BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Flash Review: 23/24 Volkl Blaze 114
Following a surprise early-season storm, we got back on Volkl’s new lightweight freeride ski, the Blaze 114. Here are some initial takeaways from Jonathan Ellsworth.
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Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2023 – Under The Tree
Next up in our 2023 Gift Guide series are the items that our reviewers think will make for awesome additions beneath the tree this holiday season. If you’re looking for a gift for the skier, biker, hiker, traveler, or just about any other type of person in your life, check them out!
‘Apocalypse Snow’ with Régis Rolland (Ep.4)
We follow up last week’s conversation about one of the greatest ski & snowboard movies of all time, with the star of Apocalypse Snow, the snowboarding legend and pioneer, Régis Rolland. Régis and Jonathan discuss the making of the film; what interested him in getting on a snowboard in the first place, and Régis kindly answers some of the burning questions we raised about the film in last week’s conversation.
Flash Review: 23/24 Fischer RC4 Pro LV
We’ve been spending time in Fischer’s new 140-flex boot — check out our initial impressions, including comparisons to the Lange Shadow, Tecnica Mach1, and the RC4 Pro MV BOA.
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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1-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (23/24)
After weeks of ski-quiver discussions, we’ve finally arrived at the hardest question of all: what single ski would you use for all the skiing you do? In the last update, we get to hear from Jonathan Ellsworth & Paul Forward. Check out their selections and a bunch of our other reviewers’ personal picks.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, November 2023 (Ep.289)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the *trillion* dollar outdoor industry; e-bike bans?; the business of retro sneakers / retro skis; Cody snowboarding; mtn town relationship advice; & more.
A Message to Our Blister Members
Jonathan Ellsworth discusses some important changes to our Blister Membership that are happening in 2024 — and a special offer for all current Blister Members.
Win a Pack from Hyperlite Mountain Gear
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Crux 40 ski mountaineering pack from Hyperlite Mountain Gear!
Flash Review: 23/24 RMU Apostle 96 Pro
We just got our first day on the metal-laminate version of RMU’s narrower all-mountain ski — here are some 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.
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Reviewer Reports: Early-Season Ski Gear Testing, Mtn Biking in Nepal, & More (Ep.274)
Luke, Kara, and Jonathan discuss getting back on snow, ski boots, frontside skis, mountain biking in Nepal, engagement taco parties, and new apparel.
Dynafit Releases New Ridge Ski-Touring Binding
Today, Dynafit announced a limited-edition release of their newest binding, the Ridge, which they’re calling “the most comfortable ski touring binding on the market.” Here are the details.
Albatross Bikes on the Super-Adaptable Apogee Module (Ep.198)
There are lots of custom hardtail builders out there, but the constraints of pivot locations, maintaining frame alignment, and the tooling needed to make it all work means that fully-customizable full-suspension bikes are a lot rarer. Albatross Bikes has taken a very creative approach to offering customizable full-suspension bikes with their Apogee Module, and we brought them on to hear all about it.
The Blister Speaker Series at Western
NEXT GUEST: On Tuesday, December 5th, Courtney Dauwalter, Salomon athlete and one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time, is coming to Western Colorado University for another installment of our Blister Speaker Series.
Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2023 – Stocking Stuffers
‘Tis the season for giving, and our reviewers are here to help. We are kicking off our annual Holiday Gift Guides with some top stocking stuffer ideas for the bikers, skiers, snowboarders, campers, hikers, travelers, and just about any other type of person on your list.
‘Apocalypse Snow’ with Mike Rogge, Justin Bobb, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.3)
We discuss the craziest and probably the greatest snowboard / ski / monoski / snowblade film of all time. The film was seen by millions of people when it came out, and nearly 40 years later, it still feels wildly innovative and fresh.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Win a MTB Fork from Manitou
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Mattoc 29 Pro mountain bike suspension fork from Manitou!
Flash Review: 24/25 Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti
Dynastar updated many of their directional freeride skis for 24/25, and we logged several days on the new M-Pro 94 Ti — here are our initial thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Reviewer Reports: So Many New Bikes (Ep.218)
It’s been an insanely busy last few weeks for new bike launches, and we’ve been riding a whole lot of them. We sat down to chat about our early impressions of a *lot* of new bikes, from the Specialized Epic Evo to the Yeti SB165, and a whole bunch in between.
TIME’s Refreshed Pedal Lineup
TIME is refreshing its popular clipless pedal range to include new sizes and axle materials, with options to suit all disciplines from Downhill to Cross Country. Join us as we dig into the details of the new lineup.
Flash Review: 24/25 Salomon Shift Alpha BOA 130
Salomon overhauled their freeride-touring boots for 24/25, and the new Shift Alpha BOA 130 was reportedly inspired by Salomon’s iconic MTN Lab. Here are our initial thoughts on the new boot.
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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2024-2025 Atomic Maven 103 CTI
For 24/25, Atomic widened their women’s all-mountain lineup with the addition of the Maven 103 CTI, and the new ski achieves the rare feat of standing out both on piste and in powder — but that’s not the whole story. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive Comparisons for the full rundown on the Maven 103 CTI.
Deep Dive: Atomic Maven 103 CTI
We compare the Atomic Maven 103 CTI to the Fischer Ranger 102, Nordica Santa Ana 102, K2 Mindbender 99Ti W, Volkl Secret 102, Blizzard Sheeva 10, DPS Kaizen 105, Line Blade Optic 104, K2 Mindbender 106C W, Folsom Cash 106, Faction Dancer 3X, Salomon QST Stella 106, Nordica Unleashed 108, & Majesty Vadera Ti.
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.
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Industry Nine SOLiX M Hubs and Wheels
Industry Nine’s Hydra hubs have been ubiquitous in high-end wheels for years, but now they’ve got a new, lighter, faster-rolling option for XC and Trail use — and they’re offered both as standalone hubs and in a range of new wheelsets. Meet the SOLiX M lineup.
Blister Summit 2025: What, When, & How to Join
Join us at Blister Summit 2025 this February 23–27! We’re extremely excited to once again host our annual Blister Summit next winter in Mount Crested Butte — here are the details.
RockShox Psylo and Domain Forks
RockShox is resurrecting the Psylo and refreshing the Enduro-focused Domain, with both forks getting the new Isolator RC damper alongside other updates. Check out our First Look for all the info.
2025 Fox Transfer
Fox has overhauled their Transfer dropper post with more (and adjustable) travel, full user serviceability, and more. Here’s our First Look for the new version.
2024-2025 Folsom Completo 100
The Completo is one of the longest-standing shapes in Folsom’s collection, designed to be highly maneuverable, accessible, and versatile. Two of our reviewers have been testing the Completo 100 in their pre-built “Signature Series” construction and are now ready to weigh in — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.