BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Mountain Ops
Based in Stowe, Vermont, Mountain Ops has become well-known for its welcoming atmosphere, excellent customer service, and dedication to human-powered pursuits.

What We’re Wearing, Skiing 23/24: Luke Koppa
Most of our reviews and conversations have the goal of helping you, our audience, figure out what gear might work best for you and your particular preferences, circumstances, etc. However, it can be fun (and sometimes, maybe, even illuminating) to occasionally shrug off the cloak of objectivity and just talk about what we personally use and enjoy. In our new “What We’re Wearing” series, we’re doing just that, having several of our reviewers run us through their head-to-toe kits for this winter. First up, our managing editor and self-diagnosed apparel obsessive, Luke Koppa.

Ski Areas, Sustainability, & Getting Ready for Opening Day with Taos Ski Valley COO, John Kelly (Ep.283)
What goes into getting a ski area ready for opening day? We discuss snow making, maintaining & operating chairlifts, and ski area culture and sustainability with Taos Ski Valley’s chief operations officer, John Kelly.
Boulder Orthotics
Boulder Orthotics is a women-owned, and women-led bootfitting operation. They deliver the full range of bootfitting customization and modifications. With over 25 years of experience, a background in pedorthics, and a passion for getting it right, schedule an appointment to redefine the way your ski boots fit.

Our 23/24 BLISTER Winter Buyer’s Guide Recap (Ep.268)
We brought together several of our reviewers to discuss our latest Winter Buyer’s Guide; give out our unofficial “RIP,” “Good Riddance,” and new “Best Glow-Up” awards; cover what we’re most excited to get on this season, and much more.

Commencal Supreme DH V5
The Commencal Supreme V5 has been one of the most successful World Cup DH race bikes over the last two seasons, and it’s a great option for folks who want a go-fast DH bike — even if you don’t plan on sticking a number plate to it anytime soon.
Win Skis from 4FRNT
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get their choice of 4FRNT’s Raven or Hoji skis, both of which are repeat winners of our “Best Of” award!

Layering 101: Types of Outdoor Apparel & How to Layer for Different Activities & Climates
There are a zillion new baselayers, insulators, and shells out there — and the options are constantly evolving and diversifying. So in our updated “Layering 101” guide, we sort out what makes certain types better / worse than others, and outlined how we think about layering for various cold-weather outdoor activities.

Privateer Bikes on the 141 and 161 V2 (Ep.192)
Privateer has been teasing the upcoming second-generation versions of their 141 and 161 for a while now and we recently sat down with Dan Hicks, the engineer behind the project, to get all the details on the new bikes.

2023 Knolly Endorphin
The Knolly Endorphin is back after a hiatus — and Knolly says it’s a harbinger of new things to come across their entire lineup.
Women’s Mountain Bike Shorts & Pants Roundup – 2023
There are more options for mountain bike shorts and pants than ever before, and in our latest roundup of women’s ones, we’ve got eight new pairs to add to the mix after a bunch of time testing them in a ton of different conditions.
Raide LF 40L Backpack
Raide is the newest player in the ultralight snowsports category and their first product, the LF 40L backpack, is a very interesting initial offering. Check out our First Look for more on this UHMWPE (aka, Dyneema) pack and the brand behind it.

Trevor Kennison & Josh Berman on Full Circle (Ep.282)
Like Travis Rice, Candide Thovex, Courtney Dauwalter, and Alex Honnold, Trevor Kennison forces us to rethink what’s possible. Josh Berman has created a film, Full Circle, that documents Trevor’s incredible story and exploits, and the challenges — and opportunities — of life after spinal cord injury.

