The Sportiva VK BOA is designed for something pretty specific — running up steep trails. That said, for the right people, we think it could be a really good option even if you're not always sprinting up mountains. Check out our review for more.
What We’re Watching — August, 2021
Our What We’re Watching series is back, with an assortment of videos short & long; goofy & important; & relaxing to very high adrenaline. Check out a bunch of the best video content we’ve recently seen — plus a sneak preview of our next Bikes & Big Ideas guest.
The Pro’s Gear: Chris Davenport (Ep.157)
Chris Davenport walked over to Blister HQ from Aspen to talk about how he thinks about ski gear and his own personal preferences. We also discuss monoskiing; which gear he is most and least picky about; ski width; mount points; weight; and whether Shane McConkey would be into these GEAR:30 conversations.
Win a RUX Gear Organizer
The RUX is currently the "piece of gear our editor most wants to steal from another reviewer," and this week you can win one!
Reviewer Reports: DW-link Head-to-Head; Forbidden Dreadnought; Shimano vs. Sram; & Category-Defying Pedals
David Golay talks to Dylan Wood about two short-travel, DW-link bikes at opposite ends of the price spectrum; a range of longer-travel Enduro bikes from fairly conventional to quite unusual; some category-defying pedals; thoughts on the importance (or lack thereof) of bike weight; & the current state of the Shimano vs. SRAM drivetrain wars.
Nathan Pinnacle 12L Race Vest
We thought the Nathan VaporKrar 2.0 running vest was "really close to being an awesome pack." Now Nathan has released its successor, the Pinnacle 12L, so does it address some of the downsides of the previous one while maintaining the upsides? Check out our review.
Flash Review — Ibis Ripley AF
Update 8.3.21: Luke Koppa adds his thoughts on Ibis's budget-friendly, shorter-travel Trail bike.
2021 Pivot Trail 429
Pivot’s longstanding Trail 429 recently got a major update, but how true to the original recipe is the new, V3 version? We've now had two reviewers spending a lot of time on the new bike, and you can check out our full review for their thoughts on the new bike and how it compares to the rest of the market.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (July 2021) (Ep.176)
Cody and Jonathan discuss athletes & mental health; the affordable housing issues facing mountain towns; Pit Viper vs. far-right extremists (??); the ongoing consolidation of outdoor media; and more.
Stuff We Like: July 2021
In this edition of our "Stuff We Like" series, we've got a mix of products we've grown to love even more after posting our reviews, some daily essentials, camping gear, and more.
Andrew Alexander King’s Denali Expedition & the Gear He Used (Ep.156)
Andrew Alexander King tells us about his experience on Denali and some of the most important gear he used.
Win Women’s & Men’s Kits from Club Ride
This week TWO people will get a shirt, short, & chamois from Club Ride!
2021-2022 Sego Comp 110
The Sego Comp 110 seems like a pretty niche ski — it was designed for freeride skiers who need to ski fast and go big, and also throw tricks. But after a season on it, we think its rare blend of traits could be appealing to many skiers — not just those on the competition circuit. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Sego Comp 110
We compare the Comp 110 to the Sego Big Horn 106, Dynastar M-Free 108, J Skis Hotshot, Volkl Katana 108, Moment Commander 108, Blizzard Cochise 106, Nordica Enforcer 110 Free, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Prior Northwest 110, ON3P Woodsman 108, Folsom Blister Pro 104, Black Crows Corvus, Prior Husume, Icelantic Nomad 105, Black Crows Atris, 4FRNT MSP 107, Moment Wildcat 108, & Faction Dictator 3.0.
Little Bellas / Sabra Davison (Ep.76)
Sabra Davison grew up ski racing and running, but when she got into mountain biking, she saw girls participating at far lower rates — so she decided to do something about it. Sabra (along with her sister, World Cup XC racer and two-time Olympian, Lea) founded Little Bellas to get girls into riding bikes, and develop the confidence to keep with it. We sat down with Sabra to talk about Little Bellas; how to make skill building fun; removing barriers to participation in what is an expensive sport; and a whole lot more.
Nobl TR37 Wheels
Carbon wheels have become fairly commonplace but Nobl’s TR37s are quite different from most of the market, with front- and rear-specific rims and an unusual “Sine Wave'' rim profile. That's well and good, but how do they compare to the competition on the trail? Check out our full review to find out.
Flat Pedal Roundup — 2021
It’s certainly possible to spend a whole lot of money on a pair of flat pedals, but should you? Flat pedals cover a huge range from basic composite options through super-blingy machined aluminum wonders, and we’ve been testing nine different options across the whole spectrum. Check out our roundup to find out how they all stack up.
2021-2022 DPS Foundation Koala 103
Two of our reviewers spent time on DPS's new, playful all-mountain ski and both really enjoyed their time on it. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons of the Koala 103 for more on this versatile ski.
Deep Dive: DPS Foundation Koala 103
We compare the Koala 103 to the DPS Foundation Koala 118, DPS Pagoda 106 C2, Moment Wildcat 108, Dynastar M-Free 108, Line Sir Francis Bacon, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Liberty Origin 106, Black Crows Atris, Icelantic Nomad 105, Blizzard Rustler 10, Prior Northwest 110, ON3P Woodsman 108, Moment Meridian, J Skis Hotshot, Elan Ripstick 106, Line Sick Day 104, Head Kore 105, Whitedot Altum 104, 4FRNT Devastator, K2 Reckoner 102, Volkl Revolt 104, & Season Nexus.
Revelshine founder, Jake Bilbro, on Skiing & Wine Culture, and the Joys of Getting Out but Going Easy (Ep.175)
Jonathan Ellsworth was in Ketchum, Idaho, this past week hanging out and riding bikes with Blister member, Jake Bilbro, who is the founder of Revelshine. In this conversation, they talk about Jake’s unique background; skiing and wine culture; the joys of getting out but going easy; and more.