BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Blister Reviewers’ 2022 Highlights & 2023 Resolutions (Ep.241)
A number of our Blister reviewers reflect on some of their favorite moments of 2022, and share with us their resolutions for 2023.
2022-2023 K2 Mindbender 89Ti
Revamped for 22/23, the Mindbender 89Ti is a particularly versatile all-mountain ski that we think a whole bunch of skiers could appreciate. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for the whole story.
Deep Dive: K2 Mindbender 89Ti
We compare the Mindbender 89Ti to the Mindbender 99Ti, Blizzard Brahma 88, Folsom Spar 88, Nordica Enforcer 88, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Blizzard Rustler 9, Volkl M6 Mantra, Salomon Stance 90, DPS Pagoda 90 RP, Head Kore 87, Line Blade Optic 92, Black Crows Serpo, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Line Blade, Fischer Ranger 90, & J Skis Fastforward.
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Marker 22/23 Bindings | Blister Summit Brand Lineup
We sat down with Marker’s Derek McClellan and Chris McKenna to discuss Marker’s 2022-2023 lineup of ski bindings; how their products have evolved over 75 years; why frame bindings still have a place in the market; the ideal end users for a Marker Alpinist vs. Duke PT vs. frame binding; the latest features and updates of Marker’s alpine bindings; and more.
Reviewer Reports + Crashes & Close Calls (Ep.228)
Jonathan, Kara, Luke, and Dylan discuss some of the notable gear they’ve been reviewing this season, and we also launch a new GEAR:30 segment called Crashes & Close Calls.
Win the Dynastar M-Free 99
The winner of our gear giveaway this week will get the playful and damp M-Free 99 ski from Dynastar!
Flash Review: 22/23 Fischer Ranger 115 GW DYN
Here are our initial impressions of the stiffest women-specific boot in Fischer’s 50/50 boot series, the Ranger 115.
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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Ed Masters on The 2022 Season, Team Dynamics, Rule Changes, & More (Ep.149)
The one and only Ed Masters is back on Bikes & Big Ideas to chat about his strong 2022 season, the upcoming rule changes for 2023, and a whole lot more — including what might be the wildest mid-race-run mishap story of all time.
Öhlins RXF34 m.2
We’ve been big fans of Öhlins’ RXF 36 and RXF 38, but what about their little sibling — the RXF 34 m.2? We’ve had two reviewers spending time on the short-travel Trail fork and the results are interesting — check out our full review for more, including direct comparisons to the Fox 34 and RockShox Pike.
Scarpa Ribelle Run
The Ribelle Run represents an important step forward for Scarpa’s line of trail shoes. With its smartly designed upper and dialed-in outsole configuration, the Ribelle Run is more than just competitive against fixtures in the technical mountain running shoe category. Check out our full review to learn what we think makes it such a good option for alpine excursions, both on and off trail.
Amateur Hour: Atomic’s Matt Manser on Scotch, Part 1 (Ep.17)
When Atomic Ski Boots Product Manager, Matt Manser, isn’t nerding out about ski boots … he’s nerding out about Scotch. And in this conversation, Matt and Jonathan discuss butt casks and blood tubs; why cask size matters; barrel-aged ski boots; tea spoons; single malts vs. blends; and more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Wagner Custom 104
We’ve been spending time on one of Wagner’s fully custom skis, and the results so far have been very, very interesting. Check out Luke Koppa’s 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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2022-2023 Faction Dancer 2X
The Faction Dancer 2X isn’t your traditional dual-metal-laminate all-mountain ski, and for certain folks, that’s going to make it very appealing. Check out the Full Review for more info.
Reflections, Photos, & Trip Report from Skiing Antarctica
In our latest installment of our Open Mic series, Blister reviewer, Kara Williard, reflects on her recent ski trip to Antarctica, including travel logistics, a bit of history, and lessons learned.
Midlayer Roundup 2022
If you’re in the market for a new midlayer, be sure to check out this roundup — our reviewers compare and contrast 19 different men’s & women’s insulators, ranging from ultra-breathable fleeces to a variety of puffies and softshells. We’ve just updated it with 7 new additions from Patagonia, Outdoor Research, Strafe, Le Bent, & Artilect.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Marker’s 23/24 Touring & Freeride Bindings | Blister Summit 2023 Video
At Blister Summit 2023, we sat down with Marker’s Chris McKenna to discuss their 2023-2024 binding lineup, including the brand-new Cruise touring binding; how it compares to the Marker Alpinist; the updates they’ve made to the Duke PT collection; and more.
New Binding Tech: Tyrolia Protector Bindings with Full Heel Release (Ep.249)
Tyrolia’s Protector bindings with “Full Heel Release” is something that every skier ought to know about. Tyrolia calls it “the safest binding we have ever made,” and exactly how it works and how it’s supposed to reduce knee injuries is the topic of this conversation.
Shaman 2.0, Pioneer X, & More: 23/24 Icelantic Skis | Blister Summit 2023 Video
At Blister Summit 2023, we sat down with Icelantic’s John Douthit to discuss their 2023-2024 ski collection. We cover the resurrected & revised Shaman 2.0 collection; their new high-performance Pioneer X; athlete-driven Saba Pro & Nia Pro series; and more.
Win an MTB Crankset from Rotor
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Kapic Crankset from Rotor!
Öhlins RXC34 m.1 and TXC Air
Eagle-eyed observers might have caught wind of Öhlins’ foray into the world of XC race suspension when they were listed as a partner of Team BMC, and now the fork and shock(s) that they’ve developed are breaking cover.
A Very Deep Dive on Suspension with EXT’s Franco Fratton, Pt. 3 (Ep.173)
EXT founder Franco Fratton is back on Bikes & Big Ideas to continue our deep dive on suspension, this time covering spring designs and the tradeoffs between coil and air ones; active suspension & the future of MTB suspension design, and a whole lot more.
New Balance Fresh Foam X More Trail v3
The New Balance Fresh Foam X More Trail v3 is a lot of shoe by just about any standard. As one of the most cushioned ultra-distance options currently on the market, it has so far escaped several of the common pitfalls that plague many models in the hyper-maximalist trail shoe category. Check out our full review to learn more.
Snowbound
Snowbound is a family-owned shop on Sydney’s North Shore in Australia. This store offers a top-notch assortment of ski equipment and services.
Flash Review — GT Sensor ST
We got pretty excited about the new GT Sensor ST when it launched, and now we’ve started spending time on 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.
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.)
23/24 Atomic Skis & Boots | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We discuss Atomic’s updated “Bent” ski collection; Chris Benchetler’s new role as Creative Director at Atomic; how they’ve evaluated & decreased the environmental impact of their skis; implementing the BOA Fit System into their ski boots; the brand-new Backland XTD boots, and more.
Resisting the Algorithm
In our latest Open Mic piece, Brendan Leonard writes about modern life, real discoveries, and the essence of adventure.
2023 Giant Glory Advanced
The Giant Glory is back. The prior-generation version had grown long in the tooth and mostly faded out of the market, but now there’s a new one with a full carbon fiber frame, mixed wheels, tons of adjustability, and more. Check out our First Look for the rundown.