Five Ten Trailcross XT
Five Ten’s Trailcross line is meant to blend functionality from bike and trail running shoes into a lightweight, breathable package that works well both on and off the bike. The updated Trailcross XT now uses recycled materials extensively, in a design that’s pretty different from the original. So how does it all pan out on the trail?
Gear West
Gear West is not only one of the largest shops in the midwest, it is also one of the best.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

2024 Orbea Rallon
Orbea updated the Rallon for 2024 with the goal of adding stability and composure to their flagship Enduro race bike. So how does the new version stack up to its notably nimble and versatile predecessor? Here are our thoughts after a few months on the updated Rallon.

Flash Review: 24/25 Fischer The Curv GT 85 Redefine
The Curv GT 85 Redefine is an “all-conditions” carving ski that’s meant to showcase how Fischer can reduce the environmental footprint of their skis. Here are our thoughts so far on its on-snow performance (and more info about its unique construction).
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Do Eric Freson Things
A lot can be learned from the life of our friend and fellow Blister reviewer, Eric Freson, and the example he set. In today’s Open Mic, you’ll hear from some of the people who knew him best and loved him most, about what it really means to ‘Do Eric Freson Things.’

Comp Life: 4 Freeride Athletes on the FWQ, FWT, & Beyond (Ep.301)
After they competed in last weekend’s FWT Challenger stop in Crested Butte, Britta Winans, Colton Shaff, Mia Winans, and Tyler Curle sat down with us to peel back the curtain on the current freeride competition scene and discuss how the skiing and riding have evolved; differences between the FWQ and FWT events; their personal favorite moments from this season + personal favorite riders, and much more.

Flash Review: 24/25 Icelantic Nomad 106
We’ve been spending a lot of time on Icelantic’s overhauled Nomad skis — check out our thoughts on the updates, and the new Nomad 106 in particular.
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.)
Icelantic Announces All-New 2025 Nomad & Maiden Skis | Blister Summit Video
The Icelantic Nomad and women’s Maiden lines of freeride skis have long been the brand’s best-selling models, and they’ve looked largely the same for a decade now. That changes for the 2024-2025 season, and we sat down with Icelantic to get all the details on the seven all-new models.
2024-2025 K2 Reckoner 124
The Reckoner 124 is the widest, most powder-oriented model in K2’s all-new Reckoner collection — here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Reckoner 124.
Blister Summit 2025 Discounts For Gunnison Valley Residents
The Blister Summit will be back in Mt. Crested Butte from February 23 to 27, 2025, and you’re invited! This year, we created a couple of options specifically for Gunnison Valley Residents. Option 1: Full Registration at the discounted rate of $250 Registration includes all

2023-2024 Line Bacon 108
The word “Bacon” has adorned the name of at least one Line ski for almost two decades now, and this season, Line launched three all-new models. So, how does the latest Bacon 108 compare to its cured-meat-named predecessors, and the rest of the freestyle market? Here’s our Full Review.

Deep Dive: Line Bacon 108
We compare the Line Bacon 108 to the previous-generation Line Sir Francis Bacon, Line Bacon 115, Line Chronic 101, Season Nexus, Armada ARV 106, 4FRNT Devastator, Nordica Unleashed 108, Dynastar M-Free 108, Majesty Dirty Bear XL, Moment Deathwish 104, Moment Wildcat 108, Whitedot Altum 104, RMU North Shore 110, Atomic Bent 110, Prior Northwest 110, Rossignol Sender Free 110, K2 Reckoner 112, Faction Mana 3, Zag Slap 104, Line Blade Optic 104, & Black Crows Atris.
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.)

Standout Backcountry Gear: Past, Present, & Future (Ep.289)
We talk with Trygve Sande, one of the founders of VPG (our Blister Recommended Shop in Oppdal, Norway), about all-time pivotal pieces of backcountry gear; products that help break down the barriers to entry; skiing in Norway; and last but not least, Trygve’s involvement and collaboration with Hoji and 4FRNT’s new concept ski.
Win Ski Boots from La Sportiva
The winner of this week’s Gear Giveaway will get the Skorpius CR II ski touring boot from La Sportiva!


