Red Gerard, T. Bird, & Carter Westfall on Natural Selection & the Future of Comps

So who was really behind the creation of BLISTER, how did the whole thing get started, and was it actually due to a misunderstanding over a couple of beers on the weekend of Independence Day, 2010? Today, Jonathan Ellsworth and Michael Clarke discuss all of the above, as well as giant tortoises, some keys to long-lasting friendships, and more.RELATED LINKS:Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:Michael’s Role In Blister’s Existence (and Tortoises) (3:18)Michael’s Skiing Background (10:08)Jonathan’s Intro to Skiing (15:06)Forming Opinions on Skis (20:44)How Blister Started Reviewing Gear (25:46)Outsider’s Perspective on the Ski Industry (31:29)What’s Changed Since Blister Started? (38:12)What Would You Do Differently? (45:35)Longevity & Assessing Risk (52:48)Maintaining Long-Lasting Friendships (1:04:44)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTED GEAR:30Bikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mountain Gazette owner, Mike Rogge, is back to discuss the ongoing feud I have with him; media coverage of the eclipse; two stories from the soon-to-be-released MG #201; what we’re reading and watching (including Bluey, Road House, and why Rogge often tells people to watch the movie, Cocktail with Tom Cruise), and more.RELATED LINKS:Get Yourself Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:Our Ongoing Feud (3:34)Media Eclipse Coverage (11:17)Last Issue: #200 (15:24)Next Issue: #201 (25:26)Katie Burrell’s piece (27:11)Appalachian Trail piece (34:38)What We’re Reading & Watching (40:25)Blister Cinematic Tease (50:09)How to Get MG issue #201 (51:16)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTED GEAR:30Bikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At our Blister Summit, Angel Collinson, Mallory Duncan, Elyse Saugstad, & Vasu Sojitra shared stories about their all-time favorite days in the mountains; their scariest experiences; times they were the most starstruck; what they wish they could tell their younger selves; and more. Watch on our YouTube Channel.RELATED LINKS:Blister Recommended Shop: SturtevantsGet Yourself Covered: BLISTER+Watch on our YouTube ChannelTOPICS & TIMES:How’d You Get into Skiing? (3:31)All-Time Favorite Day or Trip? (10:24)Scariest Experience? (24:26)Most Starstruck Moment? (36:41)Advice For Your Younger Selves? (47:06)Different Forms of Inspiration? (50:32)*Why* Do You Do What You’re Doing? (53:03)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTED GEAR:30Bikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cody and Jonathan discuss the end of The Fifty; the Crankworx riders’ strike; JHMR’s parking lot controversy; the all-drugs-are-legal Olympic Games; the ‘Road House’ remake; & more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Recommended Shop: vpg.noGet Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:Catching Up, Cody’s Next 3 Months (0:00)The End of The Fifty? (7:35)Crankworx Canceled / Riders’ Strike (16:22)JHMR “Parking Hack” (41:26)The Enhanced Games (55:51)Ullr Sighting (1:10:18)What We’re Reading & Watching (1:23:33)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTED GEAR:30Bikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What should we do to most significantly and quickly improve the current climate situation? Should we all be pooping in buckets?At Blister Summit 2024, I had a conversation with Amie Engerbretson (Atomic); Dr. Len Necefer (Founder, NativesOutdoors & the Sonoran Avalanche Center); and Jake Black (Sr. Director of Programs, Protect Our Winters) to address this and a whole lot more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Recommended Shop: Lone Pine Gear ExchangeBLISTER+ Membership: Learn More & Sign UpVideos: Blister YouTube ChannelTOPICS & TIMES:Introductions (1:45)“Misplaced Guilt?” (4:01)The Actual Impact of “Perfect” Climate Advocates (14:02)Meaningful Things We Can Do (28:33)Q from Angel Collinson: Reducing Division? (41:05)Individual Behavior & Amie’s film, “The Hypocrite” (54:24) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After they competed in last weekend’s FWT Challenger stop in Crested Butte, Britta Winans, Colton Shaff, Mia Winans, and Tyler Curle sat down with us to peel back the curtain on the current freeride competition scene and discuss how the skiing and riding have evolved; differences between the FWQ and FWT events; their personal favorite moments from