BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2023 Marin Rift Zone
Marin’s new Rift Zone is proof that good geometry doesn’t have to be expensive, and looks like an extremely promising option for an affordable mid-travel Trail bike. Check out our First Look for the rundown.
Win Wagner Skis
The winner of our gear giveaway this week will get to pick a ski from Wagner’s excellent Factory lineup!
5-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (22/23)
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 — check out Part 2 of their selections.
2022 Pivot Shadowcat
We’ve had three reviewers spending time on the Pivot Shadowcat, and while it’s a bit of an unusual offering in 2022 — a very light, efficient 27.5’’ Trail bike — it’s proven to be a ton of fun, and a great example of why 27.5’’ wheels should stick around.
Shop Talk: Celebrating 10 Years of Powder Hound in Girdwood, AK (Ep.222)
Our Blister Recommended Shop, Powder Hound, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary, so we caught up with one of the owners, Eric Helmbrecht, to go over some of the major trends, takeaways, and reflections he has after a decade of running a local, year-round shop in Girdwood, AK.
Blister Brand Guide: Nnormal Running Shoe Lineup, 2022
Nnormal, which launched earlier this year, is a collaboration between one of trail running’s most accomplished figures, Kilian Jornet, and Camper, the Spanish footwear giant. As a brand whose core values are largely environmentally focused, Nnormal shoes are intended to be replaced less often and versatile enough to perform many different roles within a runner’s quiver. Take a look at our Brand Guide to learn more about each one of their 2022 trail shoes.
Hannah Otto on Setting the Whole Enchilada FKT (Ep.143)
Hannah Otto just demolished the FKT for the Whole Enchilada trail in Moab — including the road climb to the top — and we sat down with her to get the whole story.
Amateur Hour: ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, on Knives (Ep.13)
ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, is known for being maniacal about the craft of building skis. But today, we talk with Scott about his other obsession: knives — how he got into them; knife quivers; patina chasing; price ranges; cutting boards; and more.
Maxxis Shorty
It’s turning to wet-weather riding season in a lot of places, and the Maxxis Shorty is a great option for a soft-conditions tire that still maintains some versatility when things firm up. Check out our review to see where it excels and how it compares to the competition.
Chef Soraya Smith & CEO Duane Primozich on the Future of Backpacker’s Pantry & Making Adventure Food Sustainably (Ep.145)
Backpacker’s Pantry recently welcomed a new leader to take the company into its exciting next chapter. As CEO, Duane Primozich will prioritize Backpacker’s Pantry’s role as environmental stewards, a commitment to sustainability that goes above and beyond. We recently sat down with Duane and Backpacker’s Pantry owner and head chef, Soraya Smith, to hear all about where the company is headed; climate change’s adverse effects on the food industry; what Backpacker’s Pantry is doing to reverse them; and much more.
2023 WNDR Alpine Skis & Snowboards | Blister Summit Brand Lineup
We talk with WNDR Alpine founder, Matt Sterbenz, about all the wide-ranging projects the brand has been working on over the past year, including their first-ever snowboards and splitboards; new “Spiral Plate” and how it’s helping them make their production more circular; the revised Intention 108 ski; the future plans for their bio-based Algal Tech (including WNDR Alpine french fries?); and much more.
2023 Scott Genius & Genius ST
Scott just launched a new version of their Genius Trail bike, and it’s got wild levels of cockpit integration, unusual suspension tech, and out-there looks to go with it.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (October 2022) (Ep.234)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the latest 50 Project episode (The Sphinx); the US Alpine Team’s new name & sponsor; Cotopaxi closing its San Francisco store after repeated break-ins; NFL Talk; Mountain Town Advice; what we’re reading & watching; and more.
Blister Speaker Series Video: Jeremy Jones
Check out the full video from Jeremy Jones’ talk for the Blister Speaker Series at Western Colorado University, where he discussed filming, snowboarding, founding POW, the ‘outdoor state,’ POW’s ongoing and evolving efforts to address climate change, and more.
Flash Review — Ibis Ripmo V2S
Is the Ibis Ripmo V2S a more versatile take on an Enduro bike, or a more game-on Trail one? We’re not quite sure yet, but we’ve been spending time on the updated Ripmo and have some early thoughts on how it stacks up.
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
COROS Vertix 2
The updated Vertix 2 is the most feature-laden (and expensive) watch in COROS’ lineup. As the brand’s flagship model, it’s intended to support an exhaustive list of activities for an exhausting amount of time with one of the longest estimated battery lives we’ve tested. But at what point does taking the idea of “do-it-all” begin to subtract from a watch’s functionality? Check out our full review to learn more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Shaggy’s Mohawk 98
One of the new models Shaggy’s released this past season, the Mohawk 98 mixes traits from a wide range of all-mountain skis — 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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Athletes & Product Design | Blister Summit 2023 Video
When it comes to gear, how do you balance the specific needs of world-class athletes with those of average skiers and riders? McKenna Petersen (K2 athlete), Drew Peterson (Salomon athlete), Tyler Curle (Moment athlete & ski builder), and Jed Yeiser (K2 engineer) discuss that balancing act; the weirdest prototypes they’ve tried; what “evolutionary” and “revolutionary” changes we should expect in the future; which discontinued products they’d like to bring back, and more.
2022-2023 Peak 104SC
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Peak 104SC.
Sam Elias: Life, Death, & Flow
For our latest Open Mic, Sam Elias discusses finding purpose and ease in the swirling circumstances of home making, community building, hard climbing, tragedy, loss, grief, gun culture, and mass-shooting events.
Jason Hardrath on Preparing for the Pico de Orizaba Infinity Loop (Ep.170)
The King of FKT’s, Jason Hardrath, returns to our Off The Couch Podcast to discuss the buildup to his attempted “infinity loop” on Mexico’s Pico de Orizaba, the tallest volcano in North America.
Flash Review — EXT Aria
EXT has made a name for itself in the bike world with a range of very impressive coil shocks, but they’ve now got an air-sprung offering, the Aria, and we’ve been riding it. Check out our initial on-trail 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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Reviewing the News w/ Len Necefer (April 2023) (Ep.258)
While Cody is off trying to get on top of a peak somewhere, we brought in Dr. Len Necefer to discuss the Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial, The Most Sonoran News, Luis Benitez & the creation of a new federal office of outdoor recreation, mountain town advice, & more.
Flash Review: 23/24 K2 Mindbender 106C
K2 updated their lighter “Mindbender C” skis for 23/24, and we’ve been skiing the new Mindbender 106C. 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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Blister Brand Guide: Altra Running Shoe Lineup, 2023
While all Altra shoes share their signature zero-drop platform and “FootShape” fit, there’s still a ton of variation within both their road and trail lineups, including several new models for 2023. Check out our Brand Guide for a full breakdown of what sets each shoe apart from the others, and which ones best match your running style.
Mindbenders, Waybacks, & More: 23/24 K2 Skis | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We sat down with K2’s head ski designer, Jed Yeiser, to discuss all the new products they’re rolling out for the 2023-2024 season, including their overhauled “Mindbender C” skis; implementing materials that are both higher-performing and more sustainable; K2’s updated Wayback touring collection and how those skis compare to their Dispatch series, and more.
Powder Ski Design w/ Folsom’s Mike McCabe (Ep.243)
Today Mike McCabe and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about the design elements of skis built for the deepest of days, and their recent trip to Alaska.