BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
LoamLab Components Grips and Counterpunch
A lot of mountain bikers have probably crashed by clipping a tree with the outside of their bar. LoamLab’s Counterpunch is meant to save folks from some of those crashes (and potential broken pinkies) with a subtle aluminum guard that replaces the outer clamp of a lock-on grip — and having gone and punched some trees with them, they work.
Protect Our Winters’ Mario Molina on the New Climate Bill (Ep.222)
The United States Congress just passed a historic climate bill, so we spoke with the executive director of POW, Mario Molina, to discuss the backstory and details of the bill, and what needs to happen now.
Blister Brand Guide: Scarpa Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2022
Scarpa, often known for their mountaineering and skiing equipment, has turned out numerous trail running shoes over the past few years. In 2022, they’ve expanded their tidy lineup to include niche options for technical terrain, racing, road-to-trail, and more. Check out our Brand Guide to get the rundown on all of the different models from Scarpa this year.
Reviewing the Reviewer: Kara Williard (Ep.209)
Our resident ski reviewer, bike tester, boot fitter, and sustainable farmer, Kara Williard, is in the hot seat to cover everything from ski and bike gear preferences to scorpion-eating chickens; her stint as a Tall-Tee-clad park rat; whether goalie gloves smell worse than sweaty ski boots; and much more.
Win Running Vests from Naked Sports Innovations
This week TWO lucky winners will each get Naked Sports Innovations’ High Capacity Running Vest + their Drink Tube Kit!
2022 Rocky Mountain Element
The Rocky Mountain Element has long been a traditional XC race bike, but the new one very much is not. It’s got a bunch more suspension travel and wildly more aggressive geometry than the bike it replaced, but still maintains a fair bit of XC influence, too. So how does that all add up, and who is it going to work best for?
Trail Running Glossary of Terms: Shoe Anatomy
Trail running shoes come in all different shapes and sizes, and finding the appropriate pair to suit your needs can be difficult if you’re unfamiliar with the technical terms commonly used to describe them. So, in the first installment of our Trail Running Glossary of Terms, we’ll break down each of the features routinely found on trail shoes to help you get a better sense of what to look for.
Speed & Style on Dirt & Snow with Dillon Flinders (Ep.130)
We sat down with aspiring World Cup Downhiller and Freeride World Tour skier Dillon Flinders to talk about his goal of competing on both circuits simultaneously and his roadmap for getting there. We also get into the mental aspects of racing, injury recovery & motivation; mentorship; & much more.
Women’s MTB Jersey Roundup — 2022
In our Women’s MTB jersey roundup, we’ve got nine options across a range of sleeve lengths and levels of warmth, from full-on technical pieces to ones that look great off the bike, too.
2022-2023 Rossignol Pure Elite 120 GW
Here are our measured specs, photos, and a quick rundown on Rossignol’s new women’s alpine boot, the Pure Elite 120 GW.
New Image Brewing on Constant Experimentation, Inspiration, & Evolution (Ep.1)
For our first episode of CRAFTED, we’re talking with Brandon Capps, the founder and owner of New Image Brewing. Brandon is exceptionally good at — and passionate about — discussing the intricacies of brewing, growing a business, and doing things differently, so we cover all of that; what other breweries inspire him; coming up with 600+ beer recipes over the years; New Image’s constant production of new one-off beers vs. year-round options; and what truly makes a “Craft” company.
Men’s MTB Jersey Roundup — 2022
We’ve been testing a ton of mountain bike jerseys across a huge range of styles and intended use cases, and in our men’s roundup, we’ve got 13 options to compare.
Trail Running 101: How to Run Uphill
Hills can pose a challenge to runners new to the trails. Steep and sometimes rocky inclines have a way of disrupting the rhythmic stride found on the roads, often leading to frustration, less efficient running, and the following fatigue. Confronting a climb doesn’t always have to feel like a tremendous obstacle though, and in part seven of our Trail Running 101 series, we cover a few techniques for how to navigate them with ease.
Introducing: CRAFTED
CRAFTED is the newest addition to the Blister Podcast network — subscribe today to make sure you don’t miss out on our first episode, coming this week.
Alex Nichols on Coaching College Cross Country, Pikes Peak Streaking, & Beekeeping (Ep.132)
After being named the head coach of Colorado College’s cross country program last year, trail and ultrarunner, Alex Nichols, has made a habit of inviting some of his athletes out to support his own racing endeavors, including his 8th-place finish at the Western States 100 back in June. So, we talked to Alex about the intersection between coaching full-time at his alma mater and running trails professionally, and a whole lot more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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
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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
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SRAM Eagle AXS Long-Term Durability
SRAM’s new Eagle Transmission is a big change to their mountain bike lineup, but what does the demise of the derailleur hanger mean for long-term durability, and is electronic shifting just an unnecessary gizmo or a genuine benefit? Blister Editor Simon Stewart reflects on four-plus years with the original Eagle AXS drivetrain.
Mountain Gazette’s Mike Rogge on Winter in Tahoe; Urban Thru Hikes; Mutton Busting; & More (Ep.253)
Mountain Gazette editor / owner, Mike Rogge, is back to discuss this historic winter in Tahoe; urban through hikes; mutton busting; and more.
Flash Review: 23/24 Head Oblivion 116
We’ve been spending time on Head’s new Oblivion 116, and it is proving to bring something a little different to the table than most powder skis. Check out our initial thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Win an Ortovox Ski Touring Pack
This week the two winners of our Gear Giveaway will get the Haute Route 32 or the Haute Route 30S ski touring pack from Ortovox!
2022-2023 Folsom Cash 93
Folsom added a new shape to their lineup this season, with the new Cash 93 bringing their wider Cash skis’ off-piste maneuverability to a narrower package. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see how it fits into the narrower all-mountain category.
Flash Review: 23/24 RMU North Shore 114
We’ve been spending time on RMU’s newest powder ski, the North Shore 114. Check out our initial on-snow impressions, including how it compares to RMU’s Apostle 106, North Shore 110, and Professor 121.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Deep Dive: Folsom Cash 93
We compare the Cash 93 to the Folsom Spar 88, K2 Mindbender 89Ti, Volkl M6 Mantra, Blizzard Rustler 9, J Skis Fastforward, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Fischer Ranger 90, Line Blade Optic 92, DPS Pagoda 90 RP, Black Crows Serpo, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Head Kore 93, Blizzard Brahma 88, & Nordica Enforcer 88.
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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