BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Fox Rampage Pro Carbon MIPS
Fox’s Rampage Pro Carbon MIPS is a nicely made, well designed DH helmet. Just check the sizing before you buy one.
3-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (21/22)
Check out Part Two of our reviewers’ 3-ski quiver picks, with additions from Jonathan Ellsworth, Kristin Sinnott, Eric Freson, Drew Kelly, Sascha Anastas, & Paul Forward.
Flash Review: 21/22 Shaggy’s Brockway 90
Here are some of our initial thoughts about Shaggy’s wide-ish, piste-oriented ski.
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2022 Canyon Torque
Canyon’s Enduro / Freeride bike, the Torque, just got a big update — including all the wheel size options. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2021 — Under The Tree
Next up in our 2021 Gift Guide are the items that our reviewers think will make an awesome addition beneath the tree this holiday season.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Nov 2021) (Ep.193)
Cody and Jonathan debate the greatest ski edit of all time; the definition of “ski mountaineering”; whether humans will visit earth as a tourist destination; Alex Honnold & the Fifty Project; and more.
We Are One Arrival
We’ve now spent a lot of time on the We Are One Arrival and it’s one of the most impressive bikes we’ve been on this year — at least for the right rider.
Jonathan’s Sleep Experiment
Our founder has historically been downright terrible in terms of sleeping enough, but he’s now trying to change that. In this ongoing series, he’s documenting the things he’s been reading and listening to to help with the process, and some of the tips, tricks, habits, and products he’s been using.
What We’re Watching — December 2021
This month’s iteration of What We’re Watching includes a whole bunch of skiing and mountain biking videos from a huge range of athletes — and a physics video thrown in, for good measure.
The Pro’s Gear: Hadley Hammer (Ep.173)
We talk to professional skier, Hadley Hammer, about the gear she’s most & least picky about; her own gear preferences; and we fight about The Queen’s Gambit.
Win Any Head Kore Ski
Enter for a chance to win some new lightweight freeride skis!
Flash Review: 21/22 Head Kore 87
Here are some of our initial thoughts on the narrowest ski in the Kore lineup.
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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Cedric Eveleigh of LAL Bikes, on Reinventing the Derailleur (Ep.94)
Mountain bike derailleurs have improved immensely, but is there a better way entirely? Cedric Eveleigh thinks so, and he founded LAL Bikes to make his Supre Drive a reality. We sat down with Cedric to break down this extremely promising new design, and get the full story on its development, the next steps, and more.
Flash Review: 21/22 Salomon Stance W 88
Check out our initial impressions of this metal-laminate women’s all-mountain ski from Salomon.
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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Topo Athletic Mtn Racer 2
The new Topo Athletic Mtn Racer 2 is in contention to be our running editor’s favorite long-distance mountain running shoe of the year. Check out his review to see why, and why this 2nd version is such an improvement over the original.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Travis Soares on Setting the Sierra Peaks Section List FKT (Ep.134)
The Sierra Peaks Section List includes 247 of the most prominent peaks scattered throughout California’s Sierra Nevada Range. Reaching every summit is a lifetime’s work for most, and up until recently, no one had completed the list within a calendar year. But Travis Soares did — in a record 117 days — so we sat down with him to hear all about how things shook out on the roof of the Sierra.
Flash Review — Canfield Jedi 29
We’ve been spending time on the Canfield Jedi 29, and it’s an excellent update to a longstanding classic. 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.
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Blister Brand Guide: Altra Running Shoe Lineup, 2022
While all Altra shoes share their signature zero-drop platform and “FootShape” fit, there’s still a ton of variation within both their road and trail lineups, including several new models for 2022. Check out our Brand Guide for a full breakdown of what sets each shoe apart from the others, and which ones best match your running style.
Giro Latch Flat Pedal Shoe
The Giro Latch is a flat pedal shoe designed for all-around use, going squarely head-to-head with the venerable Five Ten Freerider Pro, and the Latch succeeds at being a compelling alternative with good grip, solid durability, and a comfortable fit.
Mountain Towns & Local Food Systems, Pt. 2: Regenerative Farming, Cow Cuddling, & More (Ep.223)
We talk with Lynsey Gammon of Gracie’s Farm in Park City about topsoil health and climate change; turning barren soil into a thriving farm; farm-to-restaurant connectivity; bee dinners; cow cuddling; women and farming; and more.
Optics & the Eyewear Industry with Julbo CEO, Dave Crothers (Ep.210)
You do your research when it comes to your ski & bike & trail gear. But what about your eyewear? Julbo CEO, Dave Crothers, makes the case that there’s a whole lot more to lens technology that everyone ought to be considering, and that lenses are not all the same.
Win Strafe Rain Jackets
The TWO winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get Strafe’s new Scout Jacket!
RockyMounts GuideRail
RockyMounts’ new GuideRail looks quite a bit like the venerable 1Up hitch rack, which has been a longtime favorite of many, but having now spent a lot of time with both, the Guiderail is significantly nicer to use in several key ways.
Trail Running Glossary of Terms: Trail Running Shoe Materials & Tech
As much as footwear brands try to simplify how they market the technology that goes into their shoes, making sense of all the different types of plastics, fabrics, and foams out there can be confusing. So, in our second installment in our Trail Running Glossary of Terms series, we’ve put together a list of some of the most common materials used to construct shoes, along with some of their benefits and drawbacks.
Reynolds on the Environmental Footprint of Bike Manufacturing (Ep.131)
We chatted with Reynolds about their new environmental impact study and what they learned about the emissions output from making bike frames. We also get into recycling & why some materials are better suited to it than others; how Reynolds hopes to be a blueprint for other brands to take studying their own output more seriously; and touch on everything from Spitfire airplanes to Roman swords and classic Jaguar race cars along the way.
2023 RockShox ZEB
RockShox recently gave their longest-travel single-crown fork, the ZEB, a major overhaul, and the new fork is a big improvement in several key areas — without really compromising what the previous version already did very well. Check out our full review for the rundown, including how it compares to the Fox 38 and Öhlins RXF38.
A Very Deep Dive on Coffee w/ Sam Higby of First Ascent (Ep.2)
We discuss the difference between very good and very bad instant coffee; light roasts vs. dark roasts; the brewing process; brewing coffee at altitude; how to make great coffee on a budget; and more.