BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2025-2026 Line Optic 88
The Optic 88 pairs a metal-laminate construction with a shape and rocker profile reminiscent of much wider freeride skis. How well does that uncommon recipe work? Here’s our Full Review.
Deep Dive: Line Optic 88
We compare the Optic 88 to the Line Optic 96, J Skis Fastforward, Salomon QST 94, Line Blade, Blizzard Rustler 9, Black Crows Serpo, K2 Mindbender 89Ti, DPS Wailer 90, ON3P Woodsman 92, Head Kore 88 Ti, Salomon Stance Pro 90, Renown Endurance 88, & more.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
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Win K2 Skis!
Win any in-stock Reckoner ski from K2 and choose from playful park skis to skis designed to hit the biggest lines on the mountain, the Versatile Reckoner line has skis to suit many different styles.
Rewriting the Rules of Ski Boots? K2 Ski Boots’ Tom Pietrowski (Ep.380)
Why is the price of a ski boot typically related to how stiff it is? And what are boot manufacturers doing about the fact that many of the best skiers on the mountain also have the least amount of money in their bank accounts? And, did K2 just create the first ski boot that was truly designed for women, from the ground up?
Hope EVO Brakes
Hope is calling the new GR4 and TR4 an evolution of the Tech 4 series, but there are some big changes under the hood. We’ve been riding both and are ready with our take.
Burrito Grease, Gore-Tex, & Adult-Sized Kids’ Clothes | Flylow’s Story & Latest Outerwear
Flylow is an apparel brand with unusual origins, and an unusual approach to designing clothing for skiing, snowboarding, and other outdoor activities. Fortunately, their co-founder, Dan Abrams, is great at telling this story.
Best Bikes of the Century, Part 3 (Ep. 311)
Our search for the best bikes of the century concludes with Blister reviewers Zack Henderson, Xan Marshland, David Golay, and Simon Stewart revealing their top selections, with help from some bike industry legends like Wade Simmons.
Zero Gravity Beer: 20 Years of Independent, Craft Brewing in Vermont (Ep. 98)
We talk with Zero Gravity’s Christopher Costello about the keys to Zero Gravity Beers’ success; what has evolved and what’s stayed the same for them over these 20 years; the current state of New England brewing; and more.
Salomon Reveals New S/Lab Shift AT Boot + Other Freeride Skis, Bindings
Salomon has unveiled a new, more downhill-oriented AT boot, alongside more details on their 26/27 skis and bindings. Here are the details.
Flash Review: Transition Regulator SX
Transition’s Regulator SX is showing promise in how it combines motorized and non-motorized traits into a coherent package. Check out our Flash Review for our initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
If you’re already an active 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.)
Stuff We Like: January 2026
In this edition of ‘Stuff We Like,’ our reviewers discuss a bunch of apparel, trail snacks for those of us lacking a sweet tooth, multiple products for making ski boots nicer to live with, and more.
Transition Regulator CX & SX
The Regulator CX and SX are Transition’s latest eMTB offerings, with full-power and light-assist versions of (almost) the same frame. Join us as we dig into what Transition has cooked up with their latest eMTBs.
2026-2027 Dynastar M-Free 112
The M-Free 112 was one of the most talked-about skis here at Blister last season, and now we’re ready to weigh in on why that’s been the case. Here’s our Full Review of this playful freeride ski.
Deep Dive: Dynastar M-Free 112
We compare the M-Free 112 to the Dynastar M-Free 108, Rossignol Sender Free 110, Dynastar M-Free 118, 4FRNT Sinister, Moment Wildcat 118, Volkl Revolt 114, Dynastar M-Pro 108 Ti, ON3P Jeffrey 108, Prior Northwest 110, Icelantic Nomad 112, Salomon S/Lab QST Blank, Heritage Lab AM110, Head Kore 112 Ti, RMU Professor 111, Atomic Bent 110, K2 Reckoner 110, DPS Koala 111, Faction Studio 3, Moment Deathwish 112, Folsom Giver, Moment Countach 110, & more.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
To get our comprehensive Deep Dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear, become a member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
If you’re already an active 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.)
How & Why Head Drastically Changed their Kore Ti Skis
Head’s Kore series of freeride skis has been a mainstay for many years, but they completely overhauled the collection for the 2025-2026 season. Apart from the name, these skis don’t share much in common with the prior Kores. So, back at Blister Summit 2025, we got all the details on the updates from the folks at Head.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2025-2026 Line Optic 88
The Optic 88 pairs a metal-laminate construction with a shape and rocker profile reminiscent of much wider freeride skis. How well does that uncommon recipe work? Here’s our Full Review.
Deep Dive: Line Optic 88
We compare the Optic 88 to the Line Optic 96, J Skis Fastforward, Salomon QST 94, Line Blade, Blizzard Rustler 9, Black Crows Serpo, K2 Mindbender 89Ti, DPS Wailer 90, ON3P Woodsman 92, Head Kore 88 Ti, Salomon Stance Pro 90, Renown Endurance 88, & more.
Win K2 Skis!
Win any in-stock Reckoner ski from K2 and choose from playful park skis to skis designed to hit the biggest lines on the mountain, the Versatile Reckoner line has skis to suit many different styles.
Rewriting the Rules of Ski Boots? K2 Ski Boots’ Tom Pietrowski (Ep.380)
Why is the price of a ski boot typically related to how stiff it is? And what are boot manufacturers doing about the fact that many of the best skiers on the mountain also have the least amount of money in their bank accounts? And, did K2 just create the first ski boot that was truly designed for women, from the ground up?
Hope EVO Brakes
Hope is calling the new GR4 and TR4 an evolution of the Tech 4 series, but there are some big changes under the hood. We’ve been riding both and are ready with our take.
Burrito Grease, Gore-Tex, & Adult-Sized Kids’ Clothes | Flylow’s Story & Latest Outerwear
Flylow is an apparel brand with unusual origins, and an unusual approach to designing clothing for skiing, snowboarding, and other outdoor activities. Fortunately, their co-founder, Dan Abrams, is great at telling this story.
Best Bikes of the Century, Part 3 (Ep. 311)
Our search for the best bikes of the century concludes with Blister reviewers Zack Henderson, Xan Marshland, David Golay, and Simon Stewart revealing their top selections, with help from some bike industry legends like Wade Simmons.
Zero Gravity Beer: 20 Years of Independent, Craft Brewing in Vermont (Ep. 98)
We talk with Zero Gravity’s Christopher Costello about the keys to Zero Gravity Beers’ success; what has evolved and what’s stayed the same for them over these 20 years; the current state of New England brewing; and more.
Salomon Reveals New S/Lab Shift AT Boot + Other Freeride Skis, Bindings
Salomon has unveiled a new, more downhill-oriented AT boot, alongside more details on their 26/27 skis and bindings. Here are the details.
Flash Review: Transition Regulator SX
Transition’s Regulator SX is showing promise in how it combines motorized and non-motorized traits into a coherent package. Check out our Flash Review for our initial impressions.
Stuff We Like: January 2026
In this edition of ‘Stuff We Like,’ our reviewers discuss a bunch of apparel, trail snacks for those of us lacking a sweet tooth, multiple products for making ski boots nicer to live with, and more.
Transition Regulator CX & SX
The Regulator CX and SX are Transition’s latest eMTB offerings, with full-power and light-assist versions of (almost) the same frame. Join us as we dig into what Transition has cooked up with their latest eMTBs.