Reviewer Reports: New Head Kores, Ski Boots, & One Age-Old Question
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
New Salomon Dual BOA Ski Boot & New Salomon QST Skis
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
From World-Cup Race Skis to Recreational Skis & Everything In Between with Rossignol’s Jake Stevens
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
The New Armada AR ONE Ski Boot: What Is It & Who's It For?
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
Reviewer Reports: Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth
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
A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 8: Your Questions Answered by Master Bootfitter, Jeremy Johnston
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
The Design & Development of the New DPS Carbon Pisteworks 79
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
