BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Pete Willauer: The One with the Knife
In our latest Open Mic, Pete Willauer talks about his Uncle John, mentorship, and responsibility to the people we love.
Blister Brand Guide: Craft Running Shoe Lineup, 2023
Craft is perhaps better known for making moisture-wicking technical layers than shoes, but since breaking into the footwear space a few years ago, they’ve already turned out an impressive lineup of innovative shoes for roads, trails, and everything in between. Check out our 2023 Brand Guide to see what’s new from Craft this year and which of their models might make the most sense for you.
Devinci Chainsaw
Stevie Smith was an enormous inspiration to the current generation of Canadian mountain bikers, and his longtime frame sponsor, Devinci, has launched a new, more-affordable Enduro / DH bike in his honor — appropriately named the Chainsaw.
Andy Wacker on Creating A Roadmap to Professional Trail Running (Ep.167)
Earlier this year, Salomon Athlete Andy Wacker launched The Trail Team, an independent development program aimed at providing mentorship, skill development, and media exposure to 6 aspiring pro trail runners in the US. We spoke to him, as well as two of his Trail Team athletes, Lauren Gregory and Sam Hendry, about the organization’s backstory, their respective goals, and much more.
New Moment Countach 110 & 23/24 Skis | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We discuss the origins and design of Moment’s new Countach 110; how it fits into their lineup between the Wildcat and Commander series; their new extra-long Wildcat; who should get a Moment Wildcat vs. a Moment Deathwish; their new, much bigger factory in Nevada, and more.
Flash Review: 23/24 DPS Kaizen 105
For 23/24, DPS discontinued their Pagoda line and replaced it with the brand-new Kaizen series. Check out our initial thoughts on the Kaizen 105.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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The Future of Snowsports(?) | Blister Summit 2023 Panel Video
At Blister Summit 2023, we brought together Nina Waters (Blizzard-Tecnica), Dr. Len Necefer (Natives Outdoors & Sonoran Avalanche Center), Dan Abrams (Flylow), & Hanna Whirty (Icelantic) to cover a broad range of topics regarding the future of the snowsports industry. They discuss how they think about expanding the snowsports community and the resulting benefits; the role of crowding and potential solutions; how DE&I, Advocacy, & Climate Change are all linked, and more.
Deep Dives with Angel (April 2023) (Ep.255)
Angel Collinson and Jonathan discuss her life since retiring from professional skiing, our Blister Open Mic series, and her recent piece, “How to Not Burn Out.” Then Angel answers your questions about finding peace; marriage & kids; and whether she thinks she’ll ever ski again.
Flash Review: 23/24 Blizzard Rustler 10
Here are some of our initial thoughts on the revised Rustler 10, how it compares to the previous version, and the rest of the market.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Salomon Sense Ride 5
Despite what may be considered conservative updates, the Salomon Sense Ride 5 keeps with the model’s established role as a versatile option intended for everyone from experienced ultrarunners in search of a no-frills daily trainer to folks looking to venture out onto the trails for perhaps the first time. Check out our full review to learn more.
The Good Old Days
In our latest Open Mic piece, our editor-in-chief reflects on closing days, the good old days, and more.
The Past, Present, & Future of Ski Manufacturing | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We brought together ski designers and manufacturers from DPS, Folsom, Majesty, and Meier to get their take on the current state of ski design; why wood has remained the go-to choice for ski cores; what we should expect from ski cores in the future; how to identify a properly constructed and “finished” ski, and more.
Win a BCA Prize Package
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a Float E2 25 Avalanche Airbag Pack and BC Link 2.0 Radio from BCA!
2023-2024 RMU North Shore 114
One of the newest additions to RMU’s lineup, the North Shore 114 is their big-mountain ski designed for freestyle & freeriders alike. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see where it falls in the powder category.
