BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Dani Moreno on Stepping Up In Distance, Spearfishing, & Planning for Podiums (Ep.154)
As a newly minted thirty-year-old, Dani Moreno has already been racing trails professionally for the better part of a decade. Over the last couple of years, she’s solidified her status as one of the world’s best sub-ultra distance trail runners. We sat down with her just after the New Year to recap some memorable performances from 2022; dive into topics such as spearfishing, pain tolerance, and what to look for in a college track & field program; and much more.
The ‘R’ Word (Our Least Favorite Four-Letter Word)
“There is one four-letter word that I hear thrown around a lot, but most of us resist it big-time.” Read on, and let the revolution begin.
Continental Kryptotal Tires
Continental gave their entire gravity tire lineup a major overhaul last year, and having now spent most of the season on their all-rounder Kryptotal pair, we think they’re extremely good tires for a lot of conditions, but are just a couple of tweaks away from being perfect. Check out our full review to find out where they work best and what sets them apart, including comparisons to the Maxxis Assegai, Minion DHF and DHR II, Schwalbe Magic Mary, and more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Volkl Mantra 102
Update 1.9.23: We’ve been spending more time on the redesigned Mantra 102 and the results so far have been very promising — check out Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth’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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Bill McKibben: Skier, Environmentalist, Activist, Author (Ep.243)
When trying to gain clarity on issues of climate change (where we are, where we’ve been, and where we should go from here) it is a good idea to talk to Bill McKibben.
Blizzard Launches New 23/24 Rustler & Sheeva Skis
Today Blizzard announced the latest generation of their freeride Rustler and Sheeva skis — check out our writeup for all the details.
Flash Review: 22/23 New Outerwear Update: 686, Beringia, & Trew
We’ve been testing a few very interesting new ski / snowboard kits from 686, Beringia, and Trew — check out Luke Koppa’s initial impressions and apparel nerdery.
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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Jeremy Jones on the Evolution of Snowboard Design (Ep.230)
Today we’ve got for you a masterclass on the history and evolution of snowboard design with Jeremy Jones, as well as Jeremy’s own philosophy behind product creation and refinement at Jones Snowboards.
Win Any J Ski
The winner of this week’s gear giveaway will get to choose any J Ski they want!
Volkl 22/23 Skis | Blister Summit Brand Lineup Video
We sat down with Volkl’s Ivar Dahl and Chris McKenna to discuss all the latest updates to the brand’s 2022-2023 ski lineup; Volkl’s 100-year anniversary; some of their latest ski technologies, including Tailored Titanal Frame, 3D Radius, & Tailored Carbon Tip; the new Kendo 88 & Mantra 102; Volkl’s approach to adapting ski construction depending on each length; and more.
2022-2023 Black Crows Atris
Black Crows gave one of their most popular skis an update this year, though the changes looked subtle on paper. How about on snow? Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see how the latest Atris compares to its predecessors, and the rest of the market.
Deep Dive: Black Crows Atris
We compare the Atris to the previous Atris, Black Crows Camox, Black Crows Corvus, Salomon QST 106, Line Blade Optic 104, Elan Ripstick 106, ZAG Slap 104, DPS Koala 103, RMU Apostle 106, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Moment Deathwish 104, Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, Blizzard Rustler 10, Volkl Revolt 104, 4FRNT Devastator, K2 Reckoner 102, Whitedot Altum 104, 4FRNT MSP 107, Sego Big Horn 106, Armada ARW 106 UL, Line Sir Francis Bacon, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, & J Skis Hotshot.
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.
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TRP DH-R Evo Brakes
There are more DH-worthy brakes on the market than ever before (and good ones, at that), and TRP’s DH-R Evos are a strong contender for folks with the right preferences.
Gear of the Year, 2022
We reviewed more mountain bikes and gear than ever before in 2022, and so David Golay, Dylan Wood, and Luke Koppa sat down to recount a bunch of their favorites.
2022-2023 Zag Slap 104
We’ve now had a few reviewers (female & male) on the ZAG Slap 104 — the mid-fat model in their “freestyle backcountry” series, and it’s time to weigh in on this lightweight, maneuverable ski. Check out our Full Review and Deep Dive for all the info.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Blister Labs: Wheelset Testing — Updates & Initial Results (Ep.253)
Today we’re providing some updates and discussing the implications of the initial results of our Blister Labs wheelset testing with Greg Vanderbeek and Travis Hainsworth.
Win a Pack from RMU
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Core Pack 15L from RMU!
Deviate Cycles on High-Pivot Bikes, Onshoring Production, & the Lowlander Prototype (Ep.177)
High-pivot Trail bikes are becoming increasingly common, but Deviate Cycles was a pioneer of that trend, and we sat down with Deviate co-founder Ben Jones to talk about why they went that direction when few companies were; gearboxes & mass adoption of new ideas; onshoring production & their wild Lowlander 3D-printed titanium and carbon fiber prototype; & a whole lot more.
2023 Specialized P.Series
Specialized has overhauled its longstanding P.Series line of Dirt-Jump bikes, and the lineup now includes versions for the whole family, with wheel sizes ranging from 20’’ to 27.5’’.
Flash Review – Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0
The Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 is an ultra high-end women-specific Enduro bike that we’ve been spending time on — Blister Members can now read 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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Yeti SB160
The Yeti SB150’s geometry was notably radical when it launched back in 2018. Since then, the mountain bike landscape has changed a lot, and the SB150’s successor, the SB160, no longer stands out as much on paper. On trail, though, it’s still an especially game-on Enduro race bike — and a damn good one for folks with the right approach and preferences.
2023-2024 Nordica Dobermann 5 S
Here are our measured specs, photos, and a quick rundown of Nordica’s race-inspired boot, the Dobermann 5 S, as well as details about the entire 5th generation of the Dobermann lineup.
Art & the Outdoors (Ep.267)
Why do we need centers of art in mountain towns and places of great natural beauty? It’s a question that any of us who live in or visit mountain towns ought to consider, and Jonathan discusses it with Courtney Gilbert, the curator of the Sun Valley Museum of Art.
Flash Review — Canfield One.2 Super Enduro
Enduro bikes have gotten longer-travel and burlier in recent years, but the Canfield One.2 Super Enduro still stands out, with 190 mm at both ends. So is it a long-legged Enduro bike, more of a pedalable DH rig, or something else entirely? We’ve started spending time on it to find out, and Blister Members can now read our early findings.
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.)
Win Apparel from WNDR Alpine
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a complete Phase Series kit from WNDR Alpine!
Athletes & Product Design (Ep.252)
When it comes to gear, how do you balance the specific needs of world-class athletes with those of average skiers and riders? In this conversation from Blister Summit 2023, McKenna Petersen (K2 athlete), Drew Peterson (Salomon athlete), Tyler Curle (Moment athlete & ski builder), and Jed Yeiser (K2 engineer) discuss exactly that, plus a whole lot more.
EXT Aria
We’ve been very impressed by a number of EXT’s coil shocks over the years, and having now spent a lot of time on the Aria — their first air-sprung MTB rear shock — we’re ready to weigh in on how it stacks up to EXT’s own Storia, as well as the modern crop of high-volume, beefy air shocks.