BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

2022-2023 Majesty Superpatrol
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the Majesty Superpatrol — a new 95mm-wide touring ski with some very interesting design elements.

Salomon Ultra Glide
The Ultra Glide is Salomon’s first foray into the maximal trail shoe category, and it does not disappoint. Check out our review to hear from two of our reviewers about their experience with the shoe, and how it compares to the competition.

Stacked Fields, Golden Tickets, & Thoughts From the Lead Pack (Ep.116)
In this ‘Race Edition’ of Running Through the News, Salomon athlete, Leah Yingling (who’s already been on major podiums twice this year), joins us to discuss race results from the past few weeks and to preview the stacked fields at Madeira Island Ultra Trail and Canyons 100k.

How We Test & Review Gear, Pt 1 | BLISTER Summit ’22 Panel Discussion
Blister reviewers, Paul Forward, Jonathan Ellsworth, Kara Williard, and Dylan Wood talk about how they approach testing and reviewing gear; how this applies to anyone trying something new; how to make the most of a ski demo; and more.

Flash Review: 22/23 K2 Mindbender 108Ti
Here are some of our initial thoughts on the revised Mindbender 108Ti, how it compares to the previous version, and new Mindbender 99Ti.
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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.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

Blister Reviewers’ 2022 Highlights & 2023 Resolutions (Ep.241)
A number of our Blister reviewers reflect on some of their favorite moments of 2022, and share with us their resolutions for 2023.

2022-2023 K2 Mindbender 89Ti
Revamped for 22/23, the Mindbender 89Ti is a particularly versatile all-mountain ski that we think a whole bunch of skiers could appreciate. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for the whole story.

Deep Dive: K2 Mindbender 89Ti
We compare the Mindbender 89Ti to the Mindbender 99Ti, Blizzard Brahma 88, Folsom Spar 88, Nordica Enforcer 88, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Blizzard Rustler 9, Volkl M6 Mantra, Salomon Stance 90, DPS Pagoda 90 RP, Head Kore 87, Line Blade Optic 92, Black Crows Serpo, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Line Blade, Fischer Ranger 90, & J Skis Fastforward.
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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Marker 22/23 Bindings | Blister Summit Brand Lineup
We sat down with Marker’s Derek McClellan and Chris McKenna to discuss Marker’s 2022-2023 lineup of ski bindings; how their products have evolved over 75 years; why frame bindings still have a place in the market; the ideal end users for a Marker Alpinist vs. Duke PT vs. frame binding; the latest features and updates of Marker’s alpine bindings; and more.

Reviewer Reports + Crashes & Close Calls (Ep.228)
Jonathan, Kara, Luke, and Dylan discuss some of the notable gear they’ve been reviewing this season, and we also launch a new GEAR:30 segment called Crashes & Close Calls.

Win the Dynastar M-Free 99
The winner of our gear giveaway this week will get the playful and damp M-Free 99 ski from Dynastar!

Flash Review: 22/23 Fischer Ranger 115 GW DYN
Here are our initial impressions of the stiffest women-specific boot in Fischer’s 50/50 boot series, the Ranger 115.
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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Ed Masters on The 2022 Season, Team Dynamics, Rule Changes, & More (Ep.149)
The one and only Ed Masters is back on Bikes & Big Ideas to chat about his strong 2022 season, the upcoming rule changes for 2023, and a whole lot more — including what might be the wildest mid-race-run mishap story of all time.

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.
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.)