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: SkiBootRX

Carv | Use code BLISTER32 for 10% off

Join us @ Blister Summit 2025

Become a BLISTER+ Member

TOPICS & 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)

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Bikes & Big Ideas

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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 Shop

BLISTER+ Get Yourself Covered

Join Us! Blister Summit 2025

TOPICS & 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)

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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: blister50

Our Blister Rec Shop: Spokane Alpine Haus

5850 Fest, Ketchum, Idaho

BLISTER+ Get Yourself Covered

Join Us! Blister Summit 2025

TOPICS & 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)

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Bikes & Big Ideas

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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 Covered

Blister Summit 2025

TOPICS & 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)

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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 Mechanics

GEAR:30 Ep #327 w/ Boot Mechanics

BLISTER+: Get Yourself Covered

Blister Summit 2025

TOPICS & 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)

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Bikes & Big Ideas

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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 Sports

2: Taos Ski Valley

3: Blister Summit 2025: Learn More

4: 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 85

CARV & Our Ski Reviews (21:44)

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Bikes & Big Ideas

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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: BLISTER32

3: OpenSnow.com/buy, use code: blister50

4: Blister Summit 2025: Learn More

5: 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)

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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 Hound

Submit your Bootfitting Questions

Blister Summit 2025

Blister Pod: Jonathan on this DPS Prototype

Blister Pod: Ted Ligety on this New Ski

TOPICS & 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 Project

Numerical 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)

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Today, Olin Glenne, the owner of Sturtevants bike & ski shop is back on GEAR:30 to talk about the state of the bike industry and ski industry; the World Cup Finals that are being held in Sun Valley in March of 2025; Sun Valley’s impressive ski race programs and some things those programs are doing that might be good ideas for race programs elsewhere to consider. Olin and Jonathan also talk a lot about ski tuning and ski finishing; ski base flatness (and who should obsess the most about it); and more.

RELATED LINKS

1: 5850 Fest

2: Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

3: Get Our Winter Buyer’s Guide

4: Blister Summit 2025: Learn More

TOPICS & TIMES

5850 Fest (1:11)

Status of the Bike industry (4:16)

Status of the Ski Industry (6:16)

Ski Season Readiness (9:04)

WC Finals in Sun Valley (13:03)

Sun Valley’s Racing Program (18:43)

Ski Tuning & Ski Finishing (30:27)

What’s New at Sturtevants (53:13)

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Luke and Jonathan offer their early-season reviewer reports, then Jonathan talks to Bangtail Bike & Ski’s new owner about why he did something that no other shop in the world has done — but why others might want to.

RELATED LINKS

1: Blister Rec Shop: Powder7.com

2: GetCarv.com, use code: BLISTER32

3: Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

4: Get Our Winter Buyer’s Guide

5: Blister Summit 2025: Learn More

TOPICS & TIMES

Powder 7 (1:44)

Carv Update (3:04)

JE’s Updates (5:01)

Powder / Chop Skis Episode (5:46)

James Bond, Babysitter (6:59)

Opening Day in CB (9:43)

Luke’s Report (15:00)

- RMU Apostle 106

- Rossignol Sender Soul 102

- Fischer Curv GT 85

- Ferreol Explo 86

- Black Crows Octo vs Mirus Cor

- Line Blade

- Rossignol Arcade 88

JE's Skis (26:41)

- Armada Declivity 108

- Armada Declivity 102

Shop Talk: Bangtail’s 1st (32:08)

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CARV is a slick and sophisticated system that aims to help skiers improve their skiing and have more fun on snow. And this winter, Blister is partnering with CARV to do 2 things: (1) see how — and how well — CARV accomplishes this for our team of Blister reviewers; and (2) see if the analysis we get from CARV provides insights that will enhance our ski reviews. So if you’re a fan of new tech, high edge angles, and / or getting better at skiing, listen up.

RELATED LINKS

1: Blister Rec Shop: Pulse Boot Lab & Ski Co

2: Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+

3: Get Our Winter Buyer’s Guide

4: Blister Summit 2025: Learn More

TOPICS & TIMES:

Pulse Boot Lab & Ski Co (1:56)

Blister Summit Update (3:15)

What is CARV? (9:13)

The Ski Coaching Paradox (11:46)

Confirmation Bias in Skiing (19:05)

Origin Story, Duct Tape, & University (20:57)

Tech & its Evolution (23:43)

Data & Data Interpretation (31:16)

Edging & Transitions (38:21)

Ski IQ (41:20)

CARV Off Piste? (43:07)

CARV 2 & Blister Reviews (52:47)

Summary & Final Thoughts (1:00:55)

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Bikes & Big Ideas

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