Ep. 49: 2026 Ski Testing Update

Jason Levinthal has been doing things differently in the ski industry for more than 30 years.In this episode, we sit down with Jason to talk about the story behind LINE Skis, how Full Tilt ski boots came to be, his time working with K2, and eventually leaving to start J Skis.Jason gets into the early days of LINE, building skis when almost nobody took twin tips seriously, what happened after K2 acquired the brand, how the old Raichle Flexon molds became Full Tilt, and what he learned building and marketing some of the most recognizable brands in skiing.We also get into product development, ski industry marketing, entrepreneurship, what big companies get right and wrong, and why Jason continues to approach the ski business differently.In this episode:The origin of LINE SkisHow Jason Levinthal helped change freestyle skiingK2’s acquisition of LINEHow Full Tilt ski boots came to beThe Raichle Flexon molds and their second lifeBuilding and marketing Full TiltLeaving K2Starting J SkisProduct development and ski designMarketing in the ski industryJason’s approach to building ski brandsJason Levinthal joins The Ski Monster Podcast for the full story.

We’re joined in-studio by Andrew Couperthwait (aka Coup), VP of Head Skis, for a deep dive on what Head has been building lately. We break down the relaunch of the HEAD Kore skis for 25/26: why the original ultra-light construction was insanely high performance but could feel demanding, and how the new direction adds suspension and dampness without “dumbing the ski down.” Coup explains the move to metal (landing on 0.4mm), how flex is tuned across different waist widths, and why the black vs white Kore skis can feel like two distinct personalities despite sharing the same shape. Then we shift to Head Kaliber boots, Head’s purpose-built BOA project. We get into fit-first design, liner tech, stance, and how modern closure systems change both performance and everyday usability. We wrap things up with athlete updates, World Cup and Olympic buzz, and a look at what’s coming next from Head.

In this episode, we break down Blizzard’s brand-new freestyle line, Canvas—arguably the least “Blizzard-y” ski they’ve ever made, in a good way. After some early-season chaos talk (New England snow showing up, who’s spinning already, and a recap of Snowbound Expo and the Blizzard x BSSC event), we dive into what Canvas is, who it’s for, and how the 100/108/118 lineup stacks up against skis from Armada, Black Crows, Line, and Rossi. We get into why this is such a big departure for a brand known for Brahma, Bonafide, Rustler, Black Pearl, and Anomaly, how brand perception affects park skis, and why athletes and comps matter in launching something new. We also cover the graphic story, including artist Penelope Mesa’s painted canvases that give the ski its distinctive black-and-white freestyle look. 00:00 – Winter is here 01:48 – Early-season stoke: Jay Peak snow & who’s spinning 04:36 – Snowbound Expo, BSSC party & Boston ski buzz 11:02 – Meet Blizzard Canvas: Blizzard’s new freestyle/park ski 13:54 – Canvas lineup, specs & Penelope Mesa’s graphic story 20:01 – Who Canvas is for & how it fits into Blizzard’s lineup 23:15 – Brand perception, park heritage & why athletes matter 32:17 – Weird skis, graphics & shapes 48:37 – East vs West: hot laps, rope tows & small-mountain lap machines, Ragged’s new ownership & closing thoughts / go skiing 👉 Listen: https://linktr.ee/thebostonskiparty 👉 Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebostonskiparty/

Joe and Garrett dive into the ski construction cycle: why brands refresh models, what actually changes year to year, and how those updates affect the way you ski. We compare icons and their latest iterations (Nordica Enforcer, Elan Ripstick + Black Edition, Salomon QST, and Blizzard’s Anomaly replacing Brahma/Bonafide) to show how companies balance “accessibility” with true top-end performance. Is it just the iPhone effect…or meaningful engineering? We break down shape tweaks, metal/wood layups, rocker profiles, and why tails that release easier don’t mean “dumbed down.”We talk: How the update cadence works across top brands (and why it’s surprisingly consistent)What “more forgiving” really means and when it’s not a downgradeWhy mid-width, one-ski-quiver models dominate How the market pendulum swings from tanky, metal chargers to lighter, nimble all-mountain skis and where it’s headed next00:00 Premieres + Big Night Live highlights 03:03 Upcoming premieres (TGR, Armada) 04:34 Main topic: ski construction cycle 05:15 Why brands update (“iPhone effect”) 06:51 Ripstick surge → market reacts 10:23 Enforcer refresh (more forgiving) 12:31 Are updates “dumbed down”? (No) 13:21 Bonafide → Anomaly: modern feel 16:36 Ripstick & QST get stronger 19:40 One-ski-quiver explained 26:15 Why not yearly updates (2–5 yrs) 35:28 Mount point quick take 45:29 Lifecycle summary 51:04 Wrap👉 Listen: https://linktr.ee/thebostonskiparty👉 Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebostonskiparty/

The boys riff on ski brand “cult” followings and why certain gear inspires lifelong loyalty. We start with a fresh pickup, the Bent 110 GDs and use it to unpack the Atomic Bent phenomenon before widening out to other die-hards: Pivots, ZipFits, Black Crows, Mantra, and even indie stalwarts like Surface. Along the way, we revisit frontside carvers and spotlight a few underrated winners (Rossi’s Arcade 94/84, Armada’s Declivity line), plus a practical bindings chat: how Pivots feel different from Griffons, and when that matters for real-world skiers. A special guest drops in to set the stage for Boston’s ski-film run: Hunter Henderson’s multi-film night at Big Night Live (Oct 24), TGR at House of Blues (Nov 6), and a free in-store screening of Armada Ornada (Nov 8). We also react to some news in the world of skiing.00:00 – Intro & questionable life choices 02:00 – Buying new skis (Bent 110 GDs) 05:00 – The Bent cult and brand loyalties 09:30 – Ski gear with cult followings 14:00 – Indie brands and who builds what 19:00 – The Pivot binding obsession 25:00 – ZipFit liners 32:00 – Snowboard cults & brand loyalty 36:00 – Underrated skis worth a look 43:00 – X Games rebrand, fantasy & betting 51:00 – Boston ski movie premiere season 55:00 – Hunter Henderson, TGR & Armada Ornada👉 Follow the show on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thebostonskiparty/

Joe and Garrett dig into some of our favorites from the frontside/carving category and why so many skiers (us included) have slept on it while the 90–100mm “do-everything” crowd got all the hype. They discuss how narrower, purpose-built skis can be more fun, faster edge-to-edge, and a smarter second ski for your quiver.Follow the show on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thebostonskiparty/

Garrett and Joe break down what’s new in ski boots for 2025-26: the surge in double-BOA designs, smarter LV/MV/HV fit options, and liner upgrades. They dive into a few different categories, out of the box fit, break-in vs heat molding, picking the right flex and last, and who benefits from these updates, whether you’re all-mountain, freeride, or an ex-racer. If you’re shopping 2026 ski boots, this episode hits the big trends, practical fit tips, and how to choose confidently.👉 Full Blog: https://theskimonster.com/blogs/posts/best-new-ski-boots-for-the-2025-2026-season👉 Follow the show on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thebostonskiparty/

Garrett and Joe are back in the podcast studio to discuss skis and boots they're excited about for the 2025/2026 winter. Joe recaps his trip to the Tyrolia/Head factory last spring. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebostonskiparty/Watch Here

Garrett and Joe are in studio to recap some big business (ski testing) they've done over the past few weeks. This conversation focuses mainly on specialized frontside skis along with narrow all-mountain skis. These skis can be difficult to place and rank just by reading about them, so we hope this conversation can clarify some things!

Garrett and Joe sit down to go over some new or updated thoughts on product they have tested for next season!