GEAR:30

BLISTER
  • 4.9 (799)
  • SPORTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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.

  1. 1D AGO

    Reviewer Reports: Palisades Tahoe; New Skis & Snowboards; & the Hunt for Red October

    JBobb, Luke, Koppa, Kristin Sinnott and Jonathan Ellsworth just wrapped up a week at Palisades Tahoe, and today, they’re sharing lots of stories and impressions, and talking about the gear they reviewed — but didn’t bring with them. Thanks to everyone who made this a truly unforgettable trip. 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: Palisades Tahoe Palisades Demo Center Get Yourself Covered with BLISTER+ Join Us! Blister Summit 2026 BLISTER+ Members: Blister Summit Discount Enter Our Weekly Gear Giveaway See Our Blister Recommended Shops CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) TOPICS & TIMES: Getting There w/o Skis & Boards (1:34) How Jonathan Jinxed Us (6:06) What Luke’s Reading (10:22) Day 1: - Demo Center & People We Met Up With (14:23) - Favorite Runs of the Day (17:31) - Skis & Boards (19:23) - Palisades Patrol Shreds Harder Than You (23:10) - Slot Bar Sneak Attack (26:33) Day 2: - Armada Declivity 102 & Antimatter 100 - Day 2 Favorite Runs (37:00) - Day 2 Equipment Picks (41:12) Day 3: - Rakim & Alpine Meadows (48:55) - Connery Lundin (54:44) - Wildfour & Rocker (59:35) Day 4: (1:02:36) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic CRAFTED Bikes & Big Ideas Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 8m

  2. FEB 27

    How to Tell if a Bootfitter is Any Good; Ski Boot Trends; & Strong Opinions w/ Luke, Jonathan, & Bootfitter, Hunter Dagnon

    How do you tell if you’re working with a good bootfitter? Are all ski boots getting bigger? Where are BOA dials most effective, or, are they actually just ruining the industry? Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth dive into these topics — and present some valuable tips and tricks — with the help of our longtime friend and boofitter, Hunter Dagnon. 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: Palisades Tahoe Join Us! Blister Summit 2026 For BLISTER+ Members: Discounted Blister Summit Registration Get Yourself Covered with BLISTER+ Enter Our Weekly Gear Giveaway See Our Blister Recommended Shops CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) TOPICS & TIMES: Boot-Fitters vs Boot-Sellers (5:43) Higher-Volume Boots (8:50 What is an “Average” Foot? (9:29) Bootfitting Red & Green Flags (12:25) Shell Fit (18:07) Concept of Comfort (20:45) BOA (29:41) “Pinner” Fit (36:00) Boot Geometry Changes (43:44) Volume Shifts & Performance (59:30) Plastic Types (1:06:38) JE's Case for Lower Volume (1:34:10) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic CRAFTED Bikes & Big Ideas Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 38m

  3. FEB 20

    The AlpenFlow 89 Binding VS. the Rest of the 'Hybrid Bindings' Category

    AlpenFlow Design spent nearly six years developing their flagship AlpenFlow89 hybrid binding, and today, Jonathan talks with AlpenFlow co-founder, Steven Waal, about that development process. Then they compare / contrast the AlpenFlow 89 to all the major players in the hybrid binding space. You’re guaranteed to learn a lot about the “Do-It-All” category of ski bindings. 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: Lone Pine Gear Exchange Snowbird Enter Our Weekly Gear Giveaway See Our Blister Recommended Shops Join Us! Blister Summit 2026 For BLISTER+ Members: Discounted Blister Summit Registration Get Yourself Covered with BLISTER+ GEAR:30 ep 357: AlpenFlow Founders’ Story GEAR:30 ep 345: What’s New in Binding Design CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) TOPICS & TIMES: Sale: Lone Pine Gear Exchange (2:46) Overview of AlpenFlow (5:32) The AlpenFlow 89 Binding (8:05) What’s Changed Since the Blister Summit? (13:38) Pin Toes vs Non-Pin Toes (23:44) Release Characteristics & ISO 13992 (33:20) Product Comparisons: Marker Kingpin (39:00) Marker Duke PT (42:35) Atomic / Salomon Shift 2.0 (45:00) ATK Freeraider 15 (46:26) Cast 2.0 Touring System (49:05) ATK Hy 13 (51:22) Tyrolia Attack Hybrid 14 (52:46) Best Question I Haven’t Asked You?(53:40) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic CRAFTED Bikes & Big Ideas Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min

