BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Deep Dive: Majesty Dirty Bear XL
We compare the Dirty Bear XL to the Black Crows Atris, Line Sir Francis Bacon, Salomon QST 106, K2 Reckoner 102, J Skis Hotshot, 4FRNT Devastator, Moment Deathwish 104, Elan Ripstick 104, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, Whitedot Altum 104, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Line Blade Optic 104, 4FRNT MSP 107, Sego Big Horn 106, Armada ARW 106 UL, Black Crows Camox, Volkl Revolt 104, Blizzard Rustler 10, DPS Koala 103, RMU Apostle 106, & ZAG Slap 104.
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In Search of the ‘Best’ Coffee Gear (& Ski Boots), Pt. 2 (Ep.20)
Sam Higby, co-owner of First Ascent Coffee Roasters, joins Jonathan to talk pour overs, grinders, brewing at altitude, programmability, and more. Listen up, then let us know what your pick is for the best coffee-making setup out there.
Katie Asmuth on Beating the Injury Bug, Mom Strength, & Golden Ticket Season (Ep.158)
While running injuries are undoubtedly the suckiest part of the sport, they’re also perhaps the most inevitable, so learning how to approach them mentally can make time on the shelf an opportunity for growth. After being sidelined with a broken foot for most of 2022, we talked to Saucony Athlete Katie Asmuth about how she used her injury as a way to engage with the trail running community in different ways, and much more.
NF Heavyweight Pants
The NF Heavyweight Pants are the Canadian brand’s take on a cold / wet weather mountain bike pant, and they go about things rather differently from a lot of other options out there — with excellent results.
22/23 4FRNT MSP 91
Here are two of our reviewers’ initial impressions of the narrowest and newest ski in 4FRNT’s metal-laminate MSP collection.
Janji Repeat Merino Tech Long Sleeve
The art of winter layering for running is a skill often learned through patterns of mistakes. You’re just as likely to have an uncomfortable time out on the trails if you overdress or underdress, and threading the needle between takes an intuition gleaned from experience. Janji’s Repeat Merino Tech Long Sleeve, the brand’s new cold weather performance staple, is designed to give you a bit more room for error when it comes to dressing for chilly runs. Check out our full review to learn why we think it’s a must-add piece to most runners’ wardrobes.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (January 2023) (Ep.246)
Cody and Jonathan discuss Kyle Smaine, tragedy, & avalanche safety; separating vs always staying together in the backcountry; Mountain Town Advice, the most Canadian news; coffee gear; & more.
Flash Review: 23/24 Blizzard Sheeva 9 & Sheeva 10
Update 2.4.23: We’ve been spending some more time on the redesigned Sheeva 10, after Kristin Sinnott the Sheeva 9 & 10 this Fall in Austria — check out Kara Williard’s initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2022-2023 Fischer Ranger 102
We’ve had six of our female and male reviewers on two different lengths of the overhauled Ranger 102 — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see how it stacks up to the previous Ranger 102 FR and the rest of the market.
Deep Dive: Fischer Ranger 102
We compare the Ranger 102 to the Ranger 102 FR, Ranger 108, Ranger 96, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Black Crows Justis, Blizzard Bonafide, Zag Slap 104, Blizzard Rustler 10, Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, Moment Commander 98, Line Blade Optic 104, Black Crows Atris, Elan Ripstick 106, Faction Dancer 2, Atomic Maverick 100 Ti, Dynastar M-Pro 99, Nordica Enforcer 100, Salomon QST 98, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Volkl Mantra 102, Salomon Stance 102, J Skis Masterblaster, & 4FRNT MSP 99.
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 Liberty Ski
The winner of this week’s gear giveaway will get to pick any ski they want from Liberty’s diverse lineup!
Shop Talk: 3D Printing & Bootfitting w/ Pulse Boot Lab (Ep.234)
We are back with Kai Palkeinen, founder of Pulse Boot Lab, to hear what Kai and the team at Pulse have been up to, including 3D printing, fitting race boots, and his thoughts on some other recent boot technology, including the rise of BOA dials.
In Search of the ‘Best’ Coffee Gear, Pt 1 (Ep.19)
What’s the best way to make coffee? Strong opinions abound, and our editor-in-chief is currently trying to figure it all out. So we are launching this CRAFTED mini series on coffee gear to try to gain some clarity on the topic. See what you think, and let us know what you recommend!
Trail Running 101: How to Recover from a Trail Run
How well you recover from a run is one of the largest factors dictating your potential for progress. Yet knowing exactly how to handle post-workout recovery can be confusing, with different approaches at times offering conflicting information. So in part ten of our Trail Running 101 series, we provide some basic and easy to follow tips for how to get started.
Braydon Bringhurst on Climbing the Whole Enchilada (Ep.155)
A few months ago, Braydon Bringhurst pulled off the incredible accomplishment of climbing the Whole Enchilada trail in Moab, Utah in a single day — and *rode* every inch of it. So we sat down with Braydon to get the whole story.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Win a Helmet and Glasses from POC
The five winners (!) of our Gear Giveaway this week will get an Axion Race MIPS Helmet and Define Glasses from POC!
Prevelo founder Jacob Rheuban on Designing a Better Kid’s Bike (Ep.181)
Kids’ bikes aren’t (or shouldn’t be) just scaled-down adult ones, and Prevelo founder Jacob Rheuban has a lot of great insights to share on what goes into making a good one.
Flash Review — Propain Ekano 2
Propain describes the Ekano 2 as a more nimble, playful sort of long-travel eMTB, but is it? Check out our initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Propain Ekano 2 AL
Propain’s Ekano eMTB stood out from the rest of their line, with a different suspension layout and geometry that was starting to look a bit dated. That all changes today, with the new Ekano 2 getting a major overhaul. Propain is talking a big game about the Ekano 2 being an especially nimble, “fun” bike, despite its big travel numbers and modern geometry.
Amateur Hour: Atomic’s Matt Manser on Scotch, Part 2 (Ep.32)
Matt Manser (Atomic Ski Boots), is back to dive into the world of independent bottlings. We compare a Bunnahabhain independent bottling against their official 12-year offering; discuss a single cask that cost $19M; debate whether you should add water to your Scotch; and more.
Steeping / What Are We Even Doing, Anyways??
In her latest Open Mic piece, Angel reflects on ‘normal’ life, moving at warp speed, and the art of steeping.
Forge+Bond 25 XC and 30 AM Wheels
Forge+Bond’s wheel lineup is growing with the addition of new XC and AM options — and a price drop while they’re at it.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (July 2023) (Ep.271)
Cody and Jonathan discuss a potential pay cut for wildland firefighters; a robotic exoskeleton that provides “unprecedented experiences for everyone with an outdoor lifestyle”; a skier’s ‘embarrassing’ checklist of life goals; whether sex before skiing enhances or detracts from performance; and much more.
Flash Review — 2024 Santa Cruz Stigmata
We got a first ride on the new Santa Cruz Stigmata last week — check out our initial impressions (and one of our “gravel-curious” reviewer’s thoughts on this sort of riding in general).
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2024 Santa Cruz Stigmata
Longer, lower, and slacker tend to be the standard buzzwords for an updated mountain bike, but Santa Cruz has applied them to their new Stigmata Gravel bike in a big way.
Flash Review — Pivot Shuttle AM
We’ve started spending time on Pivot’s new Shuttle AM — check out our initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review — Trek Fuel EXe Aluminum
We’ve started spending time on Trek’s new aluminum Fuel EXe, testing its claims of a quieter motor and more “natural” feel on the trail — check out 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.
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