BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Flash Review: 22/23 Faction Dancer 2X
Here are our initial on-snow impressions of the women’s version of Faction’s 96mm-wide, metal-laminate all-mountain ski.
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Broken Arrow Skyrace, Prize Purses, & the Current Race Landscape (Ep.114)
We talk to Brendan Madigan, race director of the Broken Arrow Skyrace, about the current state of races; prize purses; the economics of putting on a race; and why Brendan sees independent races as such a critical part of the race landscape.
2022-2023 RMU North Shore YLE 110
The RMU YLE 110 blurs the lines between fat powder skis and more versatile all-mountain skis, and it’s proven to be a blast in the right conditions and terrain. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see if it’d be right for you.
Deep Dive: RMU North Shore YLE 110
We compare the YLE 110 to the RMU Apostle 106, Atomic Bent 110, WNDR Alpine Intention 110, Head Kore 111, 4FRNT Hoji, Salomon QST Blank, K2 Reckoner 112, Moment Deathwish, Dynastar M-Free 108, Prior Northwest 110, Kye Shapes Metamorph, Nordica Enforcer 110 Free, Icelantic Nomad 105, Blizzard Rustler 11, & J Skis Slacker.
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 — 2022 YT Capra
We’ve got a few rides on the new YT Capra Uncaged 6, with RockShox’s Flight Attendant electronic suspension. And while that system has been the biggest storyline about the bike so far, it’s shaping up to be an impressive offering in other respects, too. Check out our Flash Review for our early 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.
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Mountain Gazette editor, Mike Rogge (Ep.206)
Jonathan talks with Mountain Gazette editor, Mike Rogge, about the current state of outdoor media; the revival and future of Mountain Gazette; which non-outdoor publications inspire him; and more.
Five Ten Trailcross GTX
Five Ten calls the Trailcross GTX “the ultimate wet weather riding shoe” and it is, by far, the best option our Bike Editor has tried to date. But it’s not quite perfect — so check out our full review for the full rundown.
BLISTER Labs: Projects & Personnel | BLISTER Summit ’22 Panel Session
We discuss our new BLISTER Labs initiative with some of the key players involved (Jeni Blacklock, Sean Humbert, Greg Vanderbeek, and Lauren Cooper); our current and upcoming BLISTER Labs projects; and how the blend of quantitative and qualitative testing will help us learn more about product performance and help consumers make more informed buying decisions.
Gear West on Current Trends + New Ski & Snowboard Gear (Ep.190)
We’re talking new gear and gear trends with Lucas Evans and Jeff Perry of Gear West, our Blister Recommended Shop in Long Lake, Minnesota.
Win Moment Blades & Pit Viper Shades
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a pair of Moment Blades + two pairs of Pit Viper sunglasses!
2022-2023 Line Blade Optic 104
We got three reviewers on two different lengths of Line’s new playful, metal-laminate freeride ski — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Line Blade Optic 104
We compare the Blade Optic 104 to the Line Blade Optic 96, Line Blade Optic 114, Line Sick Day 104, Line Sir Francis Bacon, J Skis Hotshot, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Salomon QST 106, Wagner Summit 107, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, DPS Koala 103, Dynastar M-Free 108, Blizzard Rustler 10, Sego Big Horn 106, Moment Deathwish 104, Black Crows Atris, Volkl Katana 108, Moment Commander 108, Blizzard Cochise 106, 4FRNT MSP 107, & Fischer Ranger 102 FR.
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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Lea Davison on Career Triumphs, Olympic Heartbreak, & What Comes Next (Ep.111)
Two-time Olympian and two-time World Championships medalist Lea Davison joins us to look back on her career, discuss the state of XC racing, and talk about what’s next for her after retiring from international racing — because she’s definitely not done with bikes.
2022-2023 Tecnica Mach1 MV 130 & Mach1 LV 130
We’ve spent more than 200 days skiing in the Tecnica Mach1 MV 130 & Mach1 LV 130. Check out our long-term review to hear how these all-mountain boots compare to the current market, and how they’ve held up over multiple seasons of daily use.
Flash Review: 22/23 Faction Dancer 2
Here are some of our initial on-snow impressions of Faction’s 96mm-wide, metal-laminate all-mountain ski, the Dancer 2.
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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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
Ryan Montgomery on Creating an LGBTQ+ Trail Community Through ‘Out Trails’ (Ep.150)
Ultrarunning is often admired for the strength of its community, a quality that unites runners with a sense of belonging. However, we can always do more to ensure that this feeling of acceptance extends to everyone, regardless of how they identify. So, we sat down with Altra Athlete Ryan Montgomery to talk to him about Out Trails, an initiative he started to help build safe spaces for LGBTQ+ runners.
Chromag Darco and Lowdown
There might not be another brand on earth as well-known for aggressive hardtails as Chromag, but today they’ve launched their first (adult) full suspension bikes — the Darco and Lowdown — and they look to keep a lot of Chromag’s identity intact, just in a squishier package.
An Exchange: Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth on The Bear
For this edition of our Open Mic series, Jonathan Ellsworth and Cody Townsend exchange their takes on the FX show The Bear, discussing the plot, the cinematography, and the (controversial?) ending.
BLISTER+: Real-World Testimonials — Luke Koppa
Luke Koppa shares his injury experience and why BLISTER+ is not only useful for catastrophic injuries, but also “minor” ones — especially when you might forgo medical attention altogether, purely due to the cost.
Flash Review: 22/23 Zag Harfang 96
Our male and female reviewers have been testing two lengths of Zag’s directional all-mountain ski — here are their 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.)
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (November 2022) (Ep.239)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the FWT x FIS merger; the most Canadian news; our least favorite QBs; our big disagreement about the ending of The Bear (with spoilers); and more.
Heritage Lab Skis, with Marshal Olson (Ep.226)
Too often, we have to mourn the discontinuation of our all-time favorite ski designs. So Marshal Olson started Heritage Lab Skis to fix that.
Win Elan Skis
This winner of our Gear Giveaway this week can pick any non-Black Edition Ripstick or Ripstick Tour ski they want from Elan!
Canyon Spectral 125, Trek Fuel EX, Santa Cruz Nomad, & More (Ep.147)
We’re still hard at work testing bikes and have updates on a lot of the new ones we’ve been spending time on, including the new Trek Fuel EX, the mulleted Santa Cruz Nomad, and much more.