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:
Flash Review: 23/24 Fischer Ranger Pro 130
Fischer recently updated their freeride-touring boot and we’ve been testing the top-level Ranger Pro 130. 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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Diving into Blizzard’s 23/24 Ski Lineup (Ep.239)
We talk with Blizzard’s Christian Avery about the overhauled Rustler & Sheeva skis; where their Hustle line of skis slots into the mix; and why nobody should be sleeping on the Cochise.
Pro Skiers & Snowboarders: Stories from the Field | Blister Summit 2023 Panel Session
We talk with Hoji (Eric Hjorleifson), McKenna Peterson, Forrest Shearer, and Rory Bushfield about some of the highlights, lowlights, and craziest stories from their careers as pro skiers and snowboarders. This is a hilarious and *not-to-be-missed* conversation, so kick back and enjoy!
Skiing & Social Media Ethics
In our latest Open Mic piece, Hadley Hammer raises the question, “Do social media posts need disclaimers, context, or lengthy explanations?” And what are “our moral obligations to our communities?”
Win Majesty Skis
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get one of our all-time favorite touring skis, the Majesty Superwolf!
SKIING 101: Primer on Heli-Skiing
If you’re considering a heli-skiing trip or are already fortunate enough to have one on the schedule, check out this 101 piece from Blister Reviewer & Lead Heli Guide, Paul Forward. ALSO: we’ve got 1 remaining spot open for a trip this April with Paul, Jonathan Ellsworth, and a bunch of other great Blister Members — first person to commit gets it!
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
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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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
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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(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.)