BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Flash Review: 23/24 Head Oblivion 116
We’ve been spending time on Head’s new Oblivion 116, and it is proving to bring something a little different to the table than most powder skis. Check out our initial thoughts.
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Win an Ortovox Ski Touring Pack
This week the two winners of our Gear Giveaway will get the Haute Route 32 or the Haute Route 30S ski touring pack from Ortovox!
2022-2023 Folsom Cash 93
Folsom added a new shape to their lineup this season, with the new Cash 93 bringing their wider Cash skis’ off-piste maneuverability to a narrower package. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see how it fits into the narrower all-mountain category.
Flash Review: 23/24 RMU North Shore 114
We’ve been spending time on RMU’s newest powder ski, the North Shore 114. Check out our initial on-snow impressions, including how it compares to RMU’s Apostle 106, North Shore 110, and Professor 121.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Deep Dive: Folsom Cash 93
We compare the Cash 93 to the Folsom Spar 88, K2 Mindbender 89Ti, Volkl M6 Mantra, Blizzard Rustler 9, J Skis Fastforward, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Fischer Ranger 90, Line Blade Optic 92, DPS Pagoda 90 RP, Black Crows Serpo, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Head Kore 93, Blizzard Brahma 88, & Nordica Enforcer 88.
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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SRAM’s New Eagle Transmission and Stealth Brakes (Ep.162)
SRAM’s new Eagle Transmission is some of the biggest new tech to hit the bike world recently, and we sat down with SRAM’s Chris Mandell to get the rundown on the new T-Type parts, including why SRAM went to a direct mount derailleur and a whole lot more.
2023-2024 Blizzard Sheeva 9
The newly redesigned 23/24 Blizzard Sheeva 9 took the biggest departure from its predecessor, relative to its wider siblings, but how does it slot into the ~95mm-wide all-mountain category? Read our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to find out more.
Deep Dive: Blizzard Sheeva 9
We compare the 23/24 Blizzard Sheeva 9 to the Fischer Ranger 90, Blizzard Sheeva 10, Nordica Santa Ana 93, Atomic Maven 93 C, Faction Dancer 2X, Volkl Secret 96, Salomon Stance 94 W, Blizzard Black Pearl 97, K2 Mindbender 99Ti W, & 4FRNT MSP CC.
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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Trail Running 101: How to Run While Traveling
While one of running’s virtues is how well it travels, requiring little in the way of gear and possible in just about every type of setting, knowing exactly what to bring and how to safely explore a new place on foot can be daunting. So, in part eleven of our Trail Running 101 series, we put together some best practices for running while on the road (or trail).
Flash Review: 23/24 Line Bacon 108
The new Line Bacon 108 is proving to be quite different than the Line Sir Francis Bacon it replaces. Check out our thoughts so far.
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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Max Romey on “No Lost Shoes,” Nnormal, and Striving for Sustainability in the Footwear Industry (Ep.164)
We talked to artist, filmmaker, trail runner, and proud Alaskan, Max Romey, about some of the environmental challenges facing the footwear industry outlined in his latest film for Nnormal, “No Lost Shoes.” Along the way, we also explore the imperfections of painting in water color; Nnormal’s forward-thinking sustainability model; grassroots climate activism; and more.
How to Not Burn Out: 5 Lessons from a Stoked Kook
In her latest Open Mic piece, Angel Collinson shares what she’s learned about how not to destroy – but rather deepen – our passion for the things we love.
Flash Review — SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission & Code Ultimate Stealth Brakes
We’ve been testing the new SRAM Eagle Transmission and Stealth Brakes for a while now — check out our early impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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SRAM Eagle Transmission
There have been spy photos of what appeared to be a new direct-mount derailleur, plus updated Eagle cranks, cassettes, and controllers from SRAM floating around the internet for a while now — and today it all breaks cover, along with some new brakes and much more. Check out our First Look for all the info on the new Eagle Transmission.
2023-2024 Black Crows Nocta
Black Crows recently announced a major update to their widest ski, the Nocta, and reviewer Paul Forward has been spending a lot of time on it, both while heli-ski guiding and lapping the resort. Check out our Full Review to see how the latest Nocta performs in everything from deep pow to breakable crust.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Win a Bike Stand from Altangle
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a Hangar Connect bike stand as well as a pair of A2 tire levers from Altangle!
GEAR THERAPY: A Mother Gets Back into Skiing — Where to Start?? (Ep.263)
When it comes to gear, we’ve all been there: loads of questions, crippling confusion, severe analysis paralysis. Sometimes you don’t even know where to start. You need some help! So in our 3rd session of GEAR THERAPY, Blister Member, Arika Poulin Weller, joins Blister reviewers Kara Williard and Kristin Sinnott to get some advice on 1-ski quivers, alpine ski boots, broad ski-gear jargon and what it all means, and more.
Liv Rail MIPS Helmet
Liv’s recently overhauled Rail MIPS helmet is the brand’s highest-end model for off-road use, and it’s been a welcome companion during all of our hot rides this summer.
GEAR THERAPY! — Session #1 (Ep.187)
Bikes are expensive, there are more good ones than ever before, and understanding the tradeoffs between options and how to find the right one to suit your needs can be tricky. We’re here to help. Welcome to Gear Therapy.
Flash Review — 2024 Yeti SB140
We’ve started spending time on Yeti’s long-awaited successor to the SB130 — so is the new SB140 a refreshed take on that longstanding and ultra-popular all-rounder, or is it something else entirely? 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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Dearborn Denim founder, Rob McMillan, on Building a Premium, Affordable, & Ethical Apparel Manufacturing Company in Chicago (Ep.35)
Dearborn Denim founder, Rob McMillan is working on building a big apparel company that ethically manufactures premium products at an affordable price, right in Chicago. Impossible you say? In this conversation, Rob lays out the blueprint.
2023 Manitou Mattoc
Our Bike Editor has long been a big fan of the Manitou Mezzer and got pretty excited when Manitou dropped a new version of their Mattoc Trail bike fork, since it looked a lot like a mini-Mezzer on paper. Having now spent a lot of time with the Mattoc, the story is a bit more complicated than that — but that’s probably a good thing for a lot of folks.
Flash Review — Santa Cruz Heckler SL
Santa Cruz has entered the lightweight eMTB market, and we’ve started spending time on the new Heckler SL. 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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Shore and Chore Beach and Utility Cart
Shore and Chore’s utility cart is a well-built, thoroughly-featured hauling device that’s proven to be practical for a wide variety of uses — from paddling our local rivers to DIY projects, errands, and more. Check out our Full Review for the whole rundown.
Mountain Gazette Editor, Mike Rogge, on Outdoor Media & Issue #200 (Ep.277)
Mike Rogge is back to talk about outdoor media (even though we lie and say we aren’t going to this time), plus Mountain Gazette’s big new issue #200, which includes contributions from Jeremy Jones, comedian Steve Martin & cartoonist Harry Bliss, Karl Fostvedt, and more.
Win a Bike Maintenance Kit from mountainFLOW
The TWO winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a Bike Maintenance Kit from mountainFLOW!
BOA & Ski Boot Design with Hoji, K2’s Tom Pietrowski, Fischer’s Christoph Lentz, Dalbello’s Riccardo Bonaiti, and Dynafit’s Ross Herr (Ep.262)
Hoji and ski boot designers from K2, Fischer, Dalbello, and Dynafit discuss ski boot design in general; the hype and skepticism around BOA (are boot buckles dying?); the balancing act of designing a walk mechanism; the challenges presented by the boot-binding interface, and more.