The most honest, accurate, and useful Buyer’s Guide in the world.
Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s Guide is — once again — our biggest guide ever, and also the best guide out there: 350+ skis, 65+ boots, plus plenty of snowboards, splitboards, touring bindings, climbing skins, helmets, goggles, apparel, and more.
But what makes our guide the most trustworthy is what you won’t find in it: there are zero advertisements from any of the gear manufacturers we review, so you aren’t getting any paid-for reviews, just — as always — our honest, unvarnished opinion after many days of testing each product.
Same as last year, you can order the print edition and get the digital edition at no extra cost, or go digital only.
Of course, the super smart move is to become a BLISTER+ member, which gets you the guide and a whole lot more, including our outstanding outdoor injury insurance, which covers you for up to $25,000 per injury with $0 deductible, plus 1-on-1 gear recommendations from our reviewers, discounts on dozens of ski and snowboard brands, and much more.
Our 24/25 Cover Photo
This year’s cover photo was shot on March 20th, 2024, during our spring review trip to Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico. It features our managing editor, Luke Koppa, taking advantage of some excellent morning piste laps and was taken by our very own Kristin Sinnott.
GET THE GUIDE — OR THE GUIDE & MUCH MORE
PRINT & DIGITAL
$24.95
+ shipping
- Print Winter Buyer's Guide
- Digital Winter Buyer's Guide
BLISTER+ Membership
$395/year
(click any benefit to learn more)
Outdoor Injury Insurance
WHY THE BLISTER GUIDE IS BETTER
We Test Product Year Round
Other publications do their product testing in a few days. We literally test year-round. Nobody puts in as much time on equipment as we do, so no other Buyer’s Guide can match the accuracy of our gear reviews and our product comparisons.
$$ No Conflicts of Interest $$
Unlike many other buyer’s guides, we don’t take any advertising money from the gear companies we review. So, what you get from us is the most honest, accurate, and useful product descriptions and comparisons you will find.
We Won't Insult Your Intelligence
Bad cliches and unhelpful product reviews aren’t our thing. Instead, you’ll get the info you need to make informed buying decisions, including our own verified product specs, and honest, accurate descriptions of how products perform & compare.
what readers are saying:
WHAT'S IN THE GUIDE
- 350+ Skis
- 80+ Ski Boots
- 100+ Bindings, Apparel, & Other Gear
- No BS
Overview
Our Buyer’s Guide covers:
- Men’s & Women’s Skis
- Ski Boots
- Backcountry Touring Bindings
- Backcountry Touring Skins
- Men’s & Women’s Snowboards
- Outerwear & Midlayers
- Helmets
- Goggles
Blister Spectrums
Our Ski-Quiver Selections
A favorite among Blister readers, we will once again lay out our recommendations for potential one- and two-ski quivers from the latest crop of skis.
The 24/25 Blister 'Best Of' Awards
When we give a product a ‘Best Of’ Award, you can be sure that it was earned, not bought.
Blister Categories
Most buyer’s guides are simply too general. So we’ve sorted the skis and boots we’ve reviewed into distinct classes based on common characteristics. We describe those classes in detail, and lay out what each particular product brings to the table.
Our Ski Categories Include:
- All-Mountain Skis:
- More Stable
- More Forgiving
- Chargers
- Freestyle
- Women’s Skis
- More Stable
- More Forgiving
- Powder Skis
- 50/50 — Resort / Backcountry Skis
- Touring Skis
- Frontside Skis
- Park Skis
- Powder Skis
- More Directional
- More Playful
Our Ski Boot Categories Include:
- Dedicated Alpine Boots
- ‘Walk Mode’ Alpine / Touring Boots
- Touring Boots
Frequently asked questions
We’ll be submitting the guide to the printer at the end of August, with pre-ordered guides (ordered by August 31st / before September 1st) shipping around mid-September. Orders placed on or after September 2nd will be shipped around mid-September, and all other orders after that will be shipped on a rolling basis.
All BLISTER+ Members and those who have purchased the Guide will be able to view and download the digital Guide directly from our site. You will find it under the “Buyer’s Guides” tab on our navigation bar; there will be a tab under “Winter Buyer’s Guide” labeled “READ NOW: 24/25 Winter Buyer’s Guide.”
To view the Digital Guide, you’ll need to be logged into the account that you used to purchase the Guide or BLISTER+ Membership.
If you have an active BLISTER+ membership, the guide is included. You’ll have instant access to the digital edition as soon as it’s finished, and you can also get the print edition at no extra cost.
New for this year: All BLISTER+ members who want a print edition can fill out the new form in the Members’ Clubhouse.
Yes — the Digital Access Pass grants you access to all of our online Flash Reviews & Deep Dive comparisons, but it does not include our Winter Buyer’s Guide.
To get the guide on its own, you can purchase the Print & Digital Edition, or the Digital Only version.
Or, you can upgrade to BLISTER+, which gets you access to the guide + a LOT of other benefits.
Digital Access Pass holders can upgrade to BLISTER+ at a discounted rate by following the instructions in the Members Clubhouse.
Have a different question? Contact Us
Want the Guide + A Whole Lot More?
Become a BLISTER+ member to get the guide, plus a TON of other great benefits, including amazing outdoor injury insurance, 1-on-1 gear recommendations, deals on gear from 14+ ski brands & carbon wheels from We Are One, and much, much more.
- $0 deductible, $25,000-per-injury coverage
- Coverage applies to emergency evacuations
- 1-on-1 Gear Recommendations from Blister Reviewers
- Access to ALL Blister Content — Flash Reviews, Deep Dives, & More
- Exclusive Deals on Gear & More
- Our Print & Digital Winter Buyer's Guide
- Discount on the Blister Summit
- Blister Community Reviews
What date will online access to digital guide be available? Thanks!
I would have the same question as Josh :-).