Best Skis for Beginners: A Guide
If you are new to skiing — or just haven’t gone in a while — here is our guide to what you ought to look for in a ski, whether you are looking to rent or buy.
Skiing 101
Blister Alpine Ski Binding Guide
What’s the best ski binding? Which ones are compatible with your ski boots? There’s a lot of misinformation and confusion about the actual differences between bindings, so we’ve updated this guide to help clarify which ones will work best for you.
Ski Terms (What We Talk about When We Talk about Skiing)
Talking about skiing and snowboarding can sometimes feel like a foreign language. So in this new piece, we’ve clarified a few terms, and we want to know what terms, concepts, or expressions you might be wondering about?
What does it mean to talk about the “top end” of a ski?
What do we mean when we talk about the “top end” of a ski? Let’s clarify…
Big vs. Small Ski Companies — Who’s Building Better Skis?
When it comes to building the best skis, do the big brands have the edge, or is there an advantage to being the little guy?
Construction Changes in Longer (and Shorter) Skis?
We put this question to a number of ski designers and asked them to weigh in. See what the designers from ON3P, Renoun, K2, and Moment had to say.
Skiing 101: AT Boots & Bindings
Ski touring is increasingly popular, but the expanding range of “AT” boots and bindings and new standards is increasingly confusing. This 101 piece will help you navigate the backcountry landscape.
Glossary – Snowsports
Mank? Upside down snow? Slarving? There are a whole lot of ways to talk about snow and the different ways to slide down it. Check out our new Glossary, and let us know what other terms we should include.
How to Think about Ski Length
In this Gear 101 article, we outline the factors that go into answering an important question when buying a new ski: Which length?
Base Repair 101
You may have encountered a rock or two by this point in the season, and base repairs are part of the game. Here’s our step-by-step guide to simple base repairs. (We also threw in a short primer on polymer chemistry, you know, just for good measure.)
Skiing 201: How Ski Bindings Work
What’s Elastic Travel? What’s Forward Pressure? What’s a DIN setting? This guide covers these key terms and some differences between traditional tech and alpine bindings.
Outerwear 101: Which Socks & Why?
Time to talk socks. Our reviewers weigh in on what they actually wear on the mountain—and why. Plus, two bits of conventional wisdom when it comes to socks and snowsports.
GEAR 101: What Is Flipcore?
There’s been a lot of hype around Blizzard’s Flipcore technology. Problem is, the ski industry’s been so busy throwing awards at it that nobody’s bothered to explain it. Here’s our crack at it.
Telemark Skiing 101
Free your heel, and your mind will follow. At least, that’s what they tell us. Assuming they’re right, then BLISTER’s Telemark 101 piece will help guide you down the path to enlightenment.
Skiing 101: Getting Started
Before you can turn pro and star in ski flicks, you’re going to need to get your own setup. Here’s a guide to getting you out of the rental shop and into your own gear.
ROCKER 101: A Brief History of Rocker + A Glossary of Terms
Pretty much everything you ever needed to know about Rocker, including a brief history and a glossary of relevant terms.
SKIING 101: Safer Skiing – The Case For Fatter, Rockered Skis
Sure, fat, rockered skis are all the rage, but are they right for you? Before you say No, you might want to think first about your safety.