Outdoor Retailer / SIA Highlights

In today’s episode, Luke Koppa sits down with Jonathan Ellsworth and Kara Williard to discuss just a small portion of all the gear we’ve been testing lately. We cover Head’s overhauled collection of Kore skis; Jonathan makes a confession after he took some carving skis off piste; Kara and Luke discuss a bunch of boots they’ve been testing; Jonathan poses an age-old question about boot flexes; Kara breaks down the setups she’s bringing to Japan; and much more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Recommended Shop: SkiBootRXCarv | Use code BLISTER32 for 10% offJoin us @ Blister Summit 2025Become a BLISTER+ MemberTOPICS & TIMES:Carv (1:18)Ski Boot RX (2:10)Summit 2025 (2:58)Ski Boots (7:09)Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD Boa & Salomon Shift Alpha Boa (7:42)Head Kaliber BOA2 (11:45)Armada & Phaenom Boots (13:10)Would Your Rather: Too Soft or Too Stiff? (16:21)Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro W (22:31)4FRNT MSP CC (27:21)Dynastar M-Pro Skis (29:49)New Head Kores (33:10)Head Supershape e-Titan: Carving Ski or Mogul Ski (37:44)Nordica Enforcer 104 (44:40)Kara’s Japan Ski Quiver (47:24)Summit Products We're Excited About (51:41)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31 Jan 57min

Today we’ve got 2 episodes in 1 for you. We first talk about the biggest development in the world of snowsports gear: dual BOA ski boots. Joining Jonathan for that conversation are Salomon’s Lauren Samuels and Cesar Brouck, and you’re going to learn a lot more about the Dual BOA system in general, and also some of the very specific design decisions that Salomon made to implement this system into their new S/Pro Supra dual BOA ski boot. Then, we dive deep into the weeds with Quentin Boutry, the man behind Salomon’s new 4th generation of QST skis.RELATED LINKS:Our Blister Rec Shop: Viking Ski ShopBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredJoin Us! Blister Summit 2025TOPICS & TIMES:Jonathan’s Neighborhood Ski Shop (1:45)Blister Summit News & Updates (3:50)Did You Know? PT (4:38)Part 1: New S/Pro Dual BOA Ski Boot (8:20)Who’s this Boot For? (11:20) Benefits of Dual BOA? (12:15)The R&D Process (27:27)Cable Routing of the Dual BOA (36:44)The ‘Step In’ Experience (39:13)Part 2: New Salomon QST Skis (44:17)Get to Know Quentin Boutry (44:25)From Gen 2 to Gen 3 QST Skis (55:09)Salomon Rocker 122 vs QST X (1:04:53)Why Go Unisex w/ 4th Gen QST? (1:06:33)More on Changes from Gen 3 to Gen 4 (1:14:00)‘Double Metal’ & ‘Non Double Metal’ Skis (1:29:59)Salomon QST 94 (1:31:59)Salomon QST 100 (1:37:19)Salomon QST 106 (1:41:17)New Materials: Fruit Roll-Ups? (1:45:45)Salomon QST Echo 160 (1:50:4)Salomon QST X vs QST Blank (1:59:42) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

24 Jan 2h 5min

After a great day of skiing together, Jonathan talked with Jake Stevens (Rossignol’s Winter Sports Equipment Director for North America) about world-cup race skis vs. recreational skis: what do they have in common; how do they incorporate technological advances; and what are the available options between skis designed to win gold medals and those designed to have fun on the weekends with your family and friends? It’s a conversation that is guaranteed to get you thinking about various approaches to the mountain — and your own approach to sliding around on snow.RELATED LINKS:OpenSnow.com/buy - code: blister50Our Blister Rec Shop: Spokane Alpine Haus5850 Fest, Ketchum, IdahoBLISTER+ Get Yourself CoveredJoin Us! Blister Summit 2025TOPICS & TIMES:Jake’s Background in Racing (8:47)Ski Gear at the World Cup Level (12:13)Line Control Technology (27:46)The Direction of Tech Developments (30:31)Understanding the Options via Rossignol’s Hero Line (33:13)Rossignol Arcade 88 (45:51)Surprising Products & World Cup Finals in Sun Valley (51:43)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBlister PodcastCRAFTEDBikes & Big Ideas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17 Jan 58min

Freeride athlete Nat Segal has had a long and impressive journey as a professional skier, and part of this journey has been getting in a properly fitting ski boot. Our Blister Recommended Shop, Pulse Boot Labs and Ski Co., has been an important part of this process. So, Kara Williard sat down with Nat and Bryn Vickers from Pulse to hear about bootfitting from an athlete’s perspective; Nat’s current setup; bootfitting stories from her career; and we hear about some recent filmmaking projects, including her latest short film, Mountain Joy, which covers her journey of managing a chronic disease. RELATED LINKS:A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 6: Ski Boot Flex w/ Pulse Boot Labs Our Blister Rec Shop: Pulse Boot Labs and Ski Co.Watch Mountain Joy BLISTER+: Get Yourself CoveredBlister Summit 2025TOPICS & TIMES:The Season in Revelstoke (4:07)Nat’s Background (5:43)Bootfitting Considerations for Athletes (9:36)Nat’s Journey with Boots (14:35)Athlete Bootfitting Stories (22:18)“No Pain No Gain” Mentality (26:07)Nat’s Current Setup (31:22)Nat’s Transition to Filmmaking & Producing (35:44)Mountain Joy (43:17)The Season Ahead / Upcoming Projects (46:25)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBlister PodcastCRAFTEDBikes & Big Ideas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 Jan 52min

