BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2022-2023 Majesty Dirty Bear XL
This season Majesty opted to take a longstanding ski in their lineup and split it into two different models — check out our full review for more on the new, 105mm-wide Dirty Bear XL.
Deep Dive: Majesty Dirty Bear XL
We compare the Dirty Bear XL to the Black Crows Atris, Line Sir Francis Bacon, Salomon QST 106, K2 Reckoner 102, J Skis Hotshot, 4FRNT Devastator, Moment Deathwish 104, Elan Ripstick 104, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, Whitedot Altum 104, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Line Blade Optic 104, 4FRNT MSP 107, Sego Big Horn 106, Armada ARW 106 UL, Black Crows Camox, Volkl Revolt 104, Blizzard Rustler 10, DPS Koala 103, RMU Apostle 106, & ZAG Slap 104.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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In Search of the ‘Best’ Coffee Gear (& Ski Boots), Pt. 2 (Ep.20)
Sam Higby, co-owner of First Ascent Coffee Roasters, joins Jonathan to talk pour overs, grinders, brewing at altitude, programmability, and more. Listen up, then let us know what your pick is for the best coffee-making setup out there.
Katie Asmuth on Beating the Injury Bug, Mom Strength, & Golden Ticket Season (Ep.158)
While running injuries are undoubtedly the suckiest part of the sport, they’re also perhaps the most inevitable, so learning how to approach them mentally can make time on the shelf an opportunity for growth. After being sidelined with a broken foot for most of 2022, we talked to Saucony Athlete Katie Asmuth about how she used her injury as a way to engage with the trail running community in different ways, and much more.
NF Heavyweight Pants
The NF Heavyweight Pants are the Canadian brand’s take on a cold / wet weather mountain bike pant, and they go about things rather differently from a lot of other options out there — with excellent results.
22/23 4FRNT MSP 91
Here are two of our reviewers’ initial impressions of the narrowest and newest ski in 4FRNT’s metal-laminate MSP collection.
Janji Repeat Merino Tech Long Sleeve
The art of winter layering for running is a skill often learned through patterns of mistakes. You’re just as likely to have an uncomfortable time out on the trails if you overdress or underdress, and threading the needle between takes an intuition gleaned from experience. Janji’s Repeat Merino Tech Long Sleeve, the brand’s new cold weather performance staple, is designed to give you a bit more room for error when it comes to dressing for chilly runs. Check out our full review to learn why we think it’s a must-add piece to most runners’ wardrobes.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (January 2023) (Ep.246)
Cody and Jonathan discuss Kyle Smaine, tragedy, & avalanche safety; separating vs always staying together in the backcountry; Mountain Town Advice, the most Canadian news; coffee gear; & more.
Flash Review: 23/24 Blizzard Sheeva 9 & Sheeva 10
Update 2.4.23: We’ve been spending some more time on the redesigned Sheeva 10, after Kristin Sinnott the Sheeva 9 & 10 this Fall in Austria — check out Kara Williard’s 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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2022-2023 Fischer Ranger 102
We’ve had six of our female and male reviewers on two different lengths of the overhauled Ranger 102 — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see how it stacks up to the previous Ranger 102 FR and the rest of the market.
Deep Dive: Fischer Ranger 102
We compare the Ranger 102 to the Ranger 102 FR, Ranger 108, Ranger 96, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Black Crows Justis, Blizzard Bonafide, Zag Slap 104, Blizzard Rustler 10, Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, Moment Commander 98, Line Blade Optic 104, Black Crows Atris, Elan Ripstick 106, Faction Dancer 2, Atomic Maverick 100 Ti, Dynastar M-Pro 99, Nordica Enforcer 100, Salomon QST 98, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Volkl Mantra 102, Salomon Stance 102, J Skis Masterblaster, & 4FRNT MSP 99.
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 Any Liberty Ski
The winner of this week’s gear giveaway will get to pick any ski they want from Liberty’s diverse lineup!
Shop Talk: 3D Printing & Bootfitting w/ Pulse Boot Lab (Ep.234)
We are back with Kai Palkeinen, founder of Pulse Boot Lab, to hear what Kai and the team at Pulse have been up to, including 3D printing, fitting race boots, and his thoughts on some other recent boot technology, including the rise of BOA dials.
In Search of the ‘Best’ Coffee Gear, Pt 1 (Ep.19)
What’s the best way to make coffee? Strong opinions abound, and our editor-in-chief is currently trying to figure it all out. So we are launching this CRAFTED mini series on coffee gear to try to gain some clarity on the topic. See what you think, and let us know what you recommend!
Trail Running 101: How to Recover from a Trail Run
How well you recover from a run is one of the largest factors dictating your potential for progress. Yet knowing exactly how to handle post-workout recovery can be confusing, with different approaches at times offering conflicting information. So in part ten of our Trail Running 101 series, we provide some basic and easy to follow tips for how to get started.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Blister Labs: Wheelset Testing — Updates & Initial Results (Ep.253)
Today we’re providing some updates and discussing the implications of the initial results of our Blister Labs wheelset testing with Greg Vanderbeek and Travis Hainsworth.
Win a Pack from RMU
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Core Pack 15L from RMU!
Deviate Cycles on High-Pivot Bikes, Onshoring Production, & the Lowlander Prototype (Ep.177)
High-pivot Trail bikes are becoming increasingly common, but Deviate Cycles was a pioneer of that trend, and we sat down with Deviate co-founder Ben Jones to talk about why they went that direction when few companies were; gearboxes & mass adoption of new ideas; onshoring production & their wild Lowlander 3D-printed titanium and carbon fiber prototype; & a whole lot more.
2023 Specialized P.Series
Specialized has overhauled its longstanding P.Series line of Dirt-Jump bikes, and the lineup now includes versions for the whole family, with wheel sizes ranging from 20’’ to 27.5’’.
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.
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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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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
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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.