Gear:30

We spend so much time reviewing the news these days on our Blister Podcast, we were officially overdue to have Cody Townsend back on GEAR:30 to talk about his current gear preferences and the specific gear he’s using most these days. So today, we remedy that.RELATED LINKSGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+Get Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasCRAFTEDTOPICS & TIMES:Cody’s Pre-Season Training (3:00)Coffee Gear Update (12:03)Skis (17:49)Ski Bindings (25:04)Ski Boots (34:57)Race Boots (42:33)Apps (48:20)Backpacks (57:24)Apparel (1:02:52)Gear Your Most Picky About? (1:12:22)Sidecut or Rocker Profile? (1:19:13)Mount Points (1:21:26)Bonus Talk for the 100 (1:25:03) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Pedorthist is someone who is trained in the assessment of lower limb anatomy, biomechanics, and, of course – feet. Heather Van Glider is not only a Pedorthist, but also an experienced ski bootfitter, making her particularly well suited for the latest installment of our Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting series.We dive into the importance of custom insoles and orthotics; why they are beneficial for not only ski boots, but other types of footwear; how Heather thinks through some of the biomechanics related to skiing; what it’s like to run a women-owned and operated bootfitting operation, Boulder Orthotics; her best bootfitting horror story; and more. RELATED LINKSGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+Get Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s GuideBoulder Orthotics A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting SeriesTOPICS & TIMESCustom Insoles 101 (3:13)Insoles vs. Orthotics (5:54)Insoles for Skiing (9:40)Insoles for Other Sports (17:21)Women-specific vs. Unisex Boots (19:36)Boulder Orthotics (27:32)Mentorship (30:50)Best Bootfit

Dan Abrams from Flylow is back to talk about toxic positivity, slide gliding, burrito grease, the Palisades base vs. Alpine base of Palisades Tahoe, what’s going on at Flylow, how they’re handling the transition away from PFAS, a few of Dan’s favorite pieces, and more.Also, we’re proud to announce that Flylow is the first apparel company to commit to covering their international athletes with BLISTER+, which is another step forward in getting sponsored athletes better protected than they’ve ever been. That’s a big deal, and shout out to Dan and Flylow for stepping up.RELATED LINKSGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+Get Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasCRAFTEDTOPICS & TIMES:Dan’s Palisades Tahoe Review (9:46)Flylow & BLISTER+ (17:58)Other Flylow Updates (20:23)The Transition Away from PFAS (23:56)Washing Technical Apparel (31:45)Was the PFAS Mandate Good Legislation? (40:28)Breaking News: Hiking is Fun (45:26)Ski Apparel Vs Mtn Bi

