BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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
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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.
Sander Hadley on Expectations, Evolving, & Longevity (Ep.207)
We sat down with Sander Hadley to talk about his entrance into the world of professional skiing; shifting expectations; his gear setup; and more.
2022 Sea Otter Classic Recap, Part 2
We’ve got a lot more coverage from Sea Otter 2022, including a bunch of new bikes, some sweet retro paint jobs, and a whole bunch more.
2022 Sea Otter Classic Recap, Part 1
Our Bike Editor just wrapped up his first day at the 2022 Sea Otter Classic and there’s a ton of cool stuff to show off — check out Part 1 of our coverage.
Bode Miller on his new ski company, Peak Skis; the Winter Olympics; & More (Ep.191)
We talk with Bode Miller about his new company, Peak Skis and their new “Keyhole Technology”; revolutionizing ski manufacturing; his vision for Scarpa ski boots; his take on the Winter Olympics; and a whole lot more.
Ski Design in 2022 | BLISTER Summit ’22 Panel Discussion
We talk with Jed Yeiser (K2), Mike McCabe (Folsom), Jake Stevens (Rossignol), and Cyrus Schenck (Renoun) about the current state of ski design; current trends; future trends and potential advancements in ski design; and more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Renoun Earhart 88
Here are some of our thoughts so far on Renoun’s women-specific all-mountain ski, the Earhart 88.
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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Win Light & Motion Lights
This week THREE lucky winners will each get one of Light & Motion’s high-powered, waterproof, rechargeable bike lights!
2022-2023 Fischer Transalp Pro
Here are our thoughts on Fischer’s latest touring boot, which blurs the lines between existing categories, but could consequently be the “Goldilocks” boot for certain people.
Lazer KinetiCore (Ep.112)
Lazer’s new KinetiCore technology is meant to protect against rotational impacts while being lighter, cooler, more comfortable, and using less plastic than other systems, including MIPS — and its design is very clever in its simplicity. So we sat down with Lazer’s Chris Smith to get the rundown on what KinetiCore is, why Lazer developed it, and a whole lot more.
Athletes & Entrepreneurship | BLISTER Summit ’22 Panel Discussion
We talk with pro skiers & entrepreneurs, Chris Davenport, McKenna Peterson, and Julian Carr about how being a professional athlete has evolved; how they balance their skiing careers with starting and managing other businesses; and more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
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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.
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.)
Blister Holiday Gift Guide 2022 — Kids & Parents Edition
Need some last-minute gift ideas for outdoorsy parents and kids? Check out our recommendations.
Blister Labs: Travis Hainsworth on Soft Robotics, MoCap, & Wheelsets (Ep.227)
When Travis Hainsworth isn’t out on his highly questionable one-ski quiver, he’s busy being the associate director of the Western-CU Boulder Computer Science Program here in Gunnison, CO, and an integral member of our Blister Labs team.
Win Faction Skis
The winner of our gear giveaway this week can have their choice between the Dancer 3 or Dancer 3X from Faction!
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.