BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Blister Recommended Shop Program
BLISTER Shops are a collection of the best service–oriented shops in the world. These are the places we trust most in a given locale to work on our boots, wrench on our bikes, tune our skis, and recommend the right equipment. Here’s an update on our Recommended Shop program.
La Sportiva Mutant
The La Sportiva Mutant is aptly named — it’s a shoe designed to shape-shift between a comfy trail cruiser and a sturdy, bombproof option for technical scrambling. There are plenty of reasons why it’s the first choice serious mountain runners reach for, and in our full review, we’ll explain each of them.
Emilie Siegenthaler on the New Downhill Rider’s Association (Ep.135)
We sat down with Emilie Siegenthaler to chat about the newly formed World Cup DH rider’s association and her role as a rider representative, what we can expect for the upcoming season, and a whole lot more.
The Alchemist co-founder & brewer, John Kimmich, Part 1 (Ep.6)
With Heady Topper, John Kimmich created one of the most sought-after beers in the world, and effectively created the profile of the modern IPA. Here in Part 1, we talk to John about his path to opening The Alchemist with his wife, Jen, in 2003; the business — and current landscape — of craft beer; what distinguishes great beer from mediocre beer; and more.
Rossignol Hi-Speed Elite 130 Carbon LV
Here are our measured specs, images, and initial impressions of the new Rossignol Hi-Speed Elite 130 Carbon LV boot.
Flash Review — Intense Tracer 279
Update 9.13.22: Dylan Wood adds his initial impressions of the Intense Tracer 279.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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High Above Nova Hip Pack
We’ve been impressed with a number of High Above’s hip packs over the years, and their new, less-expensive Nova model is also excellent.
Davy Crockett on the History of 100-Milers, Ultrarunning in the 1800s, and the G.O.A.T. Debate (Ep.137)
On this week’s episode of Off The Couch, we trace the development of the 100-mile footrace in America with ultrarunning historian, Davy Crockett, before busting some myths about the Western States 100, debating the greatest ultrarunner of all time, and much more.
Blister Brand Guide: Dynafit Running Shoe Lineup, 2022
Since debuting their first line of technical footwear for mountain running in 2011, Dynafit has expanded into everything from ultra-distance models to those specific to shorter efforts in technical terrain. Check out our 2022 Brand Guide to see what’s new from them this year.
Mountain Towns & Local Food Systems, Pt. 3: Chris Rubens on Skiing & Farming in Revelstoke (Ep.226)
Why did one of the best freeride skiers of the past 20 years become a farmer? We talk to Chris Rubens about starting First Light Farm with his partner, Jesse, in Revelstoke, BC; the parallels between skiing & farming; and why Chris finds farming to be so meaningful.
Pro Ski & Mountain Service
With a knowledgeable and extremely qualified staff dedicated to customer service, Pro Ski and Mountain Service is our top choice of ski shop in the North Bend area.
Win POC Helmets & Eyewear
This week our lucky winner will get to pick between POC’s Enduro-oriented Otocon helmet + Ora goggle combo or their Trail-oriented Kortal helmet + Devour sunglasses!
Blister Labs: Product Manufacturers vs. Researchers & Reviewers (Ep.213)
Can engineering actually help us discover real-world characteristics about products that will be meaningful to end users? Or, when we incorporate quantitative data, do we mostly run the risk of having that data leading people astray? We discuss with Thomas Laakso, the vice president of product and operations at DPS Skis, and Dr. Sean Humbert of Blister Labs.
Deep Dive: Santa Cruz Hightower 3
We compare the Santa Cruz Hightower 3 to the Hightower 2, Guerrilla Gravity Smash, Santa Cruz Bronson, Yeti SB130, We Are One Arrival, Antidote Carbonjack, Orbea and Occam LT.
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 Santa Cruz Hightower
The Santa Cruz Hightower has long been a very versatile, well-rounded Trail bike, and with the new V3 bike, Santa Cruz hasn’t messed with a good thing too much. But they’ve still found things to refine and improve, and the Hightower remains a very good all-rounder.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Yeti SB160, Pivot Shuttle LT, SRAM Transmission & More (Ep.165)
David Golay and Simon Stewart sat down to chat about a bunch of the new bikes and gear they’ve been testing, including the Yeti SB160, Pivot Shuttle LT vs. Specialized Turbo Levo, the new SRAM Transmission, and a whole bunch more — plus some teasers of upcoming new bike releases.
Flash Review: 23/24 Rossignol Forza 70D V-Ti
Rossignol is launching a whole new line of piste-oriented skis, and we’ve been spending time on the top-end model. Check out our initial thoughts on the Forza 70D V-Ti.
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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Fizik Terra Artica GTX Shoe
A lot of the waterproof mountain bike shoes on the market are also very heavily insulated and warm, but if you’re after a wet-weather clipless shoe for cool-but-not-frigid temperatures, the Fizik Terra Artica GTX might just be the ticket.
Blister Summit 2024: What, When, & How to Join
We’re very excited to be bringing back the Blister Summit bigger and better for its fourth year — register now to reserve your spot at one of the best events of the winter!
Tea: Origins, Trends, & State of the Union (Ep.23)
Jonathan talks to Jing Tea founder, Ed Eisler, about the origins, production, and culture of tea; “Duckshit” tea; what goes into making an exceptional cup of tea; the pros and cons of coffee vs tea; and more.
Pomoca Skins: Proper Care & Latest Models | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We sat down with Pomoca’s Gaël Baudet to discuss several of the brand’s latest skins; how their Free & Climb collections differ; how to properly care for your own climbing skins during — and after — your ski season, and more.
Pete Willauer: The One with the Knife
In our latest Open Mic, Pete Willauer talks about his Uncle John, mentorship, and responsibility to the people we love.
Blister Brand Guide: Craft Running Shoe Lineup, 2023
Craft is perhaps better known for making moisture-wicking technical layers than shoes, but since breaking into the footwear space a few years ago, they’ve already turned out an impressive lineup of innovative shoes for roads, trails, and everything in between. Check out our 2023 Brand Guide to see what’s new from Craft this year and which of their models might make the most sense for you.
Devinci Chainsaw
Stevie Smith was an enormous inspiration to the current generation of Canadian mountain bikers, and his longtime frame sponsor, Devinci, has launched a new, more-affordable Enduro / DH bike in his honor — appropriately named the Chainsaw.
Andy Wacker on Creating A Roadmap to Professional Trail Running (Ep.167)
Earlier this year, Salomon Athlete Andy Wacker launched The Trail Team, an independent development program aimed at providing mentorship, skill development, and media exposure to 6 aspiring pro trail runners in the US. We spoke to him, as well as two of his Trail Team athletes, Lauren Gregory and Sam Hendry, about the organization’s backstory, their respective goals, and much more.
New Moment Countach 110 & 23/24 Skis | Blister Summit 2023 Video
We discuss the origins and design of Moment’s new Countach 110; how it fits into their lineup between the Wildcat and Commander series; their new extra-long Wildcat; who should get a Moment Wildcat vs. a Moment Deathwish; their new, much bigger factory in Nevada, and more.
Flash Review: 23/24 DPS Kaizen 105
For 23/24, DPS discontinued their Pagoda line and replaced it with the brand-new Kaizen series. Check out our initial thoughts on the Kaizen 105.
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.)