BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Chris Davenport joins Executive Team of Bode Miller’s Peak Ski Company
Chris Davenport has joined Bode Miller’s new ski brand, Peak Ski Company, serving as their senior director of skiing and product innovation — learn more here.
On New Forms of Adventuring
In this edition of our Open Mic series, Paul Forward shares some thoughts on the rise of packrafting and exploring new forms of adventuring.
Travis Soares on Setting the Sierra Peaks Section List FKT (Ep.134)
The Sierra Peaks Section List includes 247 of the most prominent peaks scattered throughout California’s Sierra Nevada Range. Reaching every summit is a lifetime’s work for most, and up until recently, no one had completed the list within a calendar year. But Travis Soares did — in a record 117 days — so we sat down with him to hear all about how things shook out on the roof of the Sierra.
Flash Review — Canfield Jedi 29
We’ve been spending time on the Canfield Jedi 29, and it’s an excellent update to a longstanding classic. Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions.
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Blister Brand Guide: Altra Running Shoe Lineup, 2022
While all Altra shoes share their signature zero-drop platform and “FootShape” fit, there’s still a ton of variation within both their road and trail lineups, including several new models for 2022. Check out our Brand Guide for a full breakdown of what sets each shoe apart from the others, and which ones best match your running style.
Giro Latch Flat Pedal Shoe
The Giro Latch is a flat pedal shoe designed for all-around use, going squarely head-to-head with the venerable Five Ten Freerider Pro, and the Latch succeeds at being a compelling alternative with good grip, solid durability, and a comfortable fit.
Mountain Towns & Local Food Systems, Pt. 2: Regenerative Farming, Cow Cuddling, & More (Ep.223)
We talk with Lynsey Gammon of Gracie’s Farm in Park City about topsoil health and climate change; turning barren soil into a thriving farm; farm-to-restaurant connectivity; bee dinners; cow cuddling; women and farming; and more.
Optics & the Eyewear Industry with Julbo CEO, Dave Crothers (Ep.210)
You do your research when it comes to your ski & bike & trail gear. But what about your eyewear? Julbo CEO, Dave Crothers, makes the case that there’s a whole lot more to lens technology that everyone ought to be considering, and that lenses are not all the same.
Win Strafe Rain Jackets
The TWO winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get Strafe’s new Scout Jacket!
RockyMounts GuideRail
RockyMounts’ new GuideRail looks quite a bit like the venerable 1Up hitch rack, which has been a longtime favorite of many, but having now spent a lot of time with both, the Guiderail is significantly nicer to use in several key ways.
Trail Running Glossary of Terms: Trail Running Shoe Materials & Tech
As much as footwear brands try to simplify how they market the technology that goes into their shoes, making sense of all the different types of plastics, fabrics, and foams out there can be confusing. So, in our second installment in our Trail Running Glossary of Terms series, we’ve put together a list of some of the most common materials used to construct shoes, along with some of their benefits and drawbacks.
Reynolds on the Environmental Footprint of Bike Manufacturing (Ep.131)
We chatted with Reynolds about their new environmental impact study and what they learned about the emissions output from making bike frames. We also get into recycling & why some materials are better suited to it than others; how Reynolds hopes to be a blueprint for other brands to take studying their own output more seriously; and touch on everything from Spitfire airplanes to Roman swords and classic Jaguar race cars along the way.
2023 RockShox ZEB
RockShox recently gave their longest-travel single-crown fork, the ZEB, a major overhaul, and the new fork is a big improvement in several key areas — without really compromising what the previous version already did very well. Check out our full review for the rundown, including how it compares to the Fox 38 and Öhlins RXF38.
A Very Deep Dive on Coffee w/ Sam Higby of First Ascent (Ep.2)
We discuss the difference between very good and very bad instant coffee; light roasts vs. dark roasts; the brewing process; brewing coffee at altitude; how to make great coffee on a budget; and more.
The Other 99%
Kicking off our Open Mic series is Angel Collinson, who shares some of her thoughts on purpose, mindfulness, and leaning into 100% of life — not just the peak experiences.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2022-2023 4FRNT MSP 91
This season 4FRNT added a new, narrower model to their all-mountain MSP lineup — check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons of the MSP 91 to see how it compares to the wider MSP skis, and the rest of the narrower all-mountain category.
Deep Dive: 4FRNT MSP 91
We compare the MSP 91 to the 4FRNT MSP 99, Nordica Enforcer 88, Black Crows Serpo, Volkl M6 Mantra, Blizzard Brahma 88, Folsom Cash 93, K2 Mindbender 89Ti, Folsom Spar 88, Salomon Stance 90, Blizzard Rustler 9, J Skis Fastforward, DPS Pagoda 90 RP, Head Kore 93, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Fischer Ranger 90, & Line Blade Optic 92.
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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Phil Atwill on Greek MTB, Propain Positive, the 2023 Race Season & More (Ep.163)
Phil Atwill is incredible to watch on just about any sort of bike, and we sat down with him to talk about everything from the changes to the World Cup Downhill race format to doing shots with the Greek police while on a filming trip — and much, much more.
Stuff We Like: March 2023
For the March edition of Stuff We Like, we have everything from midlayers and baselayers to ski goggles, travel fans, daypacks, espresso makers, and more. Check it out to see all the items our reviewers have been digging this spring.
Flash Review — Cotic RocketMAX Gen 4
We’ve started spending time on the Cotic RocketMAX Gen 4 — check out our early impressions, including initial comparisons to the Starling Murmur.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review: 22/23 Peak 104
We’ve had several reviewers spending time on Peak’s wider all-mountain ski, the Peak 104. Check out our initial on-snow impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2023-2024 Nordica Unleashed 108 W
For the 23/24 season, Nordica is adding some new versions of their Unleashed skis, including shorter options for the Unleashed 108. So how does it compare to the narrower Unleashed 98 W and the more directional Santa Ana skis? Read our full review and Deep Dive Comparisons to find out more.
Deep Dive: Nordica Unleashed 108 W
We compare the Nordica Unleashed 108 W to the Nordica Unleashed 98 W, Blizzard Sheeva 10, Blizzard Sheeva 11, Nordica Santa Ana 104 Free, Coalition Snow Rafiki, Salomon QST Stella 106, Armada ARW 106 UL, Faction Dancer 3X, Fischer Ranger 102, K2 Mindbender 106C, & Majesty Vadera 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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Blister Brand Guide: The North Face Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2023
With the addition of several new and updated models, The North Face’s 2023 trail lineup continues to build on “VECTIV,” the patented technology system driving their footwear design process. Check out our Brand Guide to learn more about VECTIV 2.0, how it’s expressed in The North Face’s shoes, and which one might make the most sense for how and where you run.
Corrine Malcolm on Running Media, Barkley Marathons Coverage, & Trail Trend Forecasting (Ep.165)
adidas TERREX Athlete Corrine Malcolm returns to our Off The Couch podcast for a grab bag conversation on topics like the pros and cons of the way mainstream media outlets cover trail running; the Barkley Marathons; fitness trends; and much more.
Starling Murmur Enduro
The Starling Murmur, with its steel construction and single-pivot suspension, doesn’t ride like most bikes, but those differences just might be what certain riders are looking for. Check out our full review to hear what sets the Murmur apart and how it compares to nine other bikes in its class.
Flash Review: 23/24 Fischer RC4 Pro MV BOA ZipFit
For the 23/24 season, Fischer is launching two new “Pro” versions of their redesigned RC4 alpine boots, both of which feature just about all the bells and whistles you could ask for. Check out our initial on-snow 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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