BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Deep Dive: Meier Leeper
We compare the Meier Leeper to the Icelantic Nomad 115, Line Blade Optic 114, Moment Wildcat, DPS Foundation Koala 118, Black Crows Anima, Dynastar M-Free 118, Rossignol Blackops 118, J Skis The Friend, Volkl Revolt 121, Salomon QST Blank, 4FRNT Renegade, 4FRNT Inthayne, Atomic Bent Chetler 120, Line Vision 118, Season Forma, Line Outline, Line Reckoner 112, Prior Northwest 116, Nordica Enforcer 115 Free, Head Kore 117, and Elan Ripstick 116.
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JT Holmes on Joining Peak Skis; Jumping into New Industries; Speed Riding; Ski Media; & More (Ep.251)
From big-mountain skiing to ski-base jumping to stunt work, JT Holmes has consistently pushed boundaries and explored new opportunities. And now, JT is joining Peak Skis. So we talk to JT about all of the above, and more.
Rossignol Poursuite Jacket
Intended for both Nordic skiing and running, Rossignol’s Poursuite Jacket demonstrates the value of multipart apparel. Made from wind-stopping polyester treated with a DWR coating and 37.5 Technology, the versatile softshell impressed us with its breathability, comfort, and complementary water resistance. Check out our full review to learn more.
2023-2024 K2 Mindbender 108Ti
K2’s biggest and burliest metal-laminate ski, the Mindbender 108Ti, got updated this season, and we’ve had several reviewers on the latest iteration. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see how it stacks up.
Deep Dive: K2 Mindbender 108Ti
We compare the latest Mindbender 108Ti to the previous Mindbender 108Ti, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Blizzard Cochise 106, Volkl Katana 108, Folsom Primary 104, Salomon QST 106, Black Crows Corvus, Elan Ripstick 106, 4FRNT MSP 107, J Skis Hotshot, Black Crows Atris, Line Blade Optic 104, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Salomon Stance 102, Dynastar M-Free 108, Faction Dancer 3, Rossignol Sender 106 Ti+, Blizzard Rustler 10, Icelantic Nomad 105, Nordica Enforcer 110, & Nordica Unleashed 108.
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 Renoun Ski
The winner of this week’s gear giveaway will get to pick any unique, VibeStop-equipped Renoun ski they want!
ZipFit “Inner Boots”; the Growth of ZipFit; Reviewing Ski Boots; & More with Jeff Colt (Ep.237)
We talk with Jeff Colt, Brand Director for ZipFit, about “inner boots”; first-day vs. 3rd-day fit; reviewing ski boots; the new Zipfit x Fischer Ski Boots collab; and more.
Cy Turner on 20 Years of Cotic Bikes (Ep.160)
Cotic Bikes turns 20 this year, and we took the opportunity to sit down with founder Cy Turner to chat about the history of the brand & changes to the industry over those two decades; why they use steel for full-suspension frames and hardtails alike; Cy’s philosophy on bike design; tease an upcoming Blister review; & a whole lot more.
Ibis Ripmo V2S
Ibis gave the Ripmo a light update late last year, and while the changes to the new V2S version aren’t all that dramatic, it’s still a good, well-rounded bike that blurs the line between longer-travel Trail bikes and full-on Enduro ones, in a way that we can imagine working well for a lot of folks. Check out our full review for our take, including how the Ripmo V2S stacks up against a dozen of its competitors.
2023-2024 Armada ARV 116 JJ UL
The Armada ARV 116 JJ UL is a lightweight, freestyle-friendly pow ski that we’ve been skiing in everything from Japanese pow to resort chop. Check out the Full Review and Deep Dive Comparisons to see what makes it stand out.
Deep Dive: Armada ARV 116 JJ UL
We compare the ARV 116 JJ UL to the Armada ARW 106 UL, Armada ARG II UL, Atomic Bent Chetler 120, Line Outline, Line Vision 118, Moment Wildcat, Majesty Vadera Ti, Salomon QST 106, K2 Mindbender 115C, K2 Reckoner 112, Blizzard Sheeva 11, & Head Kore 117.
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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Galfer Shark Rotors
We really like Galfer’s standard Wave rotors, but how about the fancier Shark versions that they’re launched more recently? And in general, who should think about upgrading their existing rotors? Check out our review to learn more.