This week Venture Snowboards announced that they will also be making Venture skis. So Jonathan talked with Venture’s Klem Branner about why skis — and why skis now; what’s harder or easier about making skis vs snowboards; and what, exactly, is this new ski of theirs, the Sultan?RELATED LINKSGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+Get Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s GuideCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasCRAFTEDTOPICS & TIMES:New Skis & Old Sweatshirts (5:20)Venture’s Origin Story (6:18)Building Splitboards (7:35)Why Skis & Why Now? (13:05)Skking, Riding, or Boarding (16:51)Sultan Specs (19:24)Manufacturing differences with skis (21:20)Sidecut (25:33)Sustainability (37:47)Most Outrageous Warranty Story (44:02) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since we’re releasing soon the 10th edition of our Really Big Book, Jonathan talks with Luke Koppa and Kara Williard about our latest buyer’s guide (pre-order ends on 9.01.24), what’s in it, how it’s evolved, and of course, we talk about that super sexy cover photo….RELATED LINKSGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+Pre-Order: Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s GuideTOPICS & TIMES:BLISTER+ Members: Check Yo Inbox! (1:48)Mtn Town Advice w/ Cody (2:24)‘Rocky’ as Running Movie? (3:15)Big News in the Outdoor Industry (4:00)Overview of the Guide + Cover Model Luke (8:28)What's in the Guide (16:00)Women's Gear (17:20)What Else? (23:59)Photos (35:18)How to Get the Guide (40:49)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasCRAFTED Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nikolai Schirmer has made quite a name for himself by sometimes sailing to — and then, almost always climbing up — very technical lines, then often flashing those lines at ridiculous speeds on relatively lightweight gear. Today, Niko and Jonathan have the great debate about pin bindings; talk about Niko’s approach to selecting gear; discuss the specific gear he’s currently using the most; when & why he prefers lightweight ski gear, and we end with Niko announcing for the first time in public the name of his new film, which is his biggest project ever.RELATED LINKSGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+Pre-Order: Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s GuideTOPICS & TIMES:Niko’s StylePin Bindings (7:49)Light vs Heavy Gear (21:08)Ski Boots (38:29)Boot Quivers (46:09)Ski Quivers (48:23)Niko’s New Film (1:06:16)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasCRAFTED Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’ve got another episode of our “Reviewing the Reviewer” series, where we ask our reviewers questions about their backgrounds and gear preferences to give you a more complete picture of the people behind our reviews. In the hot seat is bike reviewer, Zack Henderson, but in addition to mountain biking and gravel riding, Zack is also a snowboarder and a skier, so our conversation is almost equal parts bike, board, and ski talk. Jonathan also starts the episode by remembering our friend and fellow reviewer, Eric Freson.RELATED LINKS:Pre-Order: Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s GuideBecome a Member: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMESZack’s background / sports did you play growing up? (7:40)Where’d You Go to School & Why? (11:12)How did you first get connected with Blister? (15:42)Zack’s bike, ski, & snowboard, gravel bike preferences (18:31)Who is your favorite reviewer at Blister? (40:12)Who is your favorite pro mtn biker, pro skier, pro snowboarder? (41:17)What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done? (51:21)What

Interested in ski design? Curious about where the next advancements in ski design might come from? Dr. Sean Humbert is back to provide an update on our Blister Labs’ ski flex project and to go over some of the results and takeaways from the on-snow ski testing and dynamic modeling from this past ski season.Blister Labs is a partnership between BLISTER and the Western Colorado University - CU Boulder Partnership Program.RELATED LINKS:The Published Paper on this ProjectBLISTER+: Get Yourself CoveredTOPICS & TIMES:Project Overview (3:23)In-Field Testing & Results (6:08)Bindings & Ski Flex Patterns (24:45)What’s Next (35:54)Published Paper (44:13)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister PodcastOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine being in freezing temperatures on a glacier and having to remove your harness and several layers of clothing just to pee. What about scrambling around a desolate desert looking for a place to pull down your pants in private? Maybe you don’t have to imagine — maybe you’re part of half the population who have to wear pants that weren’t originally designed for your anatomy.Gnara is an apparel company that has spent the last several years working to solve this problem with the advent of their “GoFly Technology,” a patented zipper that allows you to ‘go’ anywhere while maintaining privacy. We talk to Gnara co-founder, Georgia Grace Edwards, about how this idea came to be; the brand’s growth in the last few years; the impact they’ve had on a variety of professions and applications (with more to come); how to approach a taboo topic with humor and grace; and more. RELATED LINKS:Pre-Order: Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s GuideBecome a Member: BLISTER+Gnara’s GoFly TechnologyTOPICS & TIMES:Glacier Guiding &am

Wool has seen quite the resurgence in technical apparel over the past couple decades, and for good reason — it’s breathable, odor-resistant, and manages moisture better than most natural fibers. However, the way that most wool is spun into yarns can hamper its natural performance traits — at least, that’s what Nuyarn CEO, Andy Wynne, claims, and it’s why Nuyarn set out to come up with an entirely new way to use wool in technical fabrics. On today’s episode, Luke Koppa sits down with Andy to get the details on the traditional methods of yarn spinning; why he believes they have been holding back the true potential of wool; how Nuyarn is different; the extremely impressive performance metrics of Nuyarn; how it’s being applied to a very wide range of end uses; an exciting new wool product they’re about to launch, and more.RELATED LINKS:Pre-Order: Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s GuideBecome a Member: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:Andy’s Backstory (5:07)Traditional Implemntations of Wool (7:44)How & Why Nuyarn is Di