Deep Dive: RMU North Shore 114
We compare the North Shore 114 to the RMU North Shore 110, RMU Professor 121, Moment Wildcat, Head Kore 117, 4FRNT Hoji, Salomon QST Blank, Elan Ripstick 116, Atomic Bent 110, Meier Leeper, Icelantic Nomad 115, Black Crows Anima, DPS Koala 118, Line Blade Optic 114, Line Vision 118, Dynastar M-Free 118, Rossignol Blackops 118, Line Outline, J Skis Friend, Volkl Revolt 121, 4FRNT Inthayne, K2 Reckoner 112, Nordica Enforcer 115 Free, & Prior Northwest 116.
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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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Casey Brown, Vaea Verbeeck, and Hannah Bergemann on Women at Rampage (Ep.191)
We sat down with Casey Brown, Vaea Verbeeck, and Hannah Bergemann to talk about the lack of a women’s category at Red Bull Rampage; what they’ve been doing to change that; why opening up Rampage to women is important; and the trajectory of women’s freeride more broadly.
Propain Ekano 2 CF
Propain launched the Ekano 2 AL just a few months ago as a “freeride eMTB,” but the new Ekano 2 CF is substantially different from its aluminum sibling — starting but not ending with the SRAM Eagle Powertrain drive system.
Transition Repeater Powertrain
The SRAM Eagle Powertrain bikes are rolling out, and Transition’s offering, the Repeater Powertrain, isn’t just a Repeater with a motor swap. Check out our First Look for all the info.
2024 Ortovox Ski & Snowboard Gear | Blister Summit Brand Lineup Video
At Blister Summit 2023, we sat down with Ortovox’s Alexander Cernichiari to discuss the brand’s path from making avalanche transceivers to just about everything you’d wear / use in the backcountry. We cover their 2024 apparel collection; how and why they use merino wool; their wide-ranging outerwear lineup, and more.
Blister Speaker Series: Mark Abma (Ep.281)
Last Thursday, Mark Abma came to Western Colorado University for our Blister Speaker Series. He broke down his segment from the MSP film, ALL IN; discussed his part in the new MSP film, Land of Giants; and talked about his preparation for ski season; confidence; staying calm; and more.
Deuter’s 2024 Ski & Snowboard Backpacks | Blister Summit Brand Lineup Video
We sat down with Deuter’s Alexander Cernichiari to discuss their integration of the supercapacitor-based Alpride E2 avalanche airbag system; the evolution of their longstanding Freerider series; the new Updays & Freescape series, and more.
GEAR THERAPY: An Italian Skier in Switzerland (Ep.266)
Luke and Jonathan talk with Blister Member, Giovanni Saccarola (an Italian living in Switzerland), about his ski quiver, ski boots, and ski boot liner options.
Win Skis from Majesty
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get Majesty’s Vestal all-mountain freestyle ski!
Shimano GE900 Shoes
As part of their recent MTB shoe overhaul, Shimano replaced the longstanding and ultra-popular ME7 and AM9 models with a single new shoe: the GE900. But has that bold move paid off, or has Shimano messed with a good thing too much? We’ve been spending a lot of time in the new GE900 and are ready to weigh in.
Reviewer Reports: Contra MC vs. Trek Slash, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, REEB Steezl, & More (Ep.190)
This week on Bikes & Big Ideas we’re chatting about a bunch of the bikes we’re currently testing across the travel spectrum, including Santa Cruz’s new Heckler SL, a battle of high-pivot Enduro bikes, the Propain Tyee, and more.
Flash Review — 2024 Orbea Occam LT
Orbea is talking about the new Occam LT as being quite different from the bike it replaces, and we’ve started spending time on it to find out how accurate that is. Check out our early 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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2024 Orbea Occam SL and Occam LT
Orbea is giving their Occam line of Trail bikes a big overhaul, and while the new Occam SL and Occam LT may look a lot like the bikes they’re replacing, they’ve changed substantially once you dig a little deeper.