BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Volkl Announces Updated 22/23 Kendo 88, Kenja 88, & Mantra 102
This week Volkl announced 22/23 updates to three of their all-mountain skis: the Kendo 88, Kenja 88, and Mantra 102.
Introducing: Blister Labs (Ep.180)
Today we are excited to introduce you to a very big new initiative at Blister: Blister Labs. This is a new partnership between Blister; CU Boulder’s school of engineering; and the brand-new, state-of-the-art engineering facility at Western Colorado University. Joining us to talk about why Blister Labs represents a significant new development in the outdoor industry is Dr. Jeni Blacklock, the director of the Rady Partnership Program between CU Boulder and Western.
Winter Running & The Meaning of Life (Ep.103)
Yesterday, Jonathan Ellsworth sat down with Blister reviewer, Gordon Gianniny, and our new Running Editor, Matt Mitchell, to talk about winter running. But our conversation took a much bigger and broader turn.
Tatum Monod on Passage, Passion, Her Trajectory, & More (Ep.199)
We’re talking with one of our favorite skiers, Tatum Monod, about her film, Passage; the trajectory of her career; her ski, the Rossignol Black Ops 118; music; graphics; fishing; design; and more.
Faction Skis & Candide Thovex Announce End to 10-Year Partnership
The GOAT and Faction will be parting ways in the spring of 2022, following 10 years of collaboration.
Flash Review: 22/23 Salomon QST 106 & Strive Binding
Salomon is updating the QST 106 for the 2022-2023 season and releasing a brand-new alpine binding. Check out our thoughts on both.
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.)
Would You Rather: Light Skis vs. Light Boots
It’s not exactly a secret that we tend to like a bit of weight in our skis and boots at Blister, at least when it comes to downhill performance. But if we had to ski some very light setups, where would we be most inclined to save that weight? That’s the topic we’re tackling in this edition of Would You Rather.
Win Folsom Custom Skis
This week the winner of our Gear Giveaway will get a pair of Folsom custom skis, designed just for them!
On our Upcoming Blister Summit (Ep.179)
Jonathan Ellsworth and Blister Summit director, Kristin Sinnott, discuss the ins and outs of our upcoming Blister Summit; why we’re including free professionally guided backcountry tours; which brands will be there; when to arrive & where to stay; and more.
2021-2022 RMU Apostle 3.0 106
The revised Apostle 106 is an exceptionally maneuverable and easy ski, but certain skiers could also really like it for skiing fast and dynamically all over the mountain. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: RMU Apostle 3.0 106
We compare the Apostle 3.0 106 to the DPS Koala 103, Moment Deathwish 104, Line Sir Francis Bacon, K2 Reckoner 102, Moment Wildcat 108, Whitedot Altum 104, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Head Kore 105, Black Crows Atris, Dynastar M-Free 108, Sego Big Horn 106, Blizzard Rustler 10, Icelantic Nomad 105, Prior Northwest 110, J Skis Hotshot, Elan Ripstick 106, Line Sick Day 104, 4FRNT Devastator, Volkl Revolt 104, Season Nexus, & 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.
(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.)
Neko Mulally on Designing His Own World Cup DH Race Bike (Ep.100)
When we heard that Neko Mulally was planning on racing the 2022 World Cup season on a bike he designed himself, we had to get him on Bikes & Big Ideas to talk about his plans, the bike, and everything that goes into running a team for a full race season.
Bode Miller Joins SCARPA as Ski Ambassador
Today SCARPA announced that Bode Miller has joined their athlete team — and that they will be releasing a new collection of alpine-oriented ski boots.
Flash Review: 21/22 Head Kore 85 W
Here are some of our initial impressions of how the narrowest ski in the Head Kore lineup handles on-piste terrain.
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.)
Atomic Announces New 2022-2023 Bent Lineup
Atomic and Chris Benchetler have just announced the new 22/23 freeski “Bent” lineup, including 3 new models. Check out the details.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Reviewing the News & Mountain Sex w/ Cody Townsend (September 2022) (Ep.229)
We discuss the life & legacy of Hilaree Nelson; Yvon Chouinard giving away Patagonia; Kipchoge & GOATs; burro racing; mountain sex; what we’re reading & watching; the return of The Fifty Project; and more.
Ibis Oso
Ibis launched their first e-bike, the Oso, today, and it looks nothing like Ibis models of old. Check out our First Look for all the info.
Claire Bernard Miller, PT, on Building Strong Feet, Pelvic Floor Health, & Running Injury Free (Ep.140)
This time of year, many of us will feel the stress from all those hard summer miles take the form of unexpected aches and pains, which sometimes demand more involved treatment than just some extra time foam rolling. So, we sat down with Claire Bernard Miller, PT, to learn about how strong feet and a healthy pelvic floor can help prevent common running injuries.
Blister Brand Guide: VJ Running Shoe Lineup, 2022
VJ has been making footwear for trail running, obstacle course racing, and orienteering for over 40 years, though they’ve only been available in North America as recently as 2019. Their current lineup, though few in number, has some standout models designed to thrive in rugged conditions. Take a look at our Brand Guide to learn more about each one of their 2022 trail shoes.
How to Think about Ski Length
One of the most common questions we get is, “Which length of this ski should I get?” So in this updated GEAR 101 article, we outline the factors that go into answering that question.
Yvon Chouinard: Open Letter
We are proud to publish in our Open Mic series this letter by Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard, explaining his decision to give away his multi-billion-dollar company.
Endura MT500 Burner Clipless Shoes
Endura’s MT500 Burner Clipless shoes are meant for a variety of all-around mountain bike use, and offer a combination of fit and features that aren’t quite like anything else we’ve recently tried.
Kästle Launches New Ski Boot Collection
After decades of making skis, Kästle just launched their first-ever collection of ski boots — here are the details.
Folsom Custom Skis: 22/23 Updates (Ep.216)
Folsom builds custom skis in Denver, CO, and they have a LOT going on these days. So we talked with Folsom owner, Mike McCabe, about their 22/23 lineup; new shapes; new construction materials; their very cool Junior Skis Trade-In Program; and more.
Win Folsom Custom Skis
This week one lucky winner will get to design a pair of custom skis with Colorado ski manufacturer, Folsom Custom Skis!
Best Skis for Beginners: Our Top Picks, 2022-2023
In Part 2 of our top picks for skis that are well-suited to less experienced skiers, we’ve added several women-specific all-mountain skis; some that are worth considering for those getting into backcountry touring; and others for those who will be skiing deeper snow.
Kavenz VHP 16
There are a lot of good Enduro bikes out there these days, but the Kavenz VHP 16 manages to package an unusual combination of traits in a way that still feels very coherent as a whole. Check out our full review to find out just what the VHP 16 does so well, and how it stacks up to a whole bunch of its competitors.