How has the ski / snowboard season in the southern hemisphere been this year? To find out, we caught up with Benji Knight and Darren Grimmett from Outside Sports in New Zealand; we also cover the gear trends they’re noticing in their area, and then they peel back the curtain on how, exactly, a local shop curates the collection of gear they offer — often picked from thousands of options — for their specific location and customers.RELATED LINKS:Our Blister Recommended Shop: Outside SportsA Guide to Skiing in New Zealand, Ep.260Blister Recommended ShopsBLISTER+: Become a MemberTOPICS & TIMESSeason Update (6:14)How do you Pick Products?? (7:23)Supplier Relationships & Brand Loyalty (12:24)Athlete & Customer Relationships (15:04)Bringing on a New Brand (19:04)Sizing (20:42)Hardgoods vs. Softgoods (26:53)Evolution of the Industry (28:59)NZ Gear Trends (33:42)Season Outlook (41:45)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister PodcastOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See a

Camille Jaccoux, co-founder of Black Crows Skis, is back on GEAR:30 to catch up on what the brand has been up to since last we spoke four years ago; the legacy of the iconic Corvus; how they overhauled it for 24/25; other new products they’re rolling out this winter; and a whole lot more.RELATED LINKS:Bag Balm: use code BLISTER to get 20% offBLISTER+: Become a MemberCamille Jaccoux on Blister Podcast Ep.144Camille & Julien Regnier on GEAR:30 Ep.64TOPICS & TIMES:Black Crows Since the Pandemic (4:04)Touring Lineup (7:33)New Octo & Octo Birdie (9:59)Global Market Share (15:39)The Corvus Legacy (20:09)New 24/25 Corvus (25:42)24/25 Lineup Highlights (33:00)Other Products (42:30)Ghost Resorts (45:06)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister PodcastOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sean Fearon is a ski development engineer at LINE & K2, and he’s been busy — between the two sister brands’ 24/25 collections, Sean helped design over a dozen of the new skis. So Luke Koppa sat down with Sean to get the details on LINE’s new Pandora, Vision, and Optic skis (and how they all relate to each other); the overhauled K2 Reckoner and Omen series; working with Karl Fostvedt to create his unique pro model, the Reckoner KF, and more. He also peels back the curtain on what it actually means to be a ski designer / engineer, why his job is often very similar to what we do at Blister, and how others might pursue a similar career.RELATED LINKS:Bag Balm: use code BLISTER to get 20% offBLISTER+: Become a MemberBlister Summit 2025: register before July 1st to save $150 Reviews: Line Pandoras, K2 Reckoners, K2 OmensTOPICS & TIMES:Sean’s Background (3:55)Being a Ski Engineer / Designer (7:25)24/25 LINE Skis Overview (13:20)LINE Pandora, Vision, & Optic Skis (17:02)K2 Omen Skis (41:47)K2 Reckoner

Since Jonathan missed our GEAR:30 ‘travel gear’ conversation a few weeks ago, he wanted to weigh in. So he and Kristin Sinnott open by discussing their recent trips; they discuss the question of ‘why we travel?’; and then, they dive into some of their favorite travel gear.RELATED LINKS:Bag Balm: 20% Off w/ Code: BLISTERGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+Blister Summit 2025: Early-Bird RegistrationTOPICS & TIMES:Recap of our Recent Trips (6:28)Snake Bite Black story (12:46)Italy (18:01)Why Do We Travel? (28:40)Florence, Italy (32:25)Gear Talk: Headphones (37:10)Roller Bags (42:15)Backpack (47:40)Walking shoes (51:04)Mechanical Watches (56:27)Work Out Gear (59:02)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister PodcastOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Woodworth has done, and Kara Williard sat down with Tasha to hear all about her unique path to where she is today, as well as the ups, downs, and key takeaways from the journey. We discuss how Tasha’s background in both the fashion industry and ski racing helped her along the way; what it means to be a “curious creature”; how the ski racing “beat down” prepared her for building a small business, and more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Summit 2025: Early-Bird RegistrationGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister PodcastOff The CouchTOPICS & TIMESHigh Fashion (2:46)Working at Patagonia (5:27)NCAA / Middlebury & US Ski Team (9:12)Why start a new business? (11:27)First Steps (13:55)Products & Problem Solving (16:16)Curious Creatures (19:49)Men’s vs. Women’s vs. Unisex (29:17)Busines

