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.
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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
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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:
Öhlins RXF34 m.2
We’ve been big fans of Öhlins’ RXF 36 and RXF 38, but what about their little sibling — the RXF 34 m.2? We’ve had two reviewers spending time on the short-travel Trail fork and the results are interesting — check out our full review for more, including direct comparisons to the Fox 34 and RockShox Pike.
Scarpa Ribelle Run
The Ribelle Run represents an important step forward for Scarpa’s line of trail shoes. With its smartly designed upper and dialed-in outsole configuration, the Ribelle Run is more than just competitive against fixtures in the technical mountain running shoe category. Check out our full review to learn what we think makes it such a good option for alpine excursions, both on and off trail.
Amateur Hour: Atomic’s Matt Manser on Scotch, Part 1 (Ep.17)
When Atomic Ski Boots Product Manager, Matt Manser, isn’t nerding out about ski boots … he’s nerding out about Scotch. And in this conversation, Matt and Jonathan discuss butt casks and blood tubs; why cask size matters; barrel-aged ski boots; tea spoons; single malts vs. blends; and more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Wagner Custom 104
We’ve been spending time on one of Wagner’s fully custom skis, and the results so far have been very, very interesting. Check out Luke Koppa’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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2022-2023 Faction Dancer 2X
The Faction Dancer 2X isn’t your traditional dual-metal-laminate all-mountain ski, and for certain folks, that’s going to make it very appealing. Check out the Full Review for more info.
Reflections, Photos, & Trip Report from Skiing Antarctica
In our latest installment of our Open Mic series, Blister reviewer, Kara Williard, reflects on her recent ski trip to Antarctica, including travel logistics, a bit of history, and lessons learned.
Midlayer Roundup 2022
If you’re in the market for a new midlayer, be sure to check out this roundup — our reviewers compare and contrast 19 different men’s & women’s insulators, ranging from ultra-breathable fleeces to a variety of puffies and softshells. We’ve just updated it with 7 new additions from Patagonia, Outdoor Research, Strafe, Le Bent, & Artilect.
Dr. Anh Bui on Running Resiliently, Strength Training 101, & the Fine Points of Form (Ep.151)
It’s common knowledge that adopting a strength training routine is a great way to reduce our risk of developing a running injury, but knowing exactly where to start can be difficult if you don’t have a ton of experience in the gym. So, we spoke to Dr. Anh Bui, a physical therapist, certified strength coach, and USATF-certified running coach, about some guiding principles for those looking to get started.
A First Ascent in Nepal: Garrett Madison & Ted Hesser (Ep.240)
Last month, Garrett Madison, Ted Hesser, and their team summited an unnamed, unclimbed peak in Nepal above the village of Khembalung. So I talked with them about the details and style of the climb; naming the peak; and more.
2022-2023 Line Blade Optic 92
The Line Blade Optic 92 is the lightest, narrowest, and least expensive ski in the Blade Optic collection, but just because it doesn’t share all the same fancy tech as the other skis in this collection, don’t think that means the 92 is some dumbed-down budget ski. Check outour Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for the whole story.
Deep Dive: Line Blade Optic 92
We compare the Blade Optic 92 to 20 other skis in its class, including the Line Blade Optic 96, Line Sick Day 94, Salomon QST 98, Atomic Bent 100, Nordica Unleashed 98, Black Crows Serpo, Blizzard Rustler 9, Volkl M6 Mantra, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Line Blade, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Dynastar M-Free 99, Black Crows Camox, Fischer Ranger 96, Fischer Ranger 94 FR, Season Aero, 4FRNT Switch, J Skis Fastforward, and J Skis Masterblaster.
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 Head Supershape e-Rally
Here are some of our thoughts from our time so far on the 78mm-wide, piste-oriented Supershape e-Rally.
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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