

Georgia Astle’s path to freeride stardom was an unconventional one — she didn't bike much growing up, despite living in Whistler — and it’s given her an interesting perspective on the state of the sport, finding and developing talented young riders, and a whole lot more.

Misplaced Guilt? Misplaced Pride? A Different Conversation about Climate Issues (Ep.302)

March 25, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

What should we do to most significantly & quickly improve the current climate situation? Jonathan talks with Amie Engerbretson (Atomic); Dr. Len Necefer (Founder, the Sonoran Avalanche Center); and Jake Black (Protect Our Winters) to address this and a whole lot more.

Reviewer Reports: Taos Ski Valley, Carving Skis, All-Mountain Skis, & Luke’s 3-Day-Old Cheeseburger (Ep.290)

March 22, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Jonathan, Luke, Kara, & Kristin discuss a number of the carving-oriented and narrower all-mountain skis they were on this week; Luke’s food choices; and Taos’ Chair 2 (West Basin) vs Chair 12 (Kachina Peak).

Dakotah Norton on Finding Consistency, Moving to Mondraker, the State of US DH Racing, & More (Ep.214)

March 21, 2024 by David Golay

Dakotah Norton is one of the most decorated American DH racers in recent years, and we sat down with him to chat about his 2023 season, including his rocky start and strong finish to it; moving to Mondraker Factory Racing for 2024 and beyond; the state of US DH racing and how to build a better series of stepping stones to World Cup Downhill; and much more.

Comp Life: 4 Freeride Athletes on the FWQ, FWT, & Beyond (Ep.301)

March 18, 2024 by Luke Koppa

After they competed in last weekend’s FWT Challenger stop in Crested Butte, Britta Winans, Colton Shaff, Mia Winans, and Tyler Curle sat down with us to peel back the curtain on the current freeride competition scene and discuss how the skiing and riding have evolved; differences between the FWQ and FWT events; their personal favorite moments from this season + personal favorite riders, and much more.

Standout Backcountry Gear: Past, Present, & Future (ft. Vertical Playground)

Standout Backcountry Gear: Past, Present, & Future (Ep.289)

March 15, 2024 by Kara Williard

We talk with Trygve Sande, one of the founders of VPG (our Blister Recommended Shop in Oppdal, Norway), about all-time pivotal pieces of backcountry gear; products that help 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 concept ski.

Sarah Sturm on Her Unconventional Path to Gravel-Racing Stardom (Ep.213)

March 14, 2024 by David Golay

Sarah Sturm’s path to gravel-racing stardom was unconventional, and her telling of the story is highly entertaining. So we sat down with Sarah to hear all about it, and chat about taking on new challenges; failure; peeing one's pants(?); the state and health of gravel racing; and much more.

On the Blister Podcast, We talk to professional skiers, Hadley Hammer and Kellyn Wilson, about their new project, TOGS, which is dedicated to widening ski culture and making it more acceptable for each of us to be our full selves.

Zebras, Fashion, & Ski Culture: Hadley Hammer & Kellyn Wilson (Ep.300)

March 11, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We talk to professional skiers, Hadley Hammer and Kellyn Wilson, about their new project, TOGS, which is dedicated to widening ski culture and making it more acceptable for each of us to be our full selves.

On GEAR:30, 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.

Helmet Tech, Head Injuries, & Best Practices for Skiers & Snowboarders (Ep.288)

March 8, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

We discuss current helmet technology, head injuries, and best practices for skiers & snowboarders with Blister reviewer (and physician assistant), Sascha Anastas; Steven Kennedy of Giro; Frederik Kjellberg of MIPS; and pro skier, Drew Petersen.

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