BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2022-2023 Head Kore 111
The newest member of Head’s Kore line, the Kore 111 is a ski that’s both very agile and very supportive, making it a very appealing soft-snow option for aggressive, dynamic skiers. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for more.
Deep Dive: Head Kore 111
We compare the Kore 111 to the Head Kore 105, Head Kore 117, Atomic Bent 110, 4FRNT Hoji, Salomon QST Blank, Line Vision 118, Black Crows Anima, J Skis Friend, RMU North Shore YLE 110, K2 Reckoner 112, Moment Deathwish, Blizzard Rustler 11, Sego Comp 110, Dynastar M-Free 108, Icelantic Nomad 105, Nordica Enforcer 110, J Skis Slacker, and WNDR Alpine Intention 110.
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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(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.)
2022-2023 Elan Ripstick Tour 104
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the new Elan Ripstick Tour 104.
EXT Founder Franco Fratton on a Lifetime in Suspension (Ep.110)
EXT founder Franco Fratton might be the most interesting man in the suspension world, and we sat down to talk about his career, working in Formula One, entering the bike market, suspension design philosophy, and a whole lot more.
Flash Review: 22/23 K2 Mindbender 99Ti W
Here are our initial impressions of the revised version of K2’s metal-laminate women’s all-mountain ski, the 22/23 Mindbender 99Ti W.
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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(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.)
Stuff We Like: March 2022
Our latest Stuff We Like roundup features everything from boots to baselayers, jackets, mittens, bike shoes, and much more. Check it out here.
Flash Review: 22/23 Head Kore 105
Head is making some tweaks to their freeride skis for 22/23, and we’ve been A/B testing the current and new Kore 105. Check out our 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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(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.)
2022 Cannondale Jekyll
Cannondale calls their new high-pivot Jekyll a game-on Enduro race bike, and it is a good one. But it’s also a bit more versatile than that label might suggest. Check out our full review for our take.
Running Through the News (Mar 2022) (Ep.112)
Blister running editor, Matt Mitchell, is joined by Blister reviewer, Gordon Gianniny, to discuss current events in the running world. The two dish on race results from the month of March, including the Way Too Cool 50k, Chuckanut 50k, and the Barkley Marathons; talk through the significance of Broken Arrow Skyrace’s prize purse announcement; look forward to the North American Golden Trail Series; and speculate about what Kilian Jornet is up to after leaving his longtime sponsor.
2022-2023 Black Crows Anima
After two seasons on it, the latest version of the Black Crows Anima has proven to be a pretty versatile, wider ski for a broad range of skiers. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for more info.
Deep Dive: Black Crows Anima
We compare the Anima to the DPS Foundation Koala 118, Moment Wildcat, Salomon QST Blank, Rossignol Blackops 118, Dynastar M-Free 118, J Skis Friend, 4FRNT Inthayne, Volkl Revolt 121, 4FRNT Renegade, Line Vision 118, Atomic Bent Chetler 120, Line Outline, Elan Ripstick 116, Head Kore 117, Icelantic Nomad 115, Prior Northwest 116, Nordica Enforcer 115 Free, Season Forma, & K2 Reckoner 112.
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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(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.)
Ski Binding Design | BLISTER Summit ’22 Panel Discussion
At our 2022 Blister Summit, we brought together a wide-ranging group of panelists to discuss alpine ski bindings; their features and how they affect on-snow performance; the real-world considerations anyone might want to take into account when thinking about alpine bindings; Amer’s brand-new Strive binding; and much more. Watch the video here
2022 Guerrilla Gravity Trail Pistol
We’ve now used the same exact front triangle to review four different Guerrilla Gravity bikes, and the latest one, the revised Trail Pistol, has proven to be a nice update to the brand’s short-travel Trail bike. Check out our full review for more.
Benji Alexander on the Olympics, the Aftermath, & What’s Next (Ep.205)
Benji Alexander is back on the podcast to talk about becoming Jamaica’s first Olympian alpine ski racer; his experience in Beijing and his race runs; competition and representation at the Olympic games; and more.
2021-2022 Stereo Lynx MK 4
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the Stereo Lynx MK 4.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Modern Weather Forecasting with OpenSnow Founder & Meteorologist, Joel Gratz (Ep.237)
We talk to OpenSnow founder, Joel Gratz, about the science of weather forecasting; the many weather models being used today; his love of skiing and snow; what led him to start a weather forecasting company; and more.
Starling Cycles Murmur, Swoop, and Twist V3
Starling has given their “Core” bikes (the Murmur, Twist, and Swoop) a major update, and while the new frames don’t look too different from the prior generation ones — and continue their steel single-pivot lineage — there’s a lot that has changed. Check out our First Look for the rundown.
Win SPY Goggles
The THREE winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a snow goggle of their choice from SPY!
Shop Talk: Willi’s Ski & Board on Ski Shops as Conduits and Founding Winter Divas (Ep.224)
Kristin Sinnott and Kara Williard caught up with Kjerstin Klein, co-owner of Willi’s Ski and Board, to talk about Kjerstin’s amazingly diverse background; what it means to stay innovative and adaptable as a local, family-run business; the vital role that local ski shops play in the ski industry; why Kjerstin founded the Winter Divas women’s focus group to help guide the industry, and more.
Cascade Components North Fork Brake Calipers & Cams
We’ve been logging more time on the Cascade Components North Fork brake calipers — and have now tried their North Fork Cams to go with them — and the big brakes have continued to impress.
Available Now: Blister x John Fellows Collab
For the inaugural piece in our Blister Artist Series, we’re kicking things off with our friend, artist, illustrator, and Crested Butte local, John Fellows.
Machina Bikes on Building a Dream Bike (Ep.145)
Lots of people have dreamed of building their ideal bike; few have actually done it, and fewer have made something as impressive as the Machina Bikes prototypes. So we sat down with founders Tom and Sion to get the whole story.
3-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (22/23)
We’re continuing to narrow down our quivers, this time from 4 skis to 3. Check out Part Two of our reviewers’ personal picks, with additions from Paul Forward, Kristin Sinnott, Drew Kelly, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth.
Gelato: Alberto & Julia Bati of My Sugar Gelato Artigianale, Firenze, Italia (Ep.14)
This past June, Jonathan Ellsworth stumbled across a gelateria in Firenze (Florence) Italy, that basically changed his life. Because after going there every day — usually twice a day — he knew that he would have to come back to Florence and sit down for a CRAFTED conversation with Alberto and Julia Bati, owners of My Sugar Gelato Artigianale, to talk about the craft (and the hard work) of making some of the best gelato in the world. Here is that conversation, fresh from Florence.
Altra Mont Blanc BOA
Despite its seemingly niche design, the Altra Mont Blanc BOA does a lot of things really, really well. The incorporation of BOA’s Fit System and PerformFit Wrap correct some of the issues we felt hampered the standard version of the shoe, adding a level of precision and efficiency to a model primed for performance on just about every type of trail. Check out our full review to hear why we think the Mont Blanc BOA is a shoe worth getting excited about.
Joe DeMoor on the Sub-Ultra Trail Scene, His Colorado Running Roots, and Riding the Red Line (Ep.147)
Joe DeMoor is about as Colorado as they come; running up mountains is in his blood. The Buena Vista native and La Sportiva athlete has had a breakout year of racing thus far, so we sat down with him to talk about growing up on Colorado trails; the ins-and-outs of sub-ultra-distance racing; graveyard shifts; pain caves; and a whole lot more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Black Crows Atris
This past weekend one of our reviewers got his first turns of the season aboard the redesigned Atris — check out his initial thoughts on what’s changed and what hasn’t.
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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(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.)