BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Deep Dive: DPS Koala 111
We compare the Koala 111 to the DPS Koala 118, DPS Koala 103, Rossignol Sender Free 110, Dynastar M-Free 108, Salomon QST Blank, Icelantic Nomad 105, Rossignol Sender Squad, K2 Reckoner 112, Meier Leeper, Rossignol Blackops 118, Moment Wildcat, Line Blade Optic 114, Moment Countach 110, Head Kore 111, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, RMU North Shore 110, Black Crows Anima, Fischer Ranger 108, Black Crows Corvus, Nordica Enforcer 110 Free, J Skis Friend, 4FRNT Hoji, Nordica Unleashed 108, Blizzard Rustler 11, Atomic Bent 110, & Parlor McFellon Pro.
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Bacons, Chronics, & More: 23/24 Line Skis | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We discuss all the new skis Line is launching for 23/24, including the new Bacon 108 & Bacon 115; how they compare to the previous Sir Francis Bacon & Outline; the revised Chronic 94 & brand-new Chronic 101; we get some teasers about upcoming projects, and more.
Marin Rift Zone E
A new Marin Rift Zone eMTB drops today from Marin, a brand making a strong case as a value leader in eMTBs.
Powder Skis in AK with Paul & Jonathan (Ep.241)
Jonathan is currently in AK with Paul Forward, Chugach Powder Guides, and a great crew. So he & Paul talk about the skis they’ve been getting time on (from Heritage Lab, Folsom, DPS, K2); some new skis we’d like to see; crème brûlée crust; and the new Lange Shadow boot.
Win Tickets to our 2024 Blister Summit
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get two free passes to our Blister Summit 2024 (Feb 4-8) in Mt. Crested Butte, CO!
Flash Review: 23/24 Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA GW
Update 4.14.23: Jonathan adds some of his thoughts on how the Hawx Ultra XTD 130 BOA has performed in Alaska, including with the addition of Atomic’s “Gnar Bar” and Mimic Professional Liners.
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 Salomon QST 92
This season we got on the latest version of the QST 92 to see how much of its wider siblings’ traits it carried over into a narrower package, and what the end result would be. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see what we found.
Deep Dive: Salomon QST 92
We compare the QST 92 to the Salomon QST 98, Salomon Stance 90, Blizzard Rustler 9, DPS Pagoda 90 RP, Line Blade Optic 92, Line Blade Optic 96, Folsom Cash 93, Black Crows Serpo, Folsom Spar 88, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, J Skis Fastforward, K2 Mindbender 89Ti, Line Blade, 4FRNT MSP 91, Nordica Enforcer 94, Blizzard Brahma 88, Head Kore 93, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Volkl M6 Mantra, & Fischer Ranger 90.
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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The Craft Skiery: 23/24 Meier Skis | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We sat down with Meier’s Michelle Kidd & Parker Davis to discuss the brand’s origins and some of their latest and most popular ski models. We cover their sustainability efforts, including using bio-based resins, beetle-kill pine, and repurposing waste materials; creating skis that meet the demands of athletes like Owen Leeper while still catering to more average skiers, and more.
Yeti SB160, Pivot Shuttle LT, SRAM Transmission & More (Ep.165)
David Golay and Simon Stewart sat down to chat about a bunch of the new bikes and gear they’ve been testing, including the Yeti SB160, Pivot Shuttle LT vs. Specialized Turbo Levo, the new SRAM Transmission, and a whole bunch more — plus some teasers of upcoming new bike releases.
Flash Review: 23/24 Rossignol Forza 70D V-Ti
Rossignol is launching a whole new line of piste-oriented skis, and we’ve been spending time on the top-end model. Check out our initial thoughts on the Forza 70D V-Ti.
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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Fizik Terra Artica GTX Shoe
A lot of the waterproof mountain bike shoes on the market are also very heavily insulated and warm, but if you’re after a wet-weather clipless shoe for cool-but-not-frigid temperatures, the Fizik Terra Artica GTX might just be the ticket.
Blister Summit 2024: What, When, & How to Join
We’re very excited to be bringing back the Blister Summit bigger and better for its fourth year — register now to reserve your spot at one of the best events of the winter!
Tea: Origins, Trends, & State of the Union (Ep.23)
Jonathan talks to Jing Tea founder, Ed Eisler, about the origins, production, and culture of tea; “Duckshit” tea; what goes into making an exceptional cup of tea; the pros and cons of coffee vs tea; and more.
Pomoca Skins: Proper Care & Latest Models | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We sat down with Pomoca’s Gaël Baudet to discuss several of the brand’s latest skins; how their Free & Climb collections differ; how to properly care for your own climbing skins during — and after — your ski season, and more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Which Skis Would You Bring Back from the Dead?
Here at Blister, we hate to see good gear get discontinued. But what if you could resurrect one of your favorites? That’s what we asked several of our reviewers — what would YOU pick?
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, October 2023 (Ep.284)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the latest FIFTY film, Comstock, and the conflict that lies at the heart of the FIFTY Project; FIS vs POW; a new division of Blister: Blister Cinematic; bigfoot & aliens; the Most Canadian News; and more.
Giray Dadali on the new Daymaker Touring TEKDAPTERS (Ep.269)
A very intriguing — and extremely affordable — new piece of ski-touring gear has just been released, the TEKDAPTERS, so we dive into all the details with designer and pro skier, Giray Dadali.
Win Skis from ZAG
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Slap 104 from ZAG!
Men’s Mountain Bike Shorts Roundup – 2023
Our latest roundup of baggy MTB shorts has nine new options from ultralight to insulated(!?!) ones across a range of styles.
Enve AM30 Wheels
Enve was one of the first really big players in the carbon-fiber MTB wheel game and built a reputation for high-end, high-priced wheels. But their AM30 wheels are a lot more affordable than you might expect — and ride pretty differently from the Enves of old, too.
Contra Bikes on Making the MC a Reality (Ep.193)
Designing and prototyping a bike is hard work, but bringing one to production adds a whole new set of challenges, and we sat down with Evan Turpen of Contra Bikes to hear all about getting his US-made steel high-pivot Enduro bike, the MC, out into the world.
Cotic Jeht Gen2
The new Cotic Jeht may not look very different from the original, but Cotic’s engineers have by no means been taking it easy — there are lots of subtle tweaks that add up to a compelling-looking end result. Check out our First Look for the rundown on their updated do-it-all Trail bike.
Stuff We Like: October 2023
October’s edition of our Stuff We Like series includes a bunch of great gear, including our bike editor’s current favorite rain shell and high-volume hip pack, as well as some excellent pain-relieving ointment, boat-friendly apparel and packs, and more. Check it out to see all the latest stuff our reviewers have been digging.
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.