Anthony Costales on Smashing Course Records, Chasing States, & Sharpening His Competitive Edge (Ep.162)
Anthony Costales just dropped the longstanding course record at the Black Canyon 100k by a dizzying 19 minutes, securing a Golden Ticket to the Western States 100 in the process. We recently caught up with him to recap his race; dish about training; explore where he gets his competitive drive from; and more.
Nnormal Kjerag
Positioned as Nnormal’s max-performance model, the Kjerag (pronounced: sche-rak) is already an early front-runner for standout shoe of the year. It offers an implausible amount of energy return and cushioning for how light it is, often feeling like it disappears on foot in the best way possible. After nearly 200 miles of testing, the Kjerag has exceeded the lofty expectations we set for it after our initial impressions. Check out our full review to learn more.
Flash Review — Esker Rowl
We’ve started spending time on the Esker Rowl, and its wild Orion suspension is an early standout. Check out our Flash Review for our 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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2023-2024 Armada Reliance 102 Ti
Here are our measured specs and rocker profile pictures for the Armada Reliance 102 Ti.
Boone Mountain Sports
Boone Mountain Sports is a family-owned and operated ski and snowboard shop in Evergreen, Colorado, and they offer a whole lot more than just amazing gear, including an unforgettable customer experience, word-class bootfitting and ski services, a brewery and coffee shop, and a place to connect with community and appreciate the outdoors.
2024 Fox Float
Fox says their new Float rear shock is meant to bring a lot of the performance of the Float X to a smaller, lighter package, but have they succeeded, and what are the tradeoffs? We’ve been logging a lot of time on the two back-to-back, and we’ve got some answers.
Stuff We Like: August 2023
For August’s edition of Stuff We Like, we’ve got everything from lightweight rain jackets to duffels and daypacks, trail running shoes, coolers, bike pumps, & more. Check it out to see all the latest stuff our reviewers have been digging.
Zack Giffin on Skiing, Tiny Houses, & Big Solutions (Ep.275)
Skier Zack Giffin (host of the TV series, Tiny House Nation & co-host of the podcast, Tiny House Tales) makes a compelling case for how smaller living spaces can be a significant part of the solution to affordable housing; homelessness; climate issues, energy consumption, and creating more real, actual, healthy communities.
A Guide to Skiing in New Zealand with Outside Sports (Ep.260)
Have you ever dreamt about skiing in New Zealand? We talk with local Kiwi experts from our Blister Recommended Shop, Outside Sports, to give us the rundown on what skiing in this Southern Hemisphere destination entails and how to make the most of it.
2023 GT Sensor & Sensor ST
The GT Sensor ST is their latest take on a short-travel bike that’s meant to be efficient and sprightly on the way up, while still being a lot of fun on the way back down. And having spent much of this spring and summer on one, we’re ready to weigh in.
Chromag’s Full Suspension Bike Development (Ep.184)
Chromag is unquestionably *the* first brand that a lot of people think of when it comes to hardcore hardtails, which makes their recent foray into full-suspension bikes especially interesting. And as we uncover in this conversation with Chromag engineer Joe Swann, the path to launching the Darco and Lowdown has been a long and winding — and fascinating — one.
Chef Yia Vang on Hmong Cuisine & Culture; ‘Run & Gun’ Restauranteering; & Spreading Appreciation (Ep.34)
Yia Vang is a multi-nominated James Beard Award chef, the founder & head chef of Union Hmong Kitchen; he competed on the Netflix show, “Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend”; hosts the show, ”Feral” on the Outdoors Channel; hosts another show, “Stoked” on the Food Network; and hosts the excellent podcast, “Hmonglish” which focuses on the Hmong people, their culture, and representation.
Park City Boot Room
When it comes to specialty bootfitting, particularly for those who ask a lot of their boots, spend countless days on skis, or really need to address some complex issues in order to enhance their time out on the hill, there are few places that have the breadth of experience and skills offered by Matt Schiller at Park City Boot Room.
Wolf Tooth Resolve Dropper Post and ReMote Pro Lever
There are a ton of good dropper posts on the market these days, but with their first effort at making a dropper, Wolftooth has managed to make an excellent premium option with some unique features.
Identity, Dreams, & Dislocations
In our latest Open Mic piece, Eric Booton shares a story that many of us probably need to hear.