BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
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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.
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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.
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
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:
4-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (23/24)
We started our annual ski-quiver series with giant 5-ski quivers, but now it’s time to trim things down — but just a bit. Seven of our reviewers have now chimed in with their picks, including the latest update from Jonathan Ellsworth.
5-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (23/24)
With ski season kicking off soon (or already) in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s once again time to think about ski quivers. We’re starting by asking our reviewers what they’d pick if they were putting together a 5-ski quiver — you can now see what our founder, Jonathan Ellsworth, would pick.
Parlor Custom Skis: Building Skis in Boston, Custom vs. Semi-Custom Skis, & the Age-Old Question of Ski Width for East-Coast Skiing (Ep.271)
Jonathan was at the Parlor Custom Skis factory in East Boston to check out the factory and talk with Parlor owner & manager, Mark Wallace, about building custom skis in Boston; assessing skiers (and skiers assessing themselves); custom vs. semi-custom skis; and more.
Flash Review — Devinci E-Troy
The Devinci E-Troy has pretty radical geometry for a mid-travel eMTB, and we’ve started spending time on it. 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.
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Win Skis or a Snowboard from Weston
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get their choice of a pair of skis or a snowboard from Weston!
Daymaker TEKDAPTERS Ski Touring Adapters | First Look Video
Daymaker Touring’s TEKDAPTERS are the latest ski-touring solution to hit the market, and they’re one of the most affordable ways to get into the backcountry. In this video, we go over how they work, who they’re for, how they compare to Daymaker Classic adapters, and more.
Neko Mulally on Selling the Frameworks DH Bike, Signing Asa Vermette, and More (Ep.195)
Neko Mulally’s Frameworks DH bike is now available for pre-order, and we sat down with Neko to chat about its development, the production version of the bike, his experimentation with different frame materials, and much more.
2024 Canyon Lux Trail
There’s a ton of diversity in the shorter-travel Trail bike world these days, and maybe no brand singlehandedly demonstrates that better than Canyon. Their Lux Trail, Neuron, and Spectral 125 all share similar-ish travel numbers but have very, very different geometries and intended uses. Now, Canyon’s giving the most XC-oriented bike of the bunch, the Lux Trail, a big update.
2024 Santa Cruz V10
Santa Cruz hasn’t tried to hide that they’ve been working on a new version of their V10 DH bike, and now it’s here. Meet the eighth generation of one of the most successful DH race bikes of all time.
Flash Review: 23/24 Scarpa Maestrale RS
Update 11.6.23: We’re skiing again! Check out Dylan Wood’s thoughts after he got his chance to try the updated Scarpa Maestrale RS.
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 Speaker Series: Trevor Kennison & Level 1 director, Josh Berman (Ep.285)
Trevor Kennison & Level 1 founder, Josh Berman, came to Western Colorado University for our Blister Speaker Series for a follow-up conversation about their new film, Full Circle. We discussed what life’s been like for both of them since the film premiered; we take questions from the audience; and Trevor answers the big question: is he glad his injury happened?
Win Outerwear from Flylow
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a bib + jacket outerwear kit from Flylow!