For the first time in company history, Armada is releasing a ski boot: the AR ONE. It’s a project that’s been in development for five years, and this release comes with a number of questions, like: why do a boot? And why now? What sort of boot is the AR ONE, how is it different from what’s out there, and … who's it for? We discuss all of these questions and more with Matt Rihm, Armada’s VP of Product, and Bransford Briggs, Ski Boot Product Manager.RELATED LINKS:CARV: getcarv.com (use code BLISTER32)Blister Rec Shop: Boot MechanicsGEAR:30 Ep #327 w/ Boot MechanicsBLISTER+: Get Yourself CoveredBlister Summit 2025TOPICS & TIMES:Boot Mechanics (1:20)Carv (2:11)The New Armada AR ONE (6:37)A “Hybrid Cabrio” Boot (12:40)Matt's Background (14:50)Bransford’s Background (15:34)Development of the Boot (18:10)Heel Hold (21:26)Liner (24:09)Fit (25:30)Instep & the 2nd Buckle (28:33)Redneck Engineering (31:56)Plastic (34:28)Fine-Tuning Flex (39:00)Range of AR ONE Models (44:51)Who’s It For? (49:12)Where to Find Them (52:05)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBlister PodcastCRAFTEDBikes & Big Ideas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 Jan 54min

Luke and Jonathan discuss some of the frontside skis they’ve recently been on; why choosing the right frontside ski requires as much consideration as any other type of ski; and they give an update on how they’ve been using the CARV system (so far) to enhance their ski reviews.RELATED LINKS:1: Blister Rec Shop: Alpenglow Sports2: Taos Ski Valley3: Blister Summit 2025: Learn More4: Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:Alpenglow Sports (1:12)Taos (2:26)Blister Summit 2025 (3:10)Frontside Skis (8:20)- Stockli Montero AR- Volkl Peregrine 80 & 82- Nordica Steadfast 85CARV & Our Ski Reviews (21:44)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasBlister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

27 Des 202433min

In the latest installment of our “Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting” series, Kara Williard is joined by Master Bootfitter & Instructor — and Founder of Boot Mechanics, a Blister Recommended Shop — Jeremy Johnston. This one is all about you, the audience, as we make our way through a bunch of your questions. We discuss the process of stance alignment; what’s happening on both ends of the spectrum when it comes to low-volume and high-volume boot design; the process of downsizing; forward lean and ramp angle; and a bunch of other bootfitting mysteries and complexities. RELATED LINKS:1: Blister Rec Shop: Boot Mechanics 2: GetCarv.com, use code: BLISTER323: OpenSnow.com/buy, use code: blister504: Blister Summit 2025: Learn More5: Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:Boot Mechanics Background (3:44)Stance Alignment Process (8:38)Adjusting Flex & Forward Lean / 1-Boot Quivers (17:54)Are Boots Getting Roomier? (23:50)Performance Boots (28:22)Performance Boots for HV Feet (30:30)How Long do Insoles Last? (39:16)Downsizing / Cuff Height (42:34)Forward Lean & Ramp Angle (47:55)Junior Boots (56:46)Bootfitting Complexities (1:01:56)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBlister PodcastBikes & Big IdeasCRAFTED Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

20 Des 20241h 6min

This week, DPS introduced a new product that represents quite a departure for the company: the DPS Carbon Pisteworks 79. And today, you’re going to hear one of the deepest dives we’ve ever done on GEAR:30 about the design and development of a new ski; how Blister Labs was involved; and the lengthy process of developing a ‘metal ski without the metal.’RELATED LINKS:Blister Rec. Shop: Powder HoundSubmit your Bootfitting QuestionsBlister Summit 2025Blister Pod: Jonathan on this DPS PrototypeBlister Pod: Ted Ligety on this New SkiTOPICS & TIMES:Powder Hound Updates (2:39)Next GEAR:30: Submit Your Questions (4:30)DPS’s 20th Anniversary, News, & New Release (5:30)Weight & Suspension (11:47)Ted Ligety's Involvement (19:27)Dr. Sean Humbert (22:19)Goals for the ProjectNumerical Simulation (38:36)Modal Testing (48:21)Lab Tests & Field Measurements (49:51)Building a Metal Ski Without the Metal (51:18)Locating the DPS Pisteworks 79 (53:09)Where to Get the Pisteworks 79 (57:06) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 Des 202459min