BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Joe DeMoor on the Sub-Ultra Trail Scene, His Colorado Running Roots, and Riding the Red Line (Ep.147)
Joe DeMoor is about as Colorado as they come; running up mountains is in his blood. The Buena Vista native and La Sportiva athlete has had a breakout year of racing thus far, so we sat down with him to talk about growing up on Colorado trails; the ins-and-outs of sub-ultra-distance racing; graveyard shifts; pain caves; and a whole lot more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Black Crows Atris
This past weekend one of our reviewers got his first turns of the season aboard the redesigned Atris — check out his initial thoughts on what’s changed and what hasn’t.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Benji Alexander on Life after the Olympics & the Future of Snowsports (Ep.236)
Since becoming Jamaica’s first Olympic alpine ski racer, nothing has slowed down for Benji Alexander. So we caught up with Benji to talk about post-Olympics life; opening doors for other athletes; ensuring the future of snowsports; and more.
Flash Review — Hope Evo 155 mm Cranks
Mountain bike crank length hasn’t been widely examined in a long time. That seems to be changing, with a number of brands touting the benefits of shorter options, and we’ve started spending time on Hope’s 155 mm option — one of the shortest on the market. Check out our Flash Review for our early 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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Win Zag Skis
The winner of our gear giveaway this week will get either the Slap 98 or Slap 98 Lady from Zag Skis out of Chamonix, France!
Blizzard-Tecnica’s Women2Women Program with Leslie Baker-Brown (Ep.223)
Kristin Sinnott and Kara Williard talk with Blizzard-Tecnica’s Women2Women program founder and ski legend, Leslie Baker-Brown, about her background in ski racing; her 32 years of work for Blizzard-Tecnica; their design process for women’s gear (including designing the #1 selling ski in the world); what gives her hope and inspiration for the future; and where we can still work to improve the industry.
Renoun: the Non-Newtonian Ski Company | Blister Summit Brand Lineup
We sat down with Renoun founder & engineer, Cyrus Schenck, to get a rundown on what makes Renoun skis unique — and we do not use that term lightly — and the skis that constitute their current lineup. Other topics include what blood and Renoun skis have in common (?); how Renoun’s approach to ski weight has evolved over the years; the interesting backstory of their women-specific Earhart 88; and a whole lot more.
Black Diamond Rhythm T
As a mainstay of Black Diamond’s Distance Line, the Rhythm T is intended to be a do-it-all layer for everything from casual day hikes to long pushes above treeline. After over 2000 total miles of testing, we think the shirt is likely a worthwhile addition to many runners’ wardrobes. Check out our full review to learn why the Rhythm T might be the only one you need.
Trinity MTB’s Gearbox & V3 Prototype (Ep.144)
The development of the Trinity MTB has been one of the coolest ongoing projects in the bike world, and Mic Williams is back on Bikes & Big Ideas to talk about the latest — including their exciting and now-operational gearbox, which is poised to pick up where Honda left off with their famous RN-01.
4-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (22/23)
We started with huge 5-ski quivers, and now our reviewers have to narrow it down from there — check out Part Two of their personal picks, with additions from Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, & David Golay.
Trail Running 101: How to Run With Poles
While plenty of runners never break out a pair of poles, they can be a big help when it comes to navigating efficiently up and down steep terrain. When used properly, they can increase propulsion going uphill, more evenly distribute the impact from running downhill, and keep you steady on tricky, off-camber surfaces. So in part nine of our Trail Running 101 series, we offer some tips on how (and when) to wield them like a pro.
Lily Pads
For the latest installment of our Open Mic series, Angel Collinson discusses transitions, leaps, pushing through and pulling back.
Leah Yingling on Chiang Mai Trails, World Champs, and Running Long for Team USA (Ep.146)
Off The Couch’s reporter-at-large, Leah Yingling, returns to the show to catch us up on how she rounded out her summer season, including her experience taking in the scene at UTMB this year; a recap of her run for Team USA at the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand a couple of weeks ago; and a whole lot more.
2022 Fezzari La Sal Peak
The Fezzari La Sal Peak is billed as a “versatile” Enduro bike and is a great deal in terms of the parts spec. But are there tradeoffs? We’ve spent a lot of time on the La Sal in a ton of different terrain and are ready to weigh in.
2022-2023 Scarpa 4-Quattro XT
Here are our measured specs, images, and initial impressions of Scarpa’s new 4-Quattro XT, a “50/50” boot that looks very different from its direct competitors.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Ski Binding Design with Hoji, Lars Chickering-Ayers, & Giray Dadali (Ep.246)
Hoji (Dynafit), Lars Chickering-Ayers (CAST Touring), and Giray Dadali (Daymaker Touring) discuss the past, present, and future of ski bindings; “acceptable use”; the “Age of Confusion” surrounding different binding designs; being “handcuffed by standards”; and more.
Mountain Town Economics | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We brought together reporter Jason Blevins (Colorado Sun & resident of Eagle County, CO), Dara McDonald (Crested Butte Town Manager), Jonathan Houck (Gunnison County Commissioner), Pete Wagner (Wagner Custom Skis & resident of Telluride, CO), and Paul Forward (Blister reviewer & resident of Girdwood, AK) for a wide-ranging conversation on the current challenges facing mountain towns and a number of potential solutions.
Flash Review: 23/24 Head Oblivion 94
This season we spent time on Head’s Oblivion 94, which is designed to handle the park and the rest of the mountain. Here are our initial thoughts.
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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2023-2024 Armada Declivity 102 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Armada Declivity 102 Ti.
Chris King MTN30 Wheels
Chris King is one of the first and biggest names in high-end hubs, and now they’re offering complete wheelsets under their own brand — and in keeping with King’s ethos, they’re high-end carbon fiber wheels, with US-made, recyclable rims.
Bikes vs. Skis, 4th Edition (2023): Part 2 (Ep.170)
Which ski brand is that sport’s equivalent of Santa Cruz Bikes? Are gravel bikes more analogous to skimo skis or frontside carvers? Which bike company compares most directly to ON3P skis? We’re tackling the most important questions in the outdoor industry in our latest Bikes vs. Skis episode.
Blister Brand Guide: Nike Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2023
Nike continues to expand their trail-running options, and in our Brand Guide we cover every shoe in their 2023 Trail lineup to help you figure out how each shoe differs and which might make the most sense for you.
Drinking Gold: Coffee Gear, Pt. 3, with ON3P Skis’ founder, Scott Andrus (Ep.25)
Scott Andrus is back on CRAFTED to go deep into the weeds about the various gear options out there to make gold you can drink. We discuss the very inexpensive options; $1000 coffee grinders; Scott’s mind-blowing “Coffee Checklist for Jonathan”; and more.
Flash Review: 23/24 Armada ARV 106
This season we spent time on the latest version of Armada’s mid-fat, freestyle-oriented ski, the ARV 106. Check out our initial thoughts.
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.)
1000-Day Liners: 23/24 ZipFit Collection | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We sat down with Chris Dominick, Managing Director of ZipFit, to cover the origins and legacy of the brand, as well as all the new models and updates they’ve been rolling out lately.
Fox Union Shoe
Fox has been making MTB apparel for a long time, but the Union shoe is their first foray into that market — and they’re excellent.
Passages
In her latest Open Mic piece, Angel talks about course corrections, freedom and fear, magic and mirrors.