GEAR:30

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. Note: We Want to Hear From You! Please share with u...

Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth break news about our 26/27 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide , 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. 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...

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.” Note: We Want to Hear From You! Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories you’d like us to cover on GEAR...

Cody is back for some straight-up gear talk, and to share where his gear preferences & 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. Note: We Want to Hear From You! Please share with us the questions, topics, or stories y...

For some years now, we’ve wrestled with some big ideas about how we could change our annual Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide . 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. Note: We Want to Hear From You! Please share with us the questions, topics, or...

At our Blister Summit, we asked our Blister Summit attendees to pose their questions about ski design to Max Smith (vice president & ski designer at Moment Skis); Stu Gleason (senior designer at DPS Skis); and Mike McCabe (senior designer & owner at Folsom Custom Skis). 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....

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? In this episode, Luke Koppa gets the story behind one of the newest brands out there, Ellis Skis , from their founder and engineer, Kevin Schaefer. We discuss why he started Ellis; how he went about prototyping the ski...

Jonathan talks to our patron saint of GEAR:30, Hoji; Jeff Colt (ZipFit); Shane Chappell (Burton); and Will Ritter (Spark R&D) to get their sense of the most interesting trends and product developments across the ski and snowboard world. 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 us at: info@blisterrevi...

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). Note: We Want to Hear From You! Please share with us the questions, topics,...

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. 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 us at: info@blisterreview.com RELATED LINKS: Parallel Mountain Sports, Palisades Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+ E...

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 Jo...

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!!!) 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...

Do narrower skis actually make you carve better on piste? What about in moguls? And what sorts of skis are the best skiers actually using? For less-experienced folks, do certain skis make it easier to progress? Luke Koppa dives into these questions and more with the folks at Carv and Stomp It Tutorials . Carv’s Jamie Salter brings a bunch of fascinating data to the conversation, and Stomp It Tutor...

Monoskis! Snowblades! Price Drops! Jonathan talks with Luke Koppa and Kristin Sinnott about some big announcements about our upcoming Blister Summit , and Otto Solberg joins us to give an up-to-date conditions report from the Bird. We also talk about the great-looking forecast, and we go through some of the gear we’re most excited to get on — and get you on. Note: We Want to Hear From You! Please...

In this episode that we’re dedicating to JBobb, Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth talk frontside carvers; metal freestyle skis; and for the first time in Blister history, we’re reviewing a competition mogul 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: Palisades Tahoe Ge...

Last week at Palisades Tahoe, Jonathan Ellsworth & JBobb stopped by the The Ledge Boardshop to talk about snowboard culture & the current state of snowboard gear w/ a rather legendary figure in the snowboard world, Suge (aka, Brett Scott). We talk 90’s Hip-Hop; the history of snowboarding (and its influence on ski gear); and innovation in snowboard gear itself. Note: We Want to Hear From Y...

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 co...

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...

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...

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 E...

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 GEA...

(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?...

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...

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 Giv...

The North Face’s iconic Summit Series collection has not only been a part of some of the greatest athletic feats of the past 25 years, it’s also had a major influence on the technical apparel we all use today. In this 2-for-1 conversation, Luke Koppa dives into its backstory, major milestones, and standout pieces with The North Face’s Global Head of Innovation, Cory Olson. He also talks with the o...