GEAR:30

By BLISTERSports Wilderness

GEAR:30 episodes

February 12, 2021Reviewing the Reviewer: Dylan Wood
Today we’ve got another installment of our “Reviewing the Reviewer” series, where we ask 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 also give a score to each of our reviewers’ answers, then come up with a cumulative review grade for each of them. And in the hot seat today is our mountain bike and ski reviewer, Dylan Wood.
TOPICS & TIMES:
Dylan’s Dry February / Athletic Brewing (3:58)
Dylan’s background (8:43)
What sports did you play growing up? (9:42))
How did you first get connected with Blister? (22:41)
Injuries (27:46)
Dylan’s bike & ski preferences (35:56)
Who is your favorite reviewer at Blister? (40:35)
Who is your favorite pro biker & skier? (41:56)
What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done? (45:14)
What are you better at than Sam Shaheen? (54:07)
What gear are you most & least picky about? (55:09)
Top 3 favorite books, movies, and musicians (58:47)
Random review (1:01:32)
What’s the best question I haven’t asked you? (1:07:11)
What We’re Celebrating This Week (1:13:22)

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1 hr 16 min
February 05, 2021The Blister Summit: What It Is, Why We Made It, & Why You Should Come
Our inaugural Blister Summit launches in less than two weeks! So Kristin Sinnott, our Blister Summit director, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about the origins of the idea, why we think it’s important; why we think you should come!; and we cover a ton of the details and logistics of this first-of-its-kind event in the snowsports world.
TOPICS & TIMES
Origins of the idea for the Blister Summit (5:09)
Collecting feedback from Summit participants (9:35)
The Summit as a “Ski Tasting” event (13:15)
Don’t be intimidated about providing feedback (16:25)
Interlude: Baby Ski Quivers (22:30)
Backcountry portion of the Summit (23:39)
Which ski brands will be there? (31:50)
Why launch the Summit this year? / Health protocols (33:03)
Summit Swag! (40:45)
What We’re Celebrating This Week (42:03)
RELATED LINKS
Outdoor Gear Exchange

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47 min
January 29, 2021Shop Talk: Powder Hound, Girdwood, AK
Today we’ve got another Shop Talk episode for you, where we speak with folks from one of our Blister Recommended Shops to get their perspective on a mix of topics ranging from broadly applicable to all of us, to topics that help us better understand what’s going on in the local community that each shop serves.
Eric Helmbrecht, owner of Powder Hound Ski & Bike Shop in Girdwood, Alaska, is back on the show to talk about this season in Girdwood; Fizz Nation; some of the gear that he and his staff are particularly high on this season; and, of course, we had to talk about Juras.
TOPICS & TIMES
Blister Summit (1:38)
Update on the season in Girdwood (2:50)
Fizz Nation (6:42)
Jura coffee makers (9:48)
Gear they’re liking in Girdwood (14:13)
What We’re Celebrating (40:32)
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45 min
January 22, 2021A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 5: Heel Pockets, Tongue Volume, & Atomic’s new Hawx Ultra & “Professional” Liners & Dual Strap
Product Manager of Atomic Ski Boots, Matt Manser, is back to talk about heel pockets and tongue volume and Luke Koppa’s feet and how plug boots are not a thing and Atomic’s new Hawx Ultra and their new “Professional” Series of Liners and Dual Straps.
TOPICS & TIMES:
Whiskey & Jonathan being late (4:63)
Atomic’s new 21/22 Hawx Ultra (8:23)
Atomic’s new Professional Series (34:08)
Mimic Professional Liner (41:31)
Tongue Volume (59:56)
Professional Dual Strap (1:11:41)
Heel Pockets (1:21:35)
Plug Boots are Not a Thing (1:29:05)
What We’re Celebrating This Week (1:41:05)
RELATED LINKS:
Blister Recommended Shop: Black Sheep Sports
A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 1: Plastics (Ep. 54)
Part 2: Flex Patterns (Ep. 55)
Part 3: Racers & Race Boots (Ep.60)
Part 4: Liners, Ramp Angle, & Forward Lean (Ep. 88)

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1 hr 48 min
January 15, 2021Shop Talk: Outdoor Gear Exchange, Burlington, VT
We’re talking with Megan Shenton, the head of the ski dept. at Outdoor Gear Exchange, about how this ski season is going so far in New England; the history of Outdoor Gear Exchange; some of her personal favorite gear and some of the OGE staff’s favorite products; and more.
TOPICS & TIMES
About Outdoor Gear Exchange (1:42)
Burglington, VT (8:55)
Backcountry Skiing & this ski season (9:56)
EC skiing (20:53)
Some of the OGE staff’s ‘go-to’ products (26:38)
Adjustments OGE has made for COVID (41:44)

