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GEAR:30

BLISTER

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.

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  • 21 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 55 min
  • English

Episodes 21

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  • #408
    Yesterday · 34 min

    Upgrade Culture; Minimalist vs Maximalist Shoe Design; & Other Topics

    After the book, ‘Born to Run’ came out, minimalist, low-profile shoes were all the rage. But now, maximalism is the big trend. So who’s right and who’s wrong? Blister’s running editor, Gordon Gianniny, talks with Jonathan about the various trends and pendulum swings in the world of footwear — shoes made for running, hiking, trail-running, and walking. Note: We Want to Hear From You! Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:30. You can email those to us here. RELATED LINKS: Momentous: livemomentous.com use code: Blister BLISTER+: Get Yourself Covered: Order our 26/27 Winter Buyer’s Guide Enter Our Free Weekly Gear Giveaways CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) TOPICS & TIMES: The Rise of Maximal Trail Shoes (2:44) Minimalists vs Maximalists: Who's Right? (6:16) ‘High Stack’ Vs ‘High Cushion’ (17:23) Upgrade Culture (22:02) Toe Boxes (27:44) Trickle-Down Tech (30:41) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: The Blister Vault Blister Cinematic CRAFTED Bikes & Big Ideas Blister Podcast

  • #407
    August 21 · 1 hr 8 min

    The Current State of GPS Sports Watches: COROS

    <p>GPS sports watches are impressive little devices that are able to track and measure more and more things each year. But how do these devices actually work? How accurate are they? And what are the important differences among all the options? Today, Darian Allberry from <a href="https://coros.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">COROS</a> joins us and provides an outstanding overview of this entire product category.</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please

  • #406
    August 14 · 50 min

    Reviewer Reports: The Health & Fitness Gear We're Using — or Avoiding

    <p>Nutrition apps? Body Composition Scales? Sleep Trackers? The category of home health &amp; fitness tech is exploding, and Kristin Sinnott &amp; Jonathan Ellsworth talk about the gear they've been using — or are currently avoiding — and why.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:30. <a href="mailto:info@blisterreview.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">You can email tho

  • #405
    August 7 · 55 min

    The Process of Having a Custom Ski Made for You

    <p>What’s the process like for having a custom ski built for you? What do you need to know? How much do you need to know about ski design? And are you someone who should consider it? Today, we’re going to help you figure out all of these questions, with <a href="https://www.folsomskis.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Folsom Custom Skis</a> owner, Mike McCabe, Jonathan Ellsworth, and Steve Janisch.</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us th

  • August 4 · 13 min

    Wonder Woman, Ski Boots, & Why the Color of Your Ski Boots Matters

    <p>Today on The Vault, we’re sharing another momentous Blister moment: a section from the very first episode in a series that went on to become one of the biggest things — and arguably one of the best things — we’ve ever put together at Blister.</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>We’d love for you to share with us the stories or topics you’d like us to cover next month on Reviewing the News; ask your most pressing mountain town advice questions, or offer your hot takes

  • #404
    July 31 · 53 min

    The Current State of High-Tech Footwear: Trends, Super Shoes, More

    <p>Footwear — running shoes, hiking shoes, walking shoes, etc — has never been more high-tech. Or confusing. Or expensive. It’s a wild world. So today, Jonathan talks with <a href="https://blisterreview.com/category/gear-reviews/running-reviews/running-shoes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Blister’s running editor, Gordon Gianniny</a>, about the current state of technical footwear; “super” shoes; AI; and more.</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share w

  • #403
    July 24 · 46 min

    Wild Rye's 10-Year Journey w/ Founder, Cassie Abel

    <p><a href="https://wild-rye.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopnzKEhajj3cytJDJpVSrybd-6ir3xzxa1E8FyHSuzDTMIUDjl9" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wild Rye</a> is about to turn 10 years old, so Jonathan caught up with Wild Rye founder, Cassie Abel, to ask her about starting this self-funded, women-focused, technical outdoor apparel company back in 2016, and what has &amp; hasn’t changed in the industry over the past decade. They also discuss product development, fundraising strategies, and how Wild R

  • #402
    July 17 · 34 min

    The Latest New Thing at Blister + Reviewer Reports

    <p>Jonathan and Kristin announce the latest new thing at Blister — ‘The Vault’ — then talk about some of their summer adventures, the new sports they’ve been getting into, and the new gear they’ve been using. Give it a listen, then share your favorite moments using the link below.</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:30. <a href="mailto:info@blisterreview.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" t

  • #401
    July 10 · 49 min

    Gold Forcefields, Multi-Purpose Mountain Gear, & More w/ Outdoor Vitals

    <p>From thru-hikers to ski mountaineers and backpack hunters, Outdoor Vitals’ products have gained a very diverse following. To understand why, Luke Koppa sat down with Brigham Crane, their Product Design Director, to discuss designing products for ‘experiences’ rather than sports, the current state of active insulation, gold-covered down, and more.</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:3

  • #400
    July 3 · 58 min

    Buyer’s Guide News + Other Changes at BLISTER

    <p>Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth break news about our <a href="https://blisterreview.com/shop/2026-2027-blister-winter-buyers-guide-print-digital-edition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">26/27 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide</a>, and some other big changes at BLISTER. They also talk about the changing media landscape in 2026, and how BLISTER has been able to remain independent for 16 years — and counting.</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with u