  4. FEB 13

    What You're Probably Getting Wrong about Ski Width

    When it comes to the question of ski width, there are some very strong opinions held by skiers, and lots of them aren’t true. Are lots of people on skis that are too wide? Will a skinnier ski always carve better than a wider ski? What’s the ideal width for mogul skiing? And is there any real difference in bottomless powder between a 120mm-wide and a 135mm-wide ski? Today, Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth walk through the entire range of skis from 65mm to 135mm wide, and hope to clear up a number of confusions and debunk some myths about ski width. 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: CARV Palisades Tahoe Enter Our Weekly Gear Giveaways Our Blister Recommended Shops Join Us! Blister Summit 2026 For BLISTER+ Members: Discounted Blister Summit Registration Get Yourself Covered with BLISTER+ CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) TOPICS & TIMES: Test Our Opinions Yourself w/ Carv (1:80) Blister to Palisades Tahoe (2:34) This Week’s Gear Giveaway (3:12) Blister Summit 2026 (3:45) The Question of Ski Width (4:53) Ski Width Ranges 65mm - 71mm (11:49) 72mm - 78mm (16:48) 79mm - 85mm (27:41) 86mm - 92mm (38:08) Q: Width / Getting a Ski On Edge (39:48) 93mm - 99mm (45:06) 100mm - 106mm (53:19) 107mm - 113mm (53:34) 114mm - 120mm (57:21) Coastal Snowpack (1:07:17) Significant Width Breaks (1:14:14) What's Optimal? (1:16:45) Ideal Width for Skiing Moguls? (1:20:38) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic CRAFTED Bikes & Big Ideas Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 30m

  5. FEB 6

    Reviewer Reports: Paul's New Pow Ski Design; Carving Skis; & More

    Luke, Koppa, Paul Forward, and Jonathan talk about some of the gear they've been reviewing; discuss topics related to that gear; and dive deep into the ideas behind a new pow ski design that Paul has been thinking about for years, and are now being incorporated into a brand new ski. 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: Episode Sponsor: OpenSnow Episode Sponsor: Snowbird Enter Our Weekly Gear Giveaways Our Blister Recommended Shops Join Us! Blister Summit 2026 For BLISTER+ Members: Discounted Blister Summit Registration Get Yourself Covered with BLISTER+ CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) TOPICS & TIMES: Hallelujah! Check the Forecast! (2:58) Snowbird (4:03) Our Very Unique Gear Giveaway (5:24) Paul Back in AK (6:47) Paul’s Boot Surprise: Atomic Remedy 130 (13:08) Luke on the 1000 Skis Carve (22:57) Carving (28:12) Jonathan’s Mistake / PSA (38:02) Paul’s New Pow Ski Design (41:15) The Heritage Lab HB 135 (53:47) Flex Pattern vs Shape (1:04:50) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic CRAFTED Bikes & Big Ideas Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 18m

