BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Reynolds Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro Wheels
The Reynolds Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro wheels are very light and notably wide for an all-around Trail bike option, and we think that makes them an especially compelling option for the right riders. Check out our full review to see how they stack up and who they’ll work best for.
Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2022 — In The Garage
Next up in our 2022 Gift Guide series are those bigger items that you might need to hide in the garage — you can now check out Part Two of our reviewers’ recommendations, with additions from Jonathan Ellsworth and Kristin Sinnott.
BLISTER+: Real-World Testimonials — Dylan Wood
Dylan Wood shares his injury story, and how BLISTER+ helped him get the care he needed — at no cost to him.
BLISTER+: Real-World Testimonials — Jonathan Ellsworth
A random crash on a very mellow section of a mtn bike ride left me in rough shape, and a friend took me to the emergency room. Even though I was paying nearly $600 a month for insurance, I still had to pay $8000 to cover my deductible.
With BLISTER+, I would have paid $0.
Ellie Smith on Racing all the Disciplines, Bike Setup, Welding, & More (Ep.148)
Ellie Smith entered the 2022 race season with few expectations and little more of a plan than to do her best and see where things went from there. Then she won the Australian National DH Championships (on an Enduro bike) — and that was just the start.
Trail Running Glossary of Terms: Trail Lingo
Trail running culture has a language all its own, full of slang terms, expressions, and phrases that add character to the sport. Here’s another update to our Trail Running Lingo glossary, in an attempt to define and explain some of the common, curious, and often-confounding vocabulary of the sport.
CORK: Holiday Edition (Ep.16)
Danielle & Katie Nichols, the sisters behind CORK in Stowe, VT, are back to talk more about “natural wine”; discuss Italy, “priest stranglers,” and Corksicles; offer advice on holiday gift buying; and tell us about the revamped CORK Wine Club.
2022-2023 Nordica Santa Ana Unlimited 93
Nordica’s Santa Ana series has gained a lot of fans over the years, and with the Santa Ana Unlimited 93, Nordica has done a good job maintaining some of the most notable qualities of the Santa Ana series while cutting out a whole lot of weight for a more uphill-friendly ski. Check out our full review for more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Fischer Ranger 96
Update 12.14.22: Luke Koppa adds his thoughts so far on the new Ranger 96.
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Yeti SB120
Yeti’s been busy, launching three new bikes in just the last few weeks. Next up we’re taking a closer look at the shortest-travel one, the SB120.
Ryan Montgomery on Creating an LGBTQ+ Trail Community Through ‘Out Trails’ (Ep.150)
Ultrarunning is often admired for the strength of its community, a quality that unites runners with a sense of belonging. However, we can always do more to ensure that this feeling of acceptance extends to everyone, regardless of how they identify. So, we sat down with Altra Athlete Ryan Montgomery to talk to him about Out Trails, an initiative he started to help build safe spaces for LGBTQ+ runners.
Chromag Darco and Lowdown
There might not be another brand on earth as well-known for aggressive hardtails as Chromag, but today they’ve launched their first (adult) full suspension bikes — the Darco and Lowdown — and they look to keep a lot of Chromag’s identity intact, just in a squishier package.
An Exchange: Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth on The Bear
For this edition of our Open Mic series, Jonathan Ellsworth and Cody Townsend exchange their takes on the FX show The Bear, discussing the plot, the cinematography, and the (controversial?) ending.
BLISTER+: Real-World Testimonials — Luke Koppa
Luke Koppa shares his injury experience and why BLISTER+ is not only useful for catastrophic injuries, but also “minor” ones — especially when you might forgo medical attention altogether, purely due to the cost.
Flash Review: 22/23 Zag Harfang 96
Our male and female reviewers have been testing two lengths of Zag’s directional all-mountain ski — here are their 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 Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Win Summer Gear from Kaenon and Chums
The three winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will get an awesome summer prize package from Chums and Kaenon!
Nike Pegasus Trail 4
The Pegasus Trail 4 feels like Nike is bringing one of their most popular off-road models full circle. Updates introduce new technology to a shoe that’s reverted to its original identity as a fairly lightweight road-to-trail hybrid after spending a few iterations masquerading as a burly ultra-distance option. Check out our full review to learn more.
Forge+Bond on Envisioning, Designing, Testing, & Refining a Carbon Fiber Wheel Design (Ep.172)
Forge+Bond just launched as a new high-end wheel brand, and we sat down with folks from their product and engineering teams, plus F+B athlete Jill Kintner, to talk about the whole process of designing, testing, and refining a new wheelset — from conception to prototyping to athlete feedback and more.
2022-2023 Fischer RC One 82 GT
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Fischer RC One 82 GT.
Bravus Brewing Company: Elevating NA Beer (Ep.27)
Not all beer is created equal, and that certainly goes for NA beer, too. So what’s the secret? We talk with Bravus Brewing Company founder, Philip Brandes, to learn more.
23/24 Faction Skis Collection | Blister Summit 2023 Video
At Blister Summit 2023, we sat down with Faction’s Henrik Lampert, to discuss the brand’s 2023-2024 lineup of skis. From dual-metal-laminate, flat-tailed models to playful twin-tips and multiple touring series, it covers a bit of everything.
Order & Read Now: Our 23/24 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide
Order your print and/or digital copy of the biggest, most honest, accurate, and genuinely useful buyer’s guide in the ski industry. Includes 300+ skis, 70+ boots, & much more.
Order now to get the instant access to the Digital Edition and/or Print.
Leilani Bruntz: Crepitus — An Accident Report
When things go wrong in the mountains, we need to share these stories and see what we all can learn. In our latest Open Mic, professional guide, Leilani Bruntz, shares her recent experience of a difficult day in the mountains.
Flash Review — EXT Era V2.1 Fork
We’ve started spending time on the latest iteration of the EXT Era fork — check out our initial on-trail impressions of the Era V2.1.
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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Mike McKnight on His Record-Setting Cocodona 250 Comeback & Discovering His Potential (Ep.174)
Salomon athlete Mike McKnight’s comeback at this year’s Cocodona 250 was improbable, to put it mildly. After trailing the leaders by more than 30 miles, he rallied to not only win the race, but to do so in record-setting fashion. So, we sat down with Mike to recap his victory, talk about his approach to 200+ mile events, and more.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (May 2023) (Ep.262)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the case for climate optimism; this season’s record number of skier visits; Super El Nino; the Most Canadian News; mountain town advice (including a new pick-up line for mtn towns?); and of course, Succession.
Volkl Revolt 114, Blaze 114, & Secret 102 | Blister Summit 2023 Video
Volkl’s Chris McKenna runs us through the new Blaze 114, a lightweight freeride powder ski; their new big-mountain model, the Revolt 114; how the two compare; how the Revolt 114 differs from the rest of the Revolt series; the updated women’s Secret 102, and more.