BLISTER Outdoor Gear Reviews & Podcasts
Getting Here: Gunnison & Crested Butte
We’re big fans of our home valley, and for anyone who’s interested in visiting, we put together this guide to give you the information you’ll need to make your trip here easier and better.
Vinny Armstrong on the Future of Freeride (Ep.88)
We catch up with Vinny Armstrong to get her take on what the future of freeride looks like to this highly accomplished 22-year-old rider.
Flash Review: Guerrilla Gravity Trail Pistol
The new Guerrilla Gravity Trail Pistol is now full-carbon, but does this shorter-travel bike still feel like a mini-Enduro bike, or something else entirely? Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are produced for Blister members.
To get our comprehensive deep dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear without waiting for our full reviews, become a Blister Member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
If you’re already a member, please log in.
(If you’re already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)
Dakine Agent Knee Pad
Dakine’s newest Agent knee pad is reportedly for “those who earn their airtime.” But are these best for those who like to pedal all day, folks who are primarily focused on rough descents, or people who do both? Check out our review.
Blister Summit Artist Panel: Art & the Outdoor Industry (Ep.186)
We brought together four very accomplished artists and designers to discuss the intersection of art and the ski and snowboard worlds, as well as the broader outdoor industry. Our panelists are Yorgo Tloupas, co-founder of Black Crows Skis; Geoff McFetridge, who has worked with brands like Patagonia, Nike, & Apple, and is Jonathan Ellsworth’s telemark coach; John Fellows, who lives in Crested Butte, designed our Blister Summit logo, and whose artwork is displayed all around the outdoor industry; and Travis Parr, co-founder of Icelantic Skis, and the person behind Icelantic’s very distinctive artwork.
2021 Commencal Meta TR 29
Two of our reviewers spent several months on Commencal’s downhill-oriented Trail bike, the Meta TR 29. Check out our video & written full reviews for their thoughts on who it suits and how it compares to several other bikes in its class.
Flash Review: We Are One Arrival
We just started spending time on the We Are One Arrival, and so far, it stands out from the crowd in more ways than just its looks. Check out our Flash Review for our initial take on the bike.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are produced for Blister members.
To get our comprehensive deep dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear without waiting for our full reviews, become a Blister Member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
If you’re already a member, please log in.
(If you’re already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)
Would You Rather: Crappy Riding Conditions Edition
Hot, dusty, and dry or cold, wet, and muddy? This week in our Would You Rather series, our reviewers are weighing in on which flavor of sub-optimal mountain biking conditions they’d prefer to be stuck with.
Win Line Skis
This week our winner will get one of the strangest yet most fun skis on the market, the Line Blade.
Running Through the News (Sep / Oct 2021) (Ep.98)
Sanjay Rawal joins us to discuss the Boston Marathon being held on Indigenous People’s Day; why the sport of long-distance running is particularly well-positioned to create a more equitable situation for indigenous people; the ramifications of having so many high-profile marathons held so close to one another; and the mission of Shalane Flanagan.
Sturtevants
Sturtevants are our Recommended Ski & Bike Shops in the Sun Valley area, and not only do they offer excellent service and products, they also offer tons of ski and bike demos and a full guiding outfit out of their shops.
Willi’s Ski Shops
Willi’s Ski shops are our Recommended Shops in the Pittsburgh area because they offer the vital services that the ski industry is reliant upon for growth, from junior buyback programs to beginner packages and affordable season lease options — in addition to high-end gear and tuning services.
Vertical Playground
Vertical Playground is our recommended shop in Norway because of their widespread expertise on gear and services for everything from ski touring to mountain biking, climbing, hiking, whitewater kayaking, and more.
The GOAT: Greg Minnaar (Ep.87)
We catch up with Greg Minnaar, the greatest DH rider of all time, about this past season and his World Champs victory; keys to his high-level longevity; his mental approach to racing; Tom Brady; and more.
Leatt 5.0 Clipless Shoes
Leatt’s 5.0 Clipless shoe offers downhill-worthy protection in a package that still pedals impressively well — and it’s competitively priced. That sounds great, but is there a catch?
Getting Here: Gunnison & Crested Butte
We’re big fans of our home valley, and for anyone who’s interested in visiting, we put together this guide to give you the information you’ll need to make your trip here easier and better.
Vinny Armstrong on the Future of Freeride (Ep.88)
We catch up with Vinny Armstrong to get her take on what the future of freeride looks like to this highly accomplished 22-year-old rider.
Flash Review: Guerrilla Gravity Trail Pistol
The new Guerrilla Gravity Trail Pistol is now full-carbon, but does this shorter-travel bike still feel like a mini-Enduro bike, or something else entirely? Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions.
Dakine Agent Knee Pad
Dakine’s newest Agent knee pad is reportedly for “those who earn their airtime.” But are these best for those who like to pedal all day, folks who are primarily focused on rough descents, or people who do both? Check out our review.
Blister Summit Artist Panel: Art & the Outdoor Industry (Ep.186)
We brought together four very accomplished artists and designers to discuss the intersection of art and the ski and snowboard worlds, as well as the broader outdoor industry. Our panelists are Yorgo Tloupas, co-founder of Black Crows Skis; Geoff McFetridge, who has worked with brands like Patagonia, Nike, & Apple, and is Jonathan Ellsworth’s telemark coach; John Fellows, who lives in Crested Butte, designed our Blister Summit logo, and whose artwork is displayed all around the outdoor industry; and Travis Parr, co-founder of Icelantic Skis, and the person behind Icelantic’s very distinctive artwork.
2021 Commencal Meta TR 29
Two of our reviewers spent several months on Commencal’s downhill-oriented Trail bike, the Meta TR 29. Check out our video & written full reviews for their thoughts on who it suits and how it compares to several other bikes in its class.
Flash Review: We Are One Arrival
We just started spending time on the We Are One Arrival, and so far, it stands out from the crowd in more ways than just its looks. Check out our Flash Review for our initial take on the bike.
Would You Rather: Crappy Riding Conditions Edition
Hot, dusty, and dry or cold, wet, and muddy? This week in our Would You Rather series, our reviewers are weighing in on which flavor of sub-optimal mountain biking conditions they’d prefer to be stuck with.
Win Line Skis
This week our winner will get one of the strangest yet most fun skis on the market, the Line Blade.
Running Through the News (Sep / Oct 2021) (Ep.98)
Sanjay Rawal joins us to discuss the Boston Marathon being held on Indigenous People’s Day; why the sport of long-distance running is particularly well-positioned to create a more equitable situation for indigenous people; the ramifications of having so many high-profile marathons held so close to one another; and the mission of Shalane Flanagan.
Sturtevants
Sturtevants are our Recommended Ski & Bike Shops in the Sun Valley area, and not only do they offer excellent service and products, they also offer tons of ski and bike demos and a full guiding outfit out of their shops.
Willi’s Ski Shops
Willi’s Ski shops are our Recommended Shops in the Pittsburgh area because they offer the vital services that the ski industry is reliant upon for growth, from junior buyback programs to beginner packages and affordable season lease options — in addition to high-end gear and tuning services.