BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Blister Brand Guide: The North Face Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2022
While trail running shoes are not new to The North Face, the brand recently gave their lineup a complete overhaul to showcase “VECTIV,” the patented technology system driving their footwear design process. Check out our Brand Guide to learn more about VECTIV, how it’s expressed in each of The North Face’s shoes, and which one might make the most sense for how and where you run.
Domestic Apparel Manufacturing, Supply-Chain Logistics, & More (Ep.207)
Domestic production of apparel has all but disappeared from the US, but Kitsbow is leading the charge to bring it back and hopes to be a blueprint for how other brands can do the same. And their CEO, David Billstrom, has a lot to say about how it’s been good for their brand, their customers, their community, and the planet.
Black Diamond Issues Voluntary Recall of Certain PIEPS & Black Diamond Avalanche Transceivers
Black Diamond has issued a voluntary recall for several Black Diamond and PIEPS avalanche transceivers — learn more here, including what to do if you have one of the affected models.
Flash Review: 22/23 Fischer Ranger 102
Update 7.29.22: We spent more time on the new Ranger 102 this past spring, and have some updates on it, including how it performs at some different mount points.
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Win Merino Wool Apparel from Ibex
The TWO lucky winners this week will each get a sweet prize pack from Ibex, including four of their high-end merino wool layers.
Five Ten Trailcross Clip-In
Five Ten’s new Trailcross Clip-In is the first, well, clip model in their Trailcross line, and Five Ten talks as much about its hiking performance as the on-bike portion of the program. So what does that mean for its performance as an actual bike shoe, and who is it going to work best for?
2022-2023 Head Raptor WCR 140S
Here are the specs, images, and our initial impressions and questions about the Head Raptor WCR 140S.
2023 Norco Fluid FS
Norco’s affordable all-rounder Trail bike, the Fluid FS, just got a big update, and while the new bike is marketed to beginner and intermediate riders, it’s got great-looking geometry and a nice build spec that seems like it could attract plenty of price-conscious experts, too.
Crestline Bikes on Adaptability, Collaboration, & Founding a Bike Brand (Ep.128)
We sat down with Troydon and Jimmy from Crestline Bikes to talk about their upcoming high-pivot VPP DH bike & VPP e-bike; getting advice from Greg Minnaar and Neko Mulally; starting a bike company during the pandemic; and a whole lot more.
Stuff We Like: July 2022
In the July edition of our “Stuff We Like” series, we’ve got everything from tents to bike racks, backpacks to sandals, and several summer accessories. Check it out to see the latest gear our reviewers have been digging.
Vorsprung Smashpot Coil Spring Fork Conversion Kit
There aren’t many coil-sprung forks left on the market, but Vorsprung’s Smashpot conversion kit opens up a lot of options for riders who miss that option. And having now spent a lot of time testing the Smashpot, it makes a compelling case for why certain riders might want to ditch their air springs. But who is it going to work best for, and what are the downsides? Check out our full review for the rundown.
Tailwind Nutrition Co-founder Jeff Vierling on Gut Bombs, Kitchen Chemistry, & Creating His Own Endurance Fuel (Ep.130)
Tailwind Nutrion’s products are some of the most popular fueling options for trail runners and mountain bikers alike, so we had their Co-founder, Jeff Vierling, on the show to hear all about how losing his breakfast after a mountain bike race inspired him to design his own endurance drink mix.
2022-2023 Norse Enduro
The Enduro is Norse’s do-everything all-mountain ski, for both resort and backcountry use, and it goes about accomplishing that in a pretty different way than many of its competitors. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for more.
Deep Dive: Norse Enduro
We compare the Norse Enduro to the Atomic Bent 100, Line Sick Day 104, Fischer Ranger 102, WNDR Alpine Vital 100, 4FRNT Raven, J Skis Masterblaster, Line Blade Optic 96, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Wagner Summit 97, Blizzard Bonafide 97, Liberty Origin 101, DPS Pagoda 100 RP, Salomon Stance 96, Moment Commander 98, Salomon QST 98, Atomic Maverick 100 Ti, Renoun Endurance 98, Faction Dancer 2, Dynastar M-Pro 99, Faction Agent 3, Dynastar M-Free 99, Black Crows Camox, Volkl M6 Mantra, Nordica Unleashed 98, & 4FRNT MSP 99.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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How to Produce More Olympic Skiers & Snowboarders, Grow Participation, & Support Rural Mtn Town Communities (Ep.219)
How do we grow participation in snowsports, support rural mountain communities, and produce more Olympic skiers and snowboarders? We sat down with Will Brandenburg of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation to discuss all of the above.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2023-2024 Blizzard Sheeva 10
Blizzard opted to update one of their most popular and most versatile skis, the Sheeva 10, and we’ve been A/B testing the new and old versions to see how they compare. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see what we’ve found.
