BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Bootfitting 101: Aftermarket Liners & Power Straps
In this next installment of our Bootiftting 101 series, we build on the many steps to achieving a great fitting pair of ski boots by exploring some of the aftermarket liners and other upgrades you can invest in to potentially further improve your setup.
Win Glade Goggles & a Helmet
This week the winner of our weekly Gear Giveaway will get Glade’s brand new Adapt 2 Goggles and Boundary Helmet!
A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 4: Big-Mountain Freeride Bootfitting with Fasa (Ep.221)
For the fourth installment of our Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, we talked with Fasa, who not only works at the Moment Ski Factory, but also happens to run one of the best bootfitting shops in the Reno area. Fasa runs us through what a “big-mountain freeride” approach to bootfitting looks like; how his background in running informs his understanding of feet and biomechanics; some weirdness about what athletes can tolerate, and much more.
Altra Outroad
The Outroad is Altra’s first true hybrid running shoe designed to transition between roads and trails with ease — here are our thoughts on how well it blurs those lines.
The Orogenesis Collective on Building the World’s Longest MTB Trail (Ep.142)
What if there was a Pacific Crest Trail, but for mountain bikes? The Orogenesis Collective is making it happen, with the planned route covering over 5,000 miles and spanning three countries. So we sat down to chat about the route, the story behind its founding, what you can do to help, & much more.
The Art & Science of Whiskey, with Liz Rhoades, WhistlePig (Ep.12)
We sat down with the head of whiskey development at WhistlePig, Liz Rhoades, to dive deep into the art and science of distilling, sourcing, yeast strains, specific types of rye, non-alcoholic whiskey, and … WhistlePig’s new bourbon.
e*thirteen Grappler Tire
e*thirteen calls the Grappler their most aggressive tire ever, meant for steep terrain across a range of conditions. Check out our full review to see how it stacks up against some other tires that claim the same.
Next Level Mtn Bike Wheel Testing | Blister Labs
In this video we provide a behind-the-scenes look at our latest testing of various mountain bike wheels’ performance characteristics — check it out to see what we’ve been up to!
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
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.)
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.
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.)
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.
Win Deuter Ski Touring Packs
This week the two winners of our Gear Giveaway will get the Freerider Pro 34+ or the Freerider Pro 32+ SL ski touring pack from Deuter!
23/24 Nordica Ski Collection | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We talked with Nordica to cover how their Enforcer and Santa Ana skis have evolved over the years; their touring-oriented Enforcer Unlimited and Santa Ana Unlimited series; the introduction and expansion of their playful Unleashed collection; where their Wild Belle and new Steadfast series slot into their lineup, and more.