BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
David Laney on Ice Baths, Adventuring in the North Cascades, & Craft Footwear (Ep.124)
David Laney was already running 5 to 6 days a week by the time he turned 10, and has run professionally since bursting onto the trail scene in the early 2010s. He recently left his longtime sponsor and joined a relatively new player to the trail space in Craft Sportswear, and soon after doubled down with a full-time marketing job with them as well. So we talked to David about how it came about, what to expect from Craft Footwear, and much more — including, his signature ice bath routine, adventuring in the North Cascades, and running 100 miles for charity.
2022-2023 Nordica Unleashed 98 W
Nordica’s new Unleashed line offers skiers some more maneuverable, playful alternatives to their established Santa Ana & Enforcer series — check out our full review of the Unleashed 98 W to see how they compare.
Flash Review — Sage Flow Motion
We’ve started spending time on the new Sage Flow Motion, and it’s a very interesting combination of being quite playful and still fairly stable and capable in bigger terrain.
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2023 Glade Goggles & Helmets | Blister Summit Brand Lineup
We talk with Glade’s Head of Product & Sustainability, Michael Barker, about the origins of the Glade brand; their product design ethos; current goggle models; their brand-new Boundary Helmet; and more.
2022-2023 Head Supershape e-Titan
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the Head Supershape e-Titan.
Trail Running 101: Trail Running Etiquette
Trail running is a great way to enjoy a sense of freedom in the outdoors — but like most freedoms, it comes with a bit of responsibility. As more and more people flock to the trails, the greater the impact we’re likely to have on each other’s experience. In part four of our Trail Running 101 series, we offer nine guidelines for how to be a respectful steward to the trails and the people we share them with.
Snowboarding Pioneer, Kimmy Fasani (Ep.215)
Kimmy Fasani is a pioneer of women’s snowboarding, mother, partner of Chris Benchetler, and (among other things) someone who has been dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis. So we checked in with Kimmy to talk about how she’s doing, what she’s been learning, and what we can learn from her.
2022-2023 K2 Dispatch 101
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the new K2 Dispatch 101.
Win Wild Rye Bike Gear
This week one lucky winner will get shorts, a chammy, a tank, hat, socks, and a water bottle from Wild Rye!
ATK Bindings, Part 2: Product Lineup & Design Differences (Ep.200)
In part two of our conversation with ATK CEO, Davide Indulti, we discuss ATK’s current binding lineup; the design differences between their four collections: Race, Speed Touring, Touring, & Free Touring; how Davide thinks ATK bindings stack up against the competition; some new products that are in the works; and more.
2023 Fischer Ranger Skis | Blister Summit Brand Lineup
We sit down with Fischer’s content marketing manager, Jonathan Jay, to dive deep into Fischer’s overhauled 2022-2023 Ranger series of skis; the unisex construction & dual-graphic approach to the line; how each of the new Ranger skis compare to the previous Rangers; and more.
2021-2022 Fat-ypus D-Sender
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the Fat-ypus D-Sender.
REEB on Beer, MTB Design, & Doing Things Differently (Ep.121)
REEB Cycles do a lot of things differently, from their founding in a brewery, to how they think about bike design and manufacturing. So we spoke with REEB’s Jeff Lenosky and Adam Prosise about all of it, including how they both got involved with REEB, their current (and future) MTB lineup, making frames in Colorado, & a whole lot more.
On Cloudvista
In recent years, road-to-trail shoes have grown from occupying niche corners of brands’ lineups to quickly crowding their own category. The On Cloudvista is the latest addition to that space, and it has proved to be a highly versatile option for both new runners looking to ease onto trails for the first time and more experienced runners needing to downsize their shoe quiver.
Running Socks Roundup — 2022
Most folks are diligent when it comes to finding the right shoe for their needs, but many runners stop short of finding a compatible pair of socks and end up with a poor fit. We’ve been testing several socks over the last few months and have found some options that work well for a huge range of runners and conditions — check out our roundup to see which ones might be best for you.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 22/23 Faction Mana 3
Here are our thoughts so far on the 112mm-wide Faction Mana 3, which replaces the Faction Candide 3.0.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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MTB Brake Shootout
What’s the most important component on a mountain bike? A strong argument could be made for brakes, and there are now a greater number of good, powerful brakes than ever before. But how do they actually stack up against each other? We’ve spent the past year-plus directly comparing eight of the top options from Shimano, SRAM, TRP, Hayes, Hope, Magura, & Cascade Components — in this in-depth roundup, we explain how they all compare, what each does best, and which ones might be ideal for you.
The Most Me
In our latest Open Mic, Hadley Hammer talks about “sameness,” freedom, and the ski industry.
Transition Relay
Transition’s second e-bike, the Relay, is here — and among other things, it isn’t *always* an e-bike. Check out our First Look for the rundown.
John Kelly on Barkley Marathons Lore, Being Uncomfortable Being Comfortable, & Rebuilding Speed (Ep.157)
We recently sat down with La Sportiva Athlete John Kelly to talk about being only the 15th person to ever finish the infamous Barkley Marathons; the mindset required to run for several days straight; how he rebuilt his speed to run a sub-2:30 marathon; and much more.
Ski Manufacturing, Sustainability, & Atomic’s New Impact Statement (Ep.245)
Today we’re talking about the ski industry, ski manufacturing, and sustainability in general, and Atomic’s own historical and quite recent initiatives, including their new, annual Impact Statement.
2022-2023 Lib Tech Orca Split
The Lib Tech Orca Split is a versatile, volume-shifted splitboard that has proven its capability across steep Alaskan lines, spring hardpack, and just about everything in between. Check out the full review for more info, including how it compares to other boards from Jones, Venture, & Rossignol.
Flash Review: 22/23 Meier Leeper
As Owen Leeper’s pro model, we were curious to see where the Meier Leeper would fall into the ~115mm-wide category. Here are our initial 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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Flash Review: 22/23 Rossignol Sender 106 Ti Plus
We’ve been spending time on the redesigned Sender 106 Ti Plus — check out Jonathan Ellsworth’s initial 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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Blister Labs: AI, Machine Learning, & Ski Reviewing (Ep.233)
Dr. Sean Humbert is back to provide an update on our ski testing at Blister Labs; discuss the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning for product reviewing and ski recommendation engines; and more.
Win Any Moment Ski
The winner of our gear giveaway this week can choose any ski they want from Moment’s diverse lineup of USA-made skis!
Flash Review — Pivot Shuttle LT
We’ve started spending time on Pivots big Enduro e-bike, the Shuttle LT, and our early impressions are very positive — but it’s also raised some interesting questions.
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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