  • #399
    June 26 · 1 hr 1 min

    Hoji on the Future of Ski Gear; His Latest Projects; & More

    <p>Today, Hoji weighs in on the great ‘hybrid binding’ debate; then he and Jonathan discuss the future of ski binding technology; 3D printing applications in ski gear; and Hoji's current attempts to push the boundaries of ski-gear performance; and the “fields of belief and disbelief.”</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:30. You can email us at: info@blisterreview.com</p><p><strong>RELAT

  • #398
    June 12 · 1 hr 26 min

    The Pro's Gear: Cody Townsend (round 3)

    <p>Cody is back for some straight-up gear talk, and to share where his gear preferences &amp; practices have shifted, and where they’ve remained the same. Also, if you would like to nominate any particular skiers or snowboarders for future episodes of The Pro’s Gear, email us at the address below and let us know.</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:30. You can email us at: info@blisterr

  • #397
    June 5 · 44 min

    The Debate: Should We Change Our Winter Buyer’s Guide?

    <p>For some years now, we’ve wrestled with some big ideas about how we could change our annual <a href="https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/ski-reviews/2025-2026-blister-winter-buyers-guide-homepage" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide</a>. So today, Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa and Kristin Sinnott discuss those potential changes — as well as what definitely won’t be changing. Give it a listen, then please let us know what you think.</p><p><strong>Note: We

  • #396
    May 30 · 53 min

    Ski Design & Your Questions

    <p>At our Blister Summit, we asked our Blister Summit attendees to pose their questions about ski design to Max Smith (vice president &amp; ski designer at Moment Skis); Stu Gleason (senior designer at DPS Skis); and Mike McCabe (senior designer &amp; owner at Folsom Custom Skis).</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:30. You can email us at: info@blisterreview.com</p><p><strong>RELATED L

  • #395
    May 22 · 59 min

    Starting a Ski Company from Scratch w/ Ellis Skis

    <p>There’s no shortage of skis on the market these days, yet we’re still seeing new brands pop up. So what does it take to start your own ski company, and why do it in the first place?</p><br><p>In this episode, Luke Koppa gets the story behind one of the newest brands out there, <a href="https://www.ellisskis.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ellis Skis</a>, from their founder and engineer, Kevin Schaefer. We discuss why he started Ellis; how he went about prototyping the skis he

  • #394
    May 15 · 1 hr 8 min

    The Cutting Edge: Emerging Trends & New Products in Snowsports Gear

    <p>Jonathan talks to our patron saint of GEAR:30, Hoji; Jeff Colt (ZipFit); Shane Chappell (Burton); and Will Ritter (Spark R&amp;D) to get their sense of the most interesting trends and product developments across the ski and snowboard world.</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:30. You can email us at: info@blisterreview.com</p><p><strong>RELATED LINKS:</strong></p><p>Get Covered: <a h

  • #393
    May 8 · 1 hr 20 min

    Pulling Back the Curtain: How Things Actually Work at Global Ski / Outdoor Companies

    <p>Often on GEAR:30, we zoom way in on the particular design details of a product. But today, we zoom way out, and take a look at how some of the biggest, global, ski and outdoor gear manufacturers actually operate, with Jake Stevens (Rossignol); Jesse Ambrogi-Yanson (Armada); Joe Johnson (Salomon); and Sean Kennedy (Atomic).</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:30. You can email us at:

  • #392
    May 1 · 46 min

    Luke & Jonathan: More Reviewer Reports from Blister Summit 2026

    <p>Luke and Jonathan compare notes on a number of skis they got on at the Blister Summit; confess some crimes; and offer one public service announcement.</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:30. You can email us at: info@blisterreview.com</p><p><strong>RELATED LINKS:</strong></p><p><a href="https://blisterreview.com/blister-shops/parallel-mountain-sports-tahoe-palisades" rel="noopener no

  • #391
    April 24 · 1 hr 6 min

    Reviewer Reports from Blister Summit 2026: Blades, Boards, Backslaps, & More

    <p>We’re still buzzing from Blister Summit 2026, which we held last week at Snowbird, Utah. And in this conversation, a number of our reviewers got together to recap their favorite moments, runs, and gear. We also cover what it’s like to ride with the strikingly handsome Justin Bobb (whether he’s on a board, skis, or blades); one of the aspects of ski reviewing that Sascha Anastas does better than Jonathan and Luke; CRAFTED podcast co-host Eli Brown’s perspective as a newcomer to the Summit; and

  • #390
    April 10 · 1 hr 5 min

    Reviewer Reports: 'Closing Day + Luke's a Father!' Edition

    <p>Luke’s a dad! Our patron saint of GEAR:30, Hoji, will be back at the Blister Summit! You can win custom skis at our Summit Dinner! Plus, you’ll hear lots of talk from Luke and Jonathan about the skis they tested to close out the year at CBMR! (So many exclamation points!!!)</p><p><strong>Note: We Want to Hear From You!</strong></p><p>Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR:30. <a href="mailto:info@blisterreview.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" targe

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