BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Kane Revive Active Recovery Shoe
Kane currently only makes one product, their Revive “active recovery shoe.” Cy Whitling has been using them for a while now, and says he might not be able to live without them. Check out his review to see why.
Martin Maes on Team Changes, Bike Setup, & Fatherhood (Ep.109)
Martin Maes makes his podcast debut to talk about career progression, the value of a change of pace, fatherhood, bike setup, and a whole lot more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Faction Dancer 3
Faction is tweaking their line of metal-laminate skis for the 2022-2023 season — check out our initial impressions of the Dancer 3
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2022-2023 Nordica Unleashed 98
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the new Nordica Unleashed 98.
Flash Review — RockShox Flight Attendant
RockShox launched their Flight Attendant electronic suspension a few months ago and we’re now spending time on it — and it’s pretty mind-blowing.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Adam Hill on Anxiety, Addiction, Ironmans, & Personal Transformation (Ep.111)
We talk to Adam Hill about how dealing with anxiety disorder led him into Ironman competitions; his new book, Shifting Gears; and the process and mechanisms of personal transformation.
2021-2022 Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95
We’ve spent the past season testing two different versions of the Ahmeek 95 — check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons for our thoughts on this made-in-Michigan all-mountain ski.
Deep Dive: Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95
We compare the Ahmeek 95 to the Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, J Skis Masterblaster, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Fischer Ranger 94 FR, J Skis Fastforward, Blizzard Rustler 9, Nordica Soul Rider 97, Black Crows Serpo, 4FRNT MSP 99, Black Crows Camox, Moment Deathwish 104, Volkl M6 Mantra, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Dynastar M-Free 99, and Salomon QST 98.
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 Armada ARW 106 UL
Three of our reviewers have been spending time on Armada’s lightweight all-mountain freestyle ski, the ARW 106 UL – check out Kara Williard, Luke Koppa, & Dylan Wood’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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Flash Review: 22/23 Line Blade Optic 104
We’ve had multiple reviewers on two different lengths of Line’s new Blade Optic 104 — check out Kara Williard & Luke Koppa’s thoughts on the 178 cm and 185 cm models.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Ignorance is Bliss, Sometimes
Dropper posts keep getting longer — with OneUp’s new 240 mm version leading the charge — and our Bike Editor reflects on a decade-plus of dropper post evolution.
2022-2023 Moment Commander 108
We’ve had several reviewers on the latest iteration of Moment’s burly, metal-laminate, all-mountain charger — check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons of the Commander 108.
Deep Dive: Moment Commander 108
We compare the Commander 108 to the Moment Commander 98, previous Commander 108, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Volkl Katana 108, Blizzard Cochise 106, Fischer Ranger 102, Moment Wildcat 108, Wagner Summit 107, J Skis Hotshot, Folsom Blister Pro 104, Sego Comp 110, Black Crows Corvus, Prior Husume, 4FRNT MSP 107, Faction Dictator 3.0, & Rossignol Blackops Sender Ti.
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 Majesty Skis
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get one of our all-time favorite touring skis, the Majesty Superwolf!
Gear Myths & More w/ Cody Townsend (Ep.187)
Cody Townsend and Jonathan Ellsworth review some news, then talk about 5 gear myths; cookware; coffeemakers; & more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Win SPY Goggles
The THREE winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a snow goggle of their choice from SPY!
Shop Talk: Willi’s Ski & Board on Ski Shops as Conduits and Founding Winter Divas (Ep.224)
Kristin Sinnott and Kara Williard caught up with Kjerstin Klein, co-owner of Willi’s Ski and Board, to talk about Kjerstin’s amazingly diverse background; what it means to stay innovative and adaptable as a local, family-run business; the vital role that local ski shops play in the ski industry; why Kjerstin founded the Winter Divas women’s focus group to help guide the industry, and more.
Cascade Components North Fork Brake Calipers & Cams
We’ve been logging more time on the Cascade Components North Fork brake calipers — and have now tried their North Fork Cams to go with them — and the big brakes have continued to impress.
Available Now: Blister x John Fellows Collab
For the inaugural piece in our Blister Artist Series, we’re kicking things off with our friend, artist, illustrator, and Crested Butte local, John Fellows.
Machina Bikes on Building a Dream Bike (Ep.145)
Lots of people have dreamed of building their ideal bike; few have actually done it, and fewer have made something as impressive as the Machina Bikes prototypes. So we sat down with founders Tom and Sion to get the whole story.
3-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (22/23)
We’re continuing to narrow down our quivers, this time from 4 skis to 3. Check out Part Two of our reviewers’ personal picks, with additions from Paul Forward, Kristin Sinnott, Drew Kelly, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth.
Gelato: Alberto & Julia Bati of My Sugar Gelato Artigianale, Firenze, Italia (Ep.14)
This past June, Jonathan Ellsworth stumbled across a gelateria in Firenze (Florence) Italy, that basically changed his life. Because after going there every day — usually twice a day — he knew that he would have to come back to Florence and sit down for a CRAFTED conversation with Alberto and Julia Bati, owners of My Sugar Gelato Artigianale, to talk about the craft (and the hard work) of making some of the best gelato in the world. Here is that conversation, fresh from Florence.
Altra Mont Blanc BOA
Despite its seemingly niche design, the Altra Mont Blanc BOA does a lot of things really, really well. The incorporation of BOA’s Fit System and PerformFit Wrap correct some of the issues we felt hampered the standard version of the shoe, adding a level of precision and efficiency to a model primed for performance on just about every type of trail. Check out our full review to hear why we think the Mont Blanc BOA is a shoe worth getting excited about.
Joe DeMoor on the Sub-Ultra Trail Scene, His Colorado Running Roots, and Riding the Red Line (Ep.147)
Joe DeMoor is about as Colorado as they come; running up mountains is in his blood. The Buena Vista native and La Sportiva athlete has had a breakout year of racing thus far, so we sat down with him to talk about growing up on Colorado trails; the ins-and-outs of sub-ultra-distance racing; graveyard shifts; pain caves; and a whole lot more.
Flash Review: 22/23 Black Crows Atris
This past weekend one of our reviewers got his first turns of the season aboard the redesigned Atris — check out his initial thoughts on what’s changed and what hasn’t.
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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Benji Alexander on Life after the Olympics & the Future of Snowsports (Ep.236)
Since becoming Jamaica’s first Olympic alpine ski racer, nothing has slowed down for Benji Alexander. So we caught up with Benji to talk about post-Olympics life; opening doors for other athletes; ensuring the future of snowsports; and more.
Flash Review — Hope Evo 155 mm Cranks
Mountain bike crank length hasn’t been widely examined in a long time. That seems to be changing, with a number of brands touting the benefits of shorter options, and we’ve started spending time on Hope’s 155 mm option — one of the shortest on the market. 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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