BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Deep Dive: Head Ski Boots Brand Lineup, 21/22
Next up in our Deep Dive series on ski boots is Head — check it out for a rundown on every boot in Head’s current lineup, the most comparable alternatives from other brands, and more details to help you figure out what differentiates each boot in the lineup.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review — 2023 Santa Cruz Megatower
We’ve started spending time on the brand-new Santa Cruz Megatower. Check out our first impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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On Our Blister ‘Crash Course’ Snow Blade Video (Ep.208)
We take you behind the scenes of our Blister ‘Crash Course’ Snow Blade video, and answer all the big questions, like: why no ski poles?; telemark vs. snowblading; & more.
New Skis, Ski Boots, & Gas-Station Food (Ep.192)
Luke and Jonathan discuss new skis, ski boots, liners, and apparel from Faction, Salomon, ZipFit, Dynastar, Renoun, Majesty, Strafe, Lange, and more. Plus gas-station food and owls.
Win Le Bent Prize Packs
This week TWO winners will each get a spring prize pack from Le Bent, including their merino wool / bamboo mountain bike socks, trail running socks, and shirt!
Blister Crash Course Video: Snow Blading / Ski Boarding
Here it is: watch some of us struggle and others excel on some very short snow-sliding devices. Who was the MVP?
2022-2023 K2 Mindbender 99Ti W
K2 updated their women’s metal-laminate freeride series for 22/23, and we think the new Mindbender 99Ti W could work well for a whole lot of skiers. Check out our Full Review.
MountainFLOW Brand Guide – Snowsports
MountainFLOW makes quality ski waxes with an eco-friendly approach, and we’ve partnered with them to bring you a breakdown of their snowsports wax lineup.
Flash Review: 22/23 Tecnica Zero G Peak Carbon
Reviewer Paul Forward has been spending time in Tecnica’s new 1000-g touring boot — here are some of his initial thoughts.
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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Ski Boot Design in 2022 | BLISTER Summit ’22 Panel Discussion
We talk with Christoph Lentz (Fischer ski boots product manager), Tom Pietrowski (K2 ski boots product manager), and Greg Klein (product development & owner of Willi’s Ski Shops) about the current state of ski boot design, the latest trends (including pros & cons), and their predictions about the future.
Chelsea Kimball on Van Life, Darkfest, & the Growth of Women’s Freeride (Ep.113)
Chelsea Kimball is really making waves in the burgeoning world of women’s freeride, so we sat down with her to talk about her unconventional path to being an MTB pro; Darkfest & being among the first women to participate; Freeride Fiesta; and a whole lot more.
POC Kortal & Kortal Race MIPS Helmets
We’ve been testing both versions of POC’s new Kortal helmet, and it’s an excellent option for riders looking for a notably burly, high-coverage Trail / Enduro helmet. Check out our full review for more details, and how they stack up against a bunch of their competitors.
Speedland SL:PDX
Speedland calls their SL:PDX, “the world’s first hyper-performance trail shoe,” which is a lot to live up to. Our review takes a closer at whether or not the shoe is worthy of that title.
Flash Review: 22/23 Nordica Unleashed 98 W
We wrapped up the season skiing the new women’s Unleashed 98 W, including A/B testing it against the Santa Ana 98. Check out our thoughts so far.
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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Devon Yanko on the Umstead 100; Techno Music; & Doing What Excites You (Ep.115)
We caught up with Devon after her overall win and course record run at the Umstead 100, the first race of her “DY DIY Slam” project to run 5 100-mile races within the span of just a few months. We discuss that plus the performance-enhancing effects of techno music; the history of the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning; what led Devon to invent her own “DY DIY Slam”; and much more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
1-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (22/23)
You can now check out Part Three of our reviewers’ picks for their personal 1-ski quivers, with additions from Jonathan Ellsworth and Kristin Sinnott.
Flash Review: 22/23 Majesty Dirty Bear XL
Update 12.16.22: We’ve been spending more time on Majesty’s new all-mountain freestyle ski, and it’s proven to be a very intriguing addition to the category.
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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Reynolds Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro Wheels
The Reynolds Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro wheels are very light and notably wide for an all-around Trail bike option, and we think that makes them an especially compelling option for the right riders. Check out our full review to see how they stack up and who they’ll work best for.
Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2022 — In The Garage
Next up in our 2022 Gift Guide series are those bigger items that you might need to hide in the garage — you can now check out Part Two of our reviewers’ recommendations, with additions from Jonathan Ellsworth and Kristin Sinnott.
BLISTER+: Real-World Testimonials — Dylan Wood
Dylan Wood shares his injury story, and how BLISTER+ helped him get the care he needed — at no cost to him.
BLISTER+: Real-World Testimonials — Jonathan Ellsworth
A random crash on a very mellow section of a mtn bike ride left me in rough shape, and a friend took me to the emergency room. Even though I was paying nearly $600 a month for insurance, I still had to pay $8000 to cover my deductible.
With BLISTER+, I would have paid $0.
Ellie Smith on Racing all the Disciplines, Bike Setup, Welding, & More (Ep.148)
Ellie Smith entered the 2022 race season with few expectations and little more of a plan than to do her best and see where things went from there. Then she won the Australian National DH Championships (on an Enduro bike) — and that was just the start.
Trail Running Glossary of Terms: Trail Lingo
Trail running culture has a language all its own, full of slang terms, expressions, and phrases that add character to the sport. Here’s another update to our Trail Running Lingo glossary, in an attempt to define and explain some of the common, curious, and often-confounding vocabulary of the sport.
CORK: Holiday Edition (Ep.16)
Danielle & Katie Nichols, the sisters behind CORK in Stowe, VT, are back to talk more about “natural wine”; discuss Italy, “priest stranglers,” and Corksicles; offer advice on holiday gift buying; and tell us about the revamped CORK Wine Club.
2022-2023 Nordica Santa Ana Unlimited 93
Nordica’s Santa Ana series has gained a lot of fans over the years, and with the Santa Ana Unlimited 93, Nordica has done a good job maintaining some of the most notable qualities of the Santa Ana series while cutting out a whole lot of weight for a more uphill-friendly ski. Check out our full review for more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Fischer Ranger 96
Update 12.14.22: Luke Koppa adds his thoughts so far on the new Ranger 96.
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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Yeti SB120
Yeti’s been busy, launching three new bikes in just the last few weeks. Next up we’re taking a closer look at the shortest-travel one, the SB120.