BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Diving into Blizzard’s 23/24 Ski Lineup (Ep.239)
We talk with Blizzard’s Christian Avery about the overhauled Rustler & Sheeva skis; where their Hustle line of skis slots into the mix; and why nobody should be sleeping on the Cochise.
Pro Skiers & Snowboarders: Stories from the Field | Blister Summit 2023 Panel Session
We talk with Hoji (Eric Hjorleifson), McKenna Peterson, Forrest Shearer, and Rory Bushfield about some of the highlights, lowlights, and craziest stories from their careers as pro skiers and snowboarders. This is a hilarious and *not-to-be-missed* conversation, so kick back and enjoy!
Skiing & Social Media Ethics
In our latest Open Mic piece, Hadley Hammer raises the question, “Do social media posts need disclaimers, context, or lengthy explanations?” And what are “our moral obligations to our communities?”
Win Majesty Skis
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get one of our all-time favorite touring skis, the Majesty Superwolf!
SKIING 101: Primer on Heli-Skiing
If you’re considering a heli-skiing trip or are already fortunate enough to have one on the schedule, check out this 101 piece from Blister Reviewer & Lead Heli Guide, Paul Forward. ALSO: we’ve got 1 remaining spot open for a trip this April with Paul, Jonathan Ellsworth, and a bunch of other great Blister Members — first person to commit gets it!
2022-2023 4FRNT MSP 91
This season 4FRNT added a new, narrower model to their all-mountain MSP lineup — check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons of the MSP 91 to see how it compares to the wider MSP skis, and the rest of the narrower all-mountain category.
Deep Dive: 4FRNT MSP 91
We compare the MSP 91 to the 4FRNT MSP 99, Nordica Enforcer 88, Black Crows Serpo, Volkl M6 Mantra, Blizzard Brahma 88, Folsom Cash 93, K2 Mindbender 89Ti, Folsom Spar 88, Salomon Stance 90, Blizzard Rustler 9, J Skis Fastforward, DPS Pagoda 90 RP, Head Kore 93, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Fischer Ranger 90, & Line Blade Optic 92.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Phil Atwill on Greek MTB, Propain Positive, the 2023 Race Season & More (Ep.163)
Phil Atwill is incredible to watch on just about any sort of bike, and we sat down with him to talk about everything from the changes to the World Cup Downhill race format to doing shots with the Greek police while on a filming trip — and much, much more.
Stuff We Like: March 2023
For the March edition of Stuff We Like, we have everything from midlayers and baselayers to ski goggles, travel fans, daypacks, espresso makers, and more. Check it out to see all the items our reviewers have been digging this spring.
Flash Review — Cotic RocketMAX Gen 4
We’ve started spending time on the Cotic RocketMAX Gen 4 — check out our early impressions, including initial comparisons to the Starling Murmur.
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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Flash Review: 22/23 Peak 104
We’ve had several reviewers spending time on Peak’s wider all-mountain ski, the Peak 104. Check out our initial on-snow 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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2023-2024 Nordica Unleashed 108 W
For the 23/24 season, Nordica is adding some new versions of their Unleashed skis, including shorter options for the Unleashed 108. So how does it compare to the narrower Unleashed 98 W and the more directional Santa Ana skis? Read our full review and Deep Dive Comparisons to find out more.
Deep Dive: Nordica Unleashed 108 W
We compare the Nordica Unleashed 108 W to the Nordica Unleashed 98 W, Blizzard Sheeva 10, Blizzard Sheeva 11, Nordica Santa Ana 104 Free, Coalition Snow Rafiki, Salomon QST Stella 106, Armada ARW 106 UL, Faction Dancer 3X, Fischer Ranger 102, K2 Mindbender 106C, & Majesty Vadera 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.
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Blister Brand Guide: The North Face Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2023
With the addition of several new and updated models, The North Face’s 2023 trail lineup continues to build on “VECTIV,” the patented technology system driving their footwear design process. Check out our Brand Guide to learn more about VECTIV 2.0, how it’s expressed in The North Face’s shoes, and which one might make the most sense for how and where you run.
Corrine Malcolm on Running Media, Barkley Marathons Coverage, & Trail Trend Forecasting (Ep.165)
adidas TERREX Athlete Corrine Malcolm returns to our Off The Couch podcast for a grab bag conversation on topics like the pros and cons of the way mainstream media outlets cover trail running; the Barkley Marathons; fitness trends; and much more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(If you’re already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)
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.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, September 2023 (Ep.280)
This week, Cody and I pay tribute to Robb Gaffney, then discuss the growth in snowsports and who is more passionate: alpine skiers, cross country skiers, or snowboarders; the sale of Silverton Mountain; the Most Canadian News; Cody’s latest FIFTY film, ‘Split’; & more.