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 conversation, Luke Koppa chats with him about how he turned that into a career; their favorite camera-related gear; tips to help *you* capture better photos next time you’re outside; the most rewarding, frustrating, and unusual parts of getting these shots; and more. If you’re curious about how people like Taylor create such inspiring photos, or are looking to better capture your own time outside, you’ll definitely want to stick around.RELATED LINKS:Our Blister Recommended ShopsGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister PodcastTOPICS & TIMES:Taylor’s Photo Background (3:57)Most Rewarding Aspects? (10:37)Challenges (16:04)Photo Myths (22:22)Shooting Biking vs Skiing (26:02)Current Setups (30:10)Camera Accessories (38:43)Photography Advice (47:20)Editing & Settings (1:01:08)Favori

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 the road or hurtling through the sky. They also discuss extremely relevant things like camcorder storage solutions and dinosaur podcasts, the fact that Luke doesn’t actually like traveling, and more.RELATED LINKS:Bag Balm: 20% Off w/ Code: BLISTERBlister Summit 2025: Early-Bird RegistrationGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:Kristin & Luke’s Recent Trips (6:29)Travel Essentials (9:14)Camcorder Gear (20:09)Headphones & Dino Podcasts (23:58)Apparel (29:26)Surprisingly Useful Gear (45:05)Products We Wished Existed (47:30)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister PodcastOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 snowboarding journey. They also discuss how many days on a board JE will need before he’s ready to head up to the Headwall at Crested Butte.RELATED LINKS:Blister Rec Shop: Boone Mtn SportsGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+Listen to Part OneCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister PodcastOff The CouchTOPICS & TIMES:Next Blister Cinematic episodeSnowboard Boots (8:46)Snowboard Bindings (22:07)Snowboards (29:01)Camber Profiles (30:32)Length / Sizing (36:21)Protective Gear (39:36)Common Injuries (43:12)Summary (45:52)Headwall Challenge (47:03)Crashes & Close Calls (53:57) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 releasable bindings? These are a few of our Blister founder's questions as he learns to ‘think sideways.’RELATED LINKS:Blister Rec Shop: Powder HoundGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:Hot Dog…The Movie (4:56)Snowboarding Status Update (8:33)Slam Reduction Program (12:08)Releasable Bindings? (14:32)JE’s Snowboarding Goals (19:38)Stance (21:21)Visualization / “Think Sideways” (23:54)Best Terrain to Begin On? (29:34)Types of Slams (33:25)Speed (35:51)Running Flat Bases? (36:30)Heel vs Toe, Part 1 (38:34)Tips on Crashing (41:36)Timeline (44:22)Heel vs Toe, Part 2 (45:00)Edges (51:31)How to Stop?? (53:05)Speed Scrubbing (1:01:30)JE’s Latest Crashes & Close Calls (1:05:21)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister PodcastOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 “Hoji” Hjorleifson, Matt Manser, and Greg Klein. They cover everything from the reception and performance of BOA boots to Hoji’s new Dynafit Ridge Pro boot; cold feet (literal & metaphorical…), and much more.RELATED LINKS:Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+Blister YouTube ChannelBlister Recommended ShopsTOPICS:Intro 4:12BOA Ski Boots: How’s It Gone So Far? 5:36Weight: Still a Big Factor?13:27Hoji’s New Dynafit Ridge Pro Boot 25:20“Welcome Fit” 39:06Footbeds & Boot Shell Plastic 45:31Upper-Cuff BOAs? 54:09Selling Shells w/o Liners? 56:34Solutions for Cold Feet? 1:02:40“True” size-22 Shells 1:04:57Throat / Instep Fit 1:06:47Canting & Cuff Alignment 1:09:11“Custom” Boots 1:11:20CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister PodcastOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.