BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Flash Review – Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0
The Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 is an ultra high-end women-specific Enduro bike that we’ve been spending time on — Blister Members can now read our initial on-trail impressions.
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Yeti SB160
The Yeti SB150’s geometry was notably radical when it launched back in 2018. Since then, the mountain bike landscape has changed a lot, and the SB150’s successor, the SB160, no longer stands out as much on paper. On trail, though, it’s still an especially game-on Enduro race bike — and a damn good one for folks with the right approach and preferences.
2023-2024 Nordica Dobermann 5 S
Here are our measured specs, photos, and a quick rundown of Nordica’s race-inspired boot, the Dobermann 5 S, as well as details about the entire 5th generation of the Dobermann lineup.
Art & the Outdoors (Ep.267)
Why do we need centers of art in mountain towns and places of great natural beauty? It’s a question that any of us who live in or visit mountain towns ought to consider, and Jonathan discusses it with Courtney Gilbert, the curator of the Sun Valley Museum of Art.
Flash Review — Canfield One.2 Super Enduro
Enduro bikes have gotten longer-travel and burlier in recent years, but the Canfield One.2 Super Enduro still stands out, with 190 mm at both ends. So is it a long-legged Enduro bike, more of a pedalable DH rig, or something else entirely? We’ve started spending time on it to find out, and Blister Members can now read our early findings.
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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Win Apparel from WNDR Alpine
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a complete Phase Series kit from WNDR Alpine!
Athletes & Product Design (Ep.252)
When it comes to gear, how do you balance the specific needs of world-class athletes with those of average skiers and riders? In this conversation from Blister Summit 2023, McKenna Petersen (K2 athlete), Drew Peterson (Salomon athlete), Tyler Curle (Moment athlete & ski builder), and Jed Yeiser (K2 engineer) discuss exactly that, plus a whole lot more.
EXT Aria
We’ve been very impressed by a number of EXT’s coil shocks over the years, and having now spent a lot of time on the Aria — their first air-sprung MTB rear shock — we’re ready to weigh in on how it stacks up to EXT’s own Storia, as well as the modern crop of high-volume, beefy air shocks.
Women’s Bike Bib & Chamois Roundup
If you spend any time in the saddle you’ll know that a proper chamois, butt, and saddle interface is essential for sustained comfort during rides. In this roundup, we discuss a variety of bib and chamois options that one of our female reviewers has been logging a lot of saddle time in recently.
Scott Kinabalu 2
A dependable, predictable option is an invaluable addition to any shoe quiver, especially one already loaded with terrain- and distance-specific models. After testing, the Scott Kinabalu 2 is giving strong indications of being just that. Check out our full review to learn more.
Anna Newkirk and Abby Hogie on Beyond Racing, the Contra DH Bike, & More (Ep.176)
Most of us have probably had a pipedream of starting something big with a friend, though far fewer people actually make it happen. But Anna Newkirk and Abby Hogie have done just that with their self-run Beyond Racing World Cup team, and their story is a great one.
Stuff We Like: June 2023
For June’s edition of Stuff We Like we feature everything from daypacks to heavy-duty backcountry packs, shorts, lightweight mountain bike and ski apparel, bike helmets, espresso machines for on-the-go, river shoes, & more. Check it out to see all the latest stuff our reviewers have been digging.
Paradigm Winery’s Marilyn Harris on Napa Valley & the Making of a Modern Wine Mecca (Ep.30)
Today, Napa Valley is home to some of the most respected wineries and coveted wines being produced, but not too long ago, it was a sleepy farm community. So in this conversation, Jonathan talks with Marilyn Harris, owner of Paradigm Winery, about how Napa … became Napa.
Skiing “and”
In our latest Open Mic piece, Hadley Hammer offers a very poetic yet very concrete look at what skiing means to her (and what it means to you, too).
Western States Weekend Recap; Courtney Dauwalter’s Course Record Clinic; & Golden Hour Greatness (Ep.178)
The 50th running of the Western States 100 took place over the weekend, so Matt Mitchell and Matt Seidel break down the results; talk about their experiences bouncing around the course all day; shoutout some noteworthy performances; and much more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2023-2024 Blizzard Rustler 11
The Rustler 11 is the widest, most soft-snow-oriented ski in the recently overhauled Rustler collection, but Blizzard has changed many aspects of its design, so we were eager to see how it would compare to past iterations — and the rest of the market. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Blizzard Rustler 11
We compare the Rustler 11 to the first-gen Rustler 11, Blizzard Hustle 11, Blizzard Rustler 10, Nordica Unleashed 114, DPS Koala 111, Line Bacon 115, Rossignol Sender Free 110, Rossignol Blackops 118, RMU North Shore 114, Meier Leeper, Nordica Enforcer 110 Free, Whitedot Altum 114, Black Crows Anima, Icelantic Nomad 105, Moment Countach 110, J Skis Friend, Moment Wildcat, 4FRNT Hoji, Atomic Bent 110, HEAD Kore 111, Head Oblivion 116, Parlor McFellon Pro, Line Blade Optic 114, Volkl Revolt 114, & Salomon QST Blank.
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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2023-2024 Heritage Lab FR110
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Heritage Lab FR110.
Flash Review: 23/24 Heritage Lab FR110
The FR110 is one of the latest additions to Heritage Lab’s unique ski lineup — here are Paul Forward’s initial on-snow 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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RAAW Bikes Founder Ruben Torenbeek (Ep.204)
RAAW has built a reputation for offering burly, no-nonsense bikes, and we sat down with founder and engineer Ruben Torenbeek to chat about his vision for the company, the bikes he wanted to build, how their lineup has evolved over the years, and much more.
2023-2024 Jones Apollo Snowboard Binding
The Apollo is the stiffest binding in the Jones lineup, and we’ve been using it as a daily driver this season. Check out our Full Review to see how it’s performed, and how it compares to other flagship bindings like the NOW O-Drive.
Midlayer & Insulation Roundup – 2024
As the temperatures continue to drop in the northern hemisphere, many of us are thinking about and adapting our layering setups. Midlayers and insulators are a vital part of this, especially when it comes to balancing cold temperatures with high-output activities. In our new Midlayer & Insulation Roundup, several of our reviewers discuss some of their recent favorites.
2023-2024 Volkl Secret 102
Skis that stand out for their high-speed capabilities and precise edge hold are rarely also ones that stand out for being maneuverable or accessible. The new Volkl Secret 102 doesn’t totally break that trend, but it does offer a really impressive balance for the right skiers. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Volkl Secret 102
We compare the Volkl Secret 102 to the Volkl Secret 96, Blizzard Black Pearl 97, K2 Mindbender 99Ti W, Nordica Santa Ana 98, 4FRNT MSP CC, Armada Reliance 102 Ti, Fischer Ranger 102, Rossignol Rallybird 104 Ti, Nordica Santa Ana 104 Free, Line Blade Optic 104, Faction Dancer 3X, & Salomon QST Stella 106.
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.)
Contenders: Best Team Edits of 2023, Snowboard (Ep.8)
What were the best snowboard team edits of 2023? Justin Bobb and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the contenders, and why they made the cut. What do you think should be in the top 3?
2024 RockShox BoXXer
The new 38mm-stanchioned RockShox BoXXer was a long-awaited and poorly kept secret. We have now logged a whole lot of laps on one and are ready to weigh in on how it performs, and how it compares to its competition. Check out our full review for all the info.
Blizzard Announces Brand-New Anomaly Ski Collection
Blizzard just announced a brand-new line of all-mountain skis. Here are the details on the 2024-2025 Blizzard Anomaly skis.