Deep Dive: Blizzard Sheeva 10
We compare the recently redesigned 23/24 Blizzard Sheeva 10 to the previous Sheeva 10, new Blizzard Sheeva 9, Blizzard Sheeva 11, Nordica Unleashed 98 W, Salomon QST Stella 106, Armada ARW 106 UL, Blizzard Black Pearl 97, Faction Dancer 3X, Fischer Ranger 102, K2 Mindbender 106C, Line Blade Optic 104, Nordica Santa Ana 104 Free, ZAG Slap 104, Head Kore 103 W, & Volkl Secret 102.
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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Inov-8 TrailFly G 270 V2
The recently released TrailFly G 270 V2 serves as an updated version of Inov-8’s celebrated zero-drop trail running shoe — a highly capable option for tackling long distances at speed. While the changes the brand made are subtle in nature, we think they help elevate the shoe’s performance without subtracting from what already works. Check out our full review for the full story.
Francesco Puppi on the Pro Trail Runners Association and the Future of the Sport (Ep.161)
Nike Athlete Francesco Puppi co-founded the Pro Trail Runners Association (PTRA) in 2022 to enable an international body of elite trail runners to share concerns about the sport’s present and future. So, we sat down with him to learn more about the association’s specific areas of focus, how they plan on making an impact, and much more.
Crank Brothers Mallet Trail Pedals
Crank Brothers just launched a new clipless pedal, the Mallet Trail, meant to slot in between the Candy and the Mallet E — and we’ve been testing it all winter. Check out our full review for the rundown on the design and how it performs on the trail.
Moosejaw Announces 2023 Outdoor Accelerator Program Finalists | Vote For Your Favorites
Moosejaw’s Outdoor Accelerator program helps early-stage outdoor startups move their companies forward via mentoring programs at the ICELab; work sessions with Moosejaw’s marketing and commerce teams; legal resources provided by Holland & Hart LLP; potential product launches on Moosejaw.com; and consultations with our BLISTER editors and reviewers. Now in its fourth year, the 2023 finalists have just been announced, and you can have a say in which companies make it all the way through to the Accelerator. Click here to learn about each finalist, and then vote for your favorites.
Deep Dive: Season Kin Ski
We compare the Season Kin ski to the Season Aero ski, Season Nexus ski, Black Crows Mirus COR, Line Sir Francis Bacon, K2 Reckoner 102, Line Blade, Line Blade Optic 96, Faction Mana 2, DPS Koala 103, Whitedot Altum 104, Volkl Revolt 104, Majesty Dirty Bear XL, Nordica Unleashed 98, Black Crows Camox, Dynastar M-Free 99, Salomon QST 98, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Norse Enduro, Atomic Bent 100, J Skis Masterblaster, and 4FRNT Switch.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Season Kin Ski
The Season Kin is a 98mm-wide ski that’s part tight-radius carver and part freestyle jibber — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to learn more about this nontraditional model.
Geoff McFetridge on Telemark vs. Alpine Skiing; Graphics; & Broadening Outdoor Media (Ep.249)
Our friend (and wildly accomplished artist & designer), Geoff McFetridge, came to CB to pay us a visit, and after two great days of skiing, Geoff and Jonathan sat down in Blister HQ to talk telemark vs alpine skiing; ski graphics (and Geoff’s favorite graphic on a ski in Blister HQ); broadening outdoor media; Blister swag; and more.
Stuff We Like: February 2023
The February Edition of our “Stuff We Like” series features a variety of items, including organized travel solutions, baselayers and cozy sweats, backpacks, ski poles, drink mix and snacks, blister care, and much more. Check it out to see the latest gear our reviewers have been digging.
Flash Review: 22/23 Coalition Snow Rafiki
We’ve been spending time on Coalition Snow’s widest ski, the Rafiki. Check out our initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2022-2023 Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 S and Professional GW
Atomic’s new BOA-equipped boots may be getting all the attention right now, but their fixed-cuff, standard-buckle Hawx Ultra 130 deserves to be on the radar of a whole lot of skiers out there. Check out our full review of the standard Hawx Ultra 130 + the Hawx Ultra Professional to see our reviewers’ thoughts on these boots after spending more than 100 days in them.