this season + personal favorite riders, and much more.RELATED LINKS:Blister Recommended Shop: Gear WestBLISTER+ Membership: Learn More & Sign UpTOPICS & TIMES:Intros (3:37)23/24 Season Highlights (7:38)Different Event Types (15:40)FWQ vs. FWT: Biggest Differences (19L07)Standout comp moments (27:35)Evolution of Freeride & Freestyle (34:57)Your Favorite Riders? (45:30)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTEDBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Off The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are talking about an often overlooked — and sometimes looked down upon — form of self-expression in freeriding and freeskiing: fashion.Our guests are professional skiers Hadley Hammer and Kellyn Wilson, the founders of TOGS, which is a new project dedicated to widening ski culture and making it more acceptable for each of us to be our full selves.RELATED LINKS:Blister Rec Shop: Backcountry EssentialsGet Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:Hadley and BLISTER+ (7:41)What is TOGS? (13:43)Fashion & the Outdoor Space (16:01)Expansion of the Mtn Town Uniform (23:53)Zebras (26:50)Hadley’s Background (28:17)Why the name, “TOGS”? (34:43)How Hadley & Kellyn first connected (36:13)Where to find & read TOGS (43:28)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTED GEAR:30Bikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trevor Kennison, Teton Brown, Cody Townsend, & Hoji swap stories about their experiences in the mountains & more.RELATED LINKS:VIDEO VERSION: Blister YouTubeBlister Recommended Shop: Bluebird Mtn SportsOpenSnowGet Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:The Epic Story of Hoji’s Hat (4:21)Teton Brown’s Story (12:05)Cody: Favorite Day (or Trip) in the Mtns? (18:52)Trevor: Skiing Rambo (22:58)Trevor’s 1st Trip to Japan (24:58)Teton’s Most Memorable Line (25:43)Skiing Big Lines Blind (30:16)Trevor’s Rail-to-Rail Flip (39:32)Trevor: How often do you back off of a line? (46:05)Hoji: Most Starstruck Moment? (48:41)Teton’s Most Starstruck Moment (52:01)Audience Questions (54:10)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTED GEAR:30Bikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Natural Selection Tour, created by Travis Rice, is one of the most innovative competitions out there. Top snowboarders openly covet an invite, and top skiers openly talk about how they’d love to someday compete.And with two Natural Selection Duels events taking place during our recent Blister Summit, it was a perfect chance to talk about Natural Selection and the future of comps with the Olympic & X Games gold medalist, Red Gerard; the legendary T. Bird (Tom Monterosso); and the CEO of Natural Selection, Carter Westfall.Snowboarders are going to love this one; skiers are going to want to pay close attention; and all of us have an opportunity here to think about the past and future of snowsports comps.RELATED LINKS:WATCH: Video Version on Blister YouTubeBlister Recommended Shop: Gear WestGet Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:T. Bird & Natural Selection (6:30)Red’s Recent X Games’ Gold (8:01)Comp Landscape Before Natural Selection (9:18)Inviting Riders of Different Backgrounds (15:46)Impact on Next Gen of Riders (20:17)Skiing & Natural Selection? (26:32)Squashing Skier / Boarder Beef (28:27)Audience Questions (32:20)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTED GEAR:30Bikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As people who love the outdoors, why can’t we just steer clear of the often gross world of politics and let other people deal with that stuff? Jason Blevins (co-founder, Colorado Sun) discusses this with 3 people who will make the case and are setting the example for the rest of us: Caroline Gleich (professional ski mountaineer & U.S. Senate candidate), Nina Waters (athlete, creative, & Summit County commissioner), & Dr. Len Necefer (founder, Sonoran Avalanche Center & Natives Outdoors).RELATED LINKS:Get Covered: BLISTER+TOPICS & TIMES:Caroline: Candidacy for Utah Senate (3:54)Nina: Tackling Big Issues in Summit County (6:53)Len: Amplifying Unheard Voices (13:55)Turning Outdoor Passion into Action (22:16)Caroline’s Top Priorities (29:27)Len’s Top Priorities for Caroline if She Wins? (33:16)Local Action & Change (43:06)Audience Questions (49:45)CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicCRAFTED GEAR:30Bikes & Big IdeasOff The Couch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.