  6. JAN 30

    Rewriting the Rules of Ski Boots? K2 Ski Boots’ Tom Pietrowski

    (1) Why is it that typically, only the stiffest ski boots have all the best features and get the best liners and all the bells and whistles? (2) What are boot manufacturers doing about the fact that many of the best skiers on the mountain also have the least amount of money in their bank accounts? And (3) did K2 just create the first ski boot that was truly designed for women, from the ground up? To address these questions, we’re talking with Tom Pietrowski, the global product line manager for K2 ski boots. Note: We Want to Hear From You! We’d love for you to 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: Episode Sponsor: Carv Episode Sponsor: Snowbird Episode Sponsor: OpenSnow Enter Our Weekly Gear Giveaways Our Blister Recommended Shops Join Us At Blister Summit 2026 For BLISTER+ Members: Discounted Blister Summit Registration Get Yourself Covered with BLISTER+ CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) TOPICS & TIMES: Blister Summit (2:30) This Week’s Gear Giveaway (3:49) Tom’s Super Hot Take (5:02) K2 Cortex 140 (12:49) Boa Cable Length (15:41) K2 Cortex Team 120 (18:23) Flex Rating vs Price of Ski Boots (21:30) New Recon (28:15) K2 Anthem: the 1st True Women's Ski Boot? (30:48) K2 Boot Collection Upgrades (47:06) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic CRAFTED Bikes & Big Ideas Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min

  7. JAN 23

    Reviewer Reports: Luke’s in the Heli, Paul’s on Carving Skis, & Jonathan’s Trading Skis w/ Pros

    Why is reviewer and heli-skiing guide Paul Forward in Crested Butte testing skinny skis? How did Luke Koppa end up being the one in a helicopter? And why have Luke and Jonathan been able to test the same new ski boot? Today we discuss it all, as well as a bunch of new freeride skis from 4FRNT and Heritage Lab; Jonathan swapping skis with Daron Rahlves; Luke face-planting in front of some other pro skiers, and more. RELATED LINKS: Episode Sponsor: Carv Episode Sponsor: Snowbird Episode Sponsor: OpenSnow Enter Our Weekly Gear Giveaways Our Blister Recommended Shops Join Us At Blister Summit 2026 For BLISTER+ Members: Discounted Blister Summit Registration Get Yourself Covered with BLISTER+ CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) TOPICS & TIMES: Carv (1:38) Snowbird & Giveaway (2:23) Luke’s Trip Report (5:39) Jonathan’s Trip Report (15:43) Salomon S/Pro Alpha C BOA (21:24) 4FRNT Sinister (32:28) Heritage Lab Skis (37:08) Part 2: Jonathan & Paul Forward (41:05) Testing Ski Boots, Skis, & Carv (45:35) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic CRAFTED Bikes & Big Ideas Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 31m

  8. JAN 16

    Peak Skis is Back; New Gear Reveals; Current Product Reviews; & Best Snowboard Gear of the Century w/ Powder Hound AK's Eric Helmbrecht

    Jonathan shares his thoughts on the stated return of Bode Miller & Peak Skis, then Powder Hound Ski & Bike Shop owner, Eric Helmbrecht, joins us to discuss several big new product announcements; review some current ski & snowboard gear; and then Eric shares his top 10 list of the most important developments in snowboard gear of the 21st century. RELATED LINKS: Enter Our Weekly Gear Giveaways See Our Blister Recommended Shops Join Us @ Blister Summit 2026 For BLISTER+ Members: Discounted Summit Registration Get Yourself Covered with BLISTER+ CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELS: Blister Studios (our new channel) Blister Review (our original channel) TOPICS & TIMES: Why My Voice is Gone (0:04) Blister Summit 2026 (2:59) Peak Skis is Back?? (4:11) The ‘New New’ Gear (16:27) - Nordica Nordica Promachine 3 (16:59) - Salomon S/Pro Alpha C BOA (27:49) - Atomic / Salomon Shift² 16 (35:33) - Armada Snowboards (41:48) - Current Ski & Snowboard Gear Reviews (44:38) - 4FRNT MSP 99 (45:55) - Marker X binding (47:04) - Armada Ski Boot (49:13) - Atomic Remedy (51:22) - Rossignol XV Sashimi ( 52:48) JE's Snowboard Questions (54:07) Top 10 Snowboard Gear of the Century (58:00) CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic CRAFTED Bikes & Big Ideas Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 22m
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4.9
out of 5
799 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    BLISTER
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    386
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 BLISTER
  • Show Website
    GEAR:30

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