Reviews | BLISTER Outdoor Media & Gear Reviews

Blister Alpine Ski Bindings Guide

December 1, 2020October 24, 2018 by Jonathan Ellsworth

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.

Luke Koppa reviews the Open Wear Open One 3L Shell Jacket and Pants for Blister

Open Wear Open One 3L Shell Jacket & Pants

October 23, 2018 by Luke Koppa

Open Wear is a new Swiss outerwear brand focused on sustainability, transparency, and moderate prices, and we were so impressed with their Open One 3L jacket that it earned one of our “Best Of” awards.

Cy Whitling reviews the Sego Big Horn 106 for Blister Gear Review

2019-2020 Sego Big Horn 106

February 9, 2020October 22, 2018 by Cy Whitling

We’ve now had two reviewers put over 30 days on the Sego Big Horn 106, and you can now check out our update on this playful all-mountain ski.

Edelrid Bulletproof Quickdraw

October 26, 2018October 22, 2018 by Matt Zia

The Edelrid Bulletproof quickdraw features a unique hybrid construction that’s designed to offer the best of both worlds: steel’s durability and aluminum’s low weight. So does it actually work?

Gregory Endo 15 3D-Hydro

October 21, 2018 by Noah Bodman

Gregory has been making all sorts of backpacks for years, but how do their new biking packs perform? Check out our review of the Gregory Endo 15 3D-Hydro.

Jonathan Ellsworth reviews the Salomon XDR 88 Ti for Blister

2019-2020 Salomon XDR 88 Ti

February 6, 2020October 19, 2018 by Jonathan Ellsworth

The XDR 88 Ti replaced one of our favorite all-mountain skis, the Salomon X-Drive 8.8 FS. So how similar is the XDR 88 Ti, and what type of skiers will most enjoy it?

Kara Williard reviews the Blizzard Sheeva 11 for Blister

2021-2022 Blizzard Sheeva 11

December 9, 2021October 18, 2018 by Kara Williard

Though it’s the widest women’s ski Blizzard makes, we’ve found the Sheeva 11 to be surprisingly versatile, and think it would work well for a wide variety of skiers.

Everyday Backpack Roundup — 2018

October 24, 2018October 18, 2018 by Luke Koppa

We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite backpacks that we use for everything from early-morning trips to the gym, urban commutes, and long day hikes.

Andrew Forward reviews the Spark R&D Surge Pro Splitboard Binding for Blister

2020-2021 Spark R&D Surge Pro Splitboard Binding

December 16, 2020October 17, 2018 by Andrew Forward

We’re big fans of Spark R&D’s simple and reliable splitboard bindings, and they just released an even lighter version of their Surge binding. So what, if any, compromises are made by going with the new, lighter Surge Pro?

Paul Forward reviews the Lange XT Free 130 for Blister

2019-2020 Lange XT Free 130 LV

February 10, 2020October 15, 2018 by Paul Forward

The previous Lange XT 130 Freetour was one of the best tech-binding-compatible AT ski boots we’ve used in terms of downhill performance, and Lange updated it this year. So how similar or different is the new Lange XT Free 130?

Xan Marshland reviews the Nicolai Ion G13 GPI for Blister

2018 Nicolai Ion G13 GPI

October 12, 2018October 12, 2018 by Xan Marshland

With the geometry numbers of a DH bike, the travel of a Trail bike, and a belt-driven gearbox drivetrain, the Nicolai Ion G13 GPI is probably the most unconventional Trail bike we've ever reviewed.

Nathan Williard reviews the Ibis Ripmo for Blister

2018 Ibis Ripmo

September 9, 2019October 11, 2018 by Nathan Williard

The new Ibis Ripmo is supposed to occupy the middle ground between Ibis's more uphill-oriented Ripley LS and their more downhill-oriented Mojo HD4. So does it really hit that middle ground? And where does it fall in the spectrum of Trail bikes?

Zerode Taniwha Trail

October 8, 2018 by Noah Bodman

We always go in-depth, but this might be the most in-depth we’ve ever gone. Check out our review of the gearbox-equipped (no derailleur, no cassette) Zerode Taniwha Trail bike.

Noah Bodman reviews the Rockshox Lyrik RC2 for Blister

2019 Rockshox Lyrik RC2 Fork

September 28, 2018September 26, 2018 by Noah Bodman

Updated forks and shocks are often cases of evolution rather than revolution. But the new Rockshox Lyrik RC2 provides very discernible improvements over prior iterations, and you don’t need to be a world-cup-level racer to appreciate them.

Blister covers the 2018 Interbike Trade Show

Interbike 2018 — Recap

September 28, 2018September 21, 2018 by Noah Bodman

Check out the most interesting things we saw at Interbike this year — including banana holsters, new Maxxis tires, Wonder Woman's bike, and ... lots of eBikes.

Race Face Turbine R Dropper Post

September 20, 2018 by Noah Bodman

Reliability. That's what we really want out of a dropper post, and that's exactly what the Race Face Turbine R has provided.

Noah Bodman reviews the Race Face Next R Bars and Turbine R Stem for Blister

Race Face Next R Bar and Turbine R Stem

September 19, 2018September 18, 2018 by Noah Bodman

Frames and fancy wheel sets are super sexy, but let’s not forget about those bars and stems. We’ve found the Race Face Next R bar and Turbine R stem to be reliable, well-built, and versatile options.

Altra Olympus 3.0

September 16, 2018September 16, 2018 by Luke Koppa

We’ve now run about 300 miles in the Altra Olympus 3.0, and we can now say that it’s become our favorite max-cushioned shoe. Check out our update on its durability; an in-depth comparison to the Hoka Stinson ATR 4; and how well the Olympus 3.0 works as a road-to-trail shoe.

Petzl Sitta Harness

September 19, 2018September 13, 2018 by Matt Zia

The Petzl Sitta harness is one of the lightest on the market, but Petzl says it's still fully featured, comfortable, and durable enough for technical rock and ice climbing. So what (if any) compromises did they make by going so light?

Showers Pass IMBA Shorts and Apex Merino Tech T-Shirt

September 12, 2018September 12, 2018 by Xan Marshland

While they’re best known for their waterproof road-biking jackets, Showers Pass also makes some high-quality, lightweight apparel for the hottest days on the trail. Check out our review.

+ More