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48 min
January 08, 2021New Volkl Mantra M6; Burly Chargers; & Movement Skis
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth offer their initial thoughts on the new Volkl Mantra M6 & Secret 96; reviewer, Drew Kelly (aka, The Hulk), makes his GEAR:30 debut to compare the Volkl Katana 108 vs the HEAD Monster 108 vs the Blizzard Cochise 106; Luke discusses some of the Movement skis he’s been getting time on; & more.
TOPICS & TIMES:
Introducing: reviewer, Drew Kelly (3:09)
New volkl Mantra M6 & Secret 96 (6:18)
Volkl Katana 108 vs Monster 108 vs Blizzard Cochise 106 (12:05)
Movement Alp Tracks 106, Go 106 Ti, & Fly Two 115 (22:19)
What We’re Celebrating (26:40)
RELATED LINKS:
The Skier’s Sportshop
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30 min
January 01, 20212020: Gear in Review
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about some of the skis they’ve recently been testing; name some of the most surprising products of 2020 and some of the standout products of 2020; offer a few gear predictions for 2021; and end with what they’re celebrating this week.
TOPICS & TIMES
The end of the Year of Ellsworth (1:15)
Luke’s new diet (2:26)
Renoun skis are still mind-blowing (4:36)
New 4FRNT Devastator & Sego Big Horn 106 (10:50)
New ski we can’t talk about yet (16:18)
Elan Wingman 86 CTi (16:47)
102 Wars: Ranger 102 vs. Mantra 102 vs. Stance 102 (19:15)
Most Surprising Products of 2020 (28:05)
Standout Products of 2020 (35:12)
Gear Predictions for 2021 (39:18)
What We’re Celebrating (50:36)

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56 min
December 26, 2020Shop Talk: Backcountry Essentials, Bellingham WA
We’re talking with Chris Gerston, founder of Backcountry Essentials, talking about Bellingham; starting Backcountry Essentials; and some of the gear that he thinks works really well for skiing at Mt Baker and for volcano skiing.
TOPICS & TIMES
Gear & Beer (4:14)
Bellingham, Washington (6:20)
If Mt Baker were a beer… (7:14)
Starting Backcountry Essentials (8:29)
Quiver Killers & Tele & Disco (15:40)
Favorite products for Mt Baker & volcano skiing (19:27)
RELATED LINKS
Survivor Endurance phone case
Jonathan’s experience with the Survivor Endurance

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38 min
December 18, 20201-Ski-Boot Quiver; Listener Questions; Skis; Apparel; & Masks
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss several listener questions about ski quivers; 1-boot quivers; some game-changing news in the ski boot world; a number of skis, apparel pieces, and ski masks we’ve been testing; & what we’re celebrating this week.
TOPICS & TIMES
Watch the YouTube Video of this Episode
Mood Enhancers: Skiing & Georgetown Beer (2:45)
Listener Questions: ski quivers (6:35)
1-Boot Quiver (14:55)
Game-Changing Ski Boot News (22:50)
Skis we’ve been testing (28:00)
Apparel we’ve been testing (45:54)
Masks we’ve been testing (59:00)
What We’re Celebrating This Week (1:05:10)
RELATED LINKS
Survivor Endurance phone case
Jonathan’s experience with the Survivor Endurance

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1 hr 11 min
December 11, 2020Shop Talk: The Ski Monster founders, George & Eric
We’ve got another edition of Shop Talk for you, where we talk with folks from one of our Blister Recommended Shops to get their perspective on a mix of topics that range from broadly applicable to all of us, to topics that help us better understand what’s going on in the local community that each shop serves.

Today, we’ve got Eric Gerrmann & George Michaelsen, two friends who started The Ski Monster. You can stop by their very cool shop located at 60 Canal St in Boston, Massachusetts, or you can check them out online at theskimonster.com.

We talk about how George and Eric met; how getting fired - twice! - turned out to be a very positive development; the diverse customer base they serve; why ski shops ought to work to elevate the experience of purchasing all of this expensive gear; and more.
TOPICS & TIMES:
How George & Eric met (8:06)
Origins story of The Ski Monster (16:19)
Avoiding the “race to the bottom” (39:34)
Handling negative feedback (48:33)
GEAR (54:23)
Serving new skiers (58:52)
Testing the products they carry (1:08:55)
Covid & going “by appointment only” (1:17:12)
Wrap up (1:28:54)
What We’re Celebrating (1:31:21)
RELATED LINKS:
blister.getspot.com

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1 hr 35 min

About GEAR:30

From the publisher's feed

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…