Jonathan Ellsworth & Luke Koppa discuss on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast the new Marker Duke PT binding, how the Duke PT compares to other touring bindings; J Skis Slacker; Sego Condor 108; Volkl Blaze 106; 4FRNT Raven; & Tiger King

AT Binding Shootout, New Touring Skis, & Tiger King (Ep.96)

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Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, and Luke’s mustache discuss the pros and cons of a number of current AT bindings, including the new Marker Duke PT, the SHIFT binding, Daymaker Alpine Touring adapters, frame bindings, and tech toe bindings. They then discuss four new touring skis: the J Skis Slacker, Sego Condor, 4FRNT Raven, and Volkl Blaze 106. Then it’s time to talk Tiger King.
Jonathan Ellsworth reviews the Blizzard Brahma 88 for Blister

Flash Review: 20/21 Blizzard Brahma 88

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Update 4.17.20: Jonathan Ellsworth & Luke Koppa have updated their thoughts on the new Brahma 88 and how it compares to the previous Brahma.

Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions

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Analisa Price reviews the Elan Ripstick 102 W for Blister

2020-2021 Elan Ripstick 102 W

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Elan is updating their whole freeride line for 20/21, and we'll be spending time on the updated women's Ripstick 102 W. Check out our First Look & Flash Review to see how it compares to the crowded category of ~105mm-wide freeride skis.
Analisa Price reviews the Elan Ripstick 102 W for Blister

Flash Review: 20/21 Elan Ripstick 102 W

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Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new Ripstick 102 W.

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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Gordon Gianniny reviews the Hoka One One Rincon for Blister

Hoka One One Rincon

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The Hoka Rincon packs a lot of cushion into an exceptionally lightweight package, making it an appealing option for long days on the road. But is this some specialty shoe, or does it work well even if you're not focused on low weight & max cushion? Check out our full review.
Outdoor Industry Brands helping to fight the COVID-19 pandemic; Blister

How Outdoor Companies are Helping to Fight COVID-19

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There are now a lot of outdoor companies doing a wide range of things to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. So we’ve put together an article highlighting these efforts, and we invite you to share the companies you know of that are contributing to the cause.
Dominic Di Tommaso talks freerunning on Blister's Off the Couch podcast.

Freerunner, Dom Di Tommaso (@domtomato) (Ep. 46)

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Dom di Tommaso (@domtomato) is a freerunner, a certified mind blower, and the guy behind one of our favorite Instagram pages and YouTube channels in the world. So on our latest Off The Couch podcast, we talked to Dom about his uncommon upbringing; his training, his focus, his injury history, and how he avoids dying doing the stuff he does; and more.
Paul Forward reviews the Fritschi Xenic 10 for Blister.

2020-2021 Fritschi Xenic 10

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The category of lightweight (~300 g) touring bindings has been expanding & improving over the last few years, and the Fritschi Xenic 10 is the most recent addition. Check out our full review to see how it compares to the competition.
Author of SKI INC 2020, Chris Diamond, goes on the Blister Podcast to discuss the status of the ski industry, the effect of the EPIC & IKON Passes, how COVID-19 is impacting the ski industry, & more

SKI INC. 2020: The Current State & Future of the Ski Industry (Ep. 126)

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The ski industry has undergone rapid changes in the past several years, and we are currently in another unprecedented moment with the COVID-19 pandemic. So to help us better understand the past, present, and future of the ski industry, we talked to industry veteran and author of SKI INC, and SKI INC. 2020, Chris Diamond, about the rise of the EPIC and IKON passes; this recent era of rampant ski resort acquisitions; the state (and fate) of independent ski areas; whether COVID-19 will likely have lasting impacts on the ski industry; and more.
Noah Bodman & David Golay review the Guerrilla Gravity Smash for Blister

2020 Guerrilla Gravity Smash

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We’ve now had two reviewers convert Guerrilla Gravity's 120mm-travel Trail Pistol to their 145mm-travel Smash (an option that's noteworthy in itself) and they both think the Smash is one of the more versatile and easy-to-recommend bikes in the Trail category. Check out our full review of the Smash.

Flash Review: 20/21 Volkl Katana 108

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Check out our initial impressions of the new Katana 108.

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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Geoff McFetridge, Dan Abrams, Kristin Sinnott, & Paul Forward discuss on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast their recommendations for beginner telemark gear and what separates different tele bindings.

Crash Course: Telemark Ski Gear, Part 1 (Ep.95)

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Since we have to learn how to tele ski and shoot a tele video, we’re crowdsourcing a crash course in telemark technique (see Blister Podcast episode 125) and in telemark gear. So here in Tele Gear Part 1, we’re talking again with the artist, Geoff McFetridge; Flylow Gear co-founder and president, Dan Abrams; and Blister reviewers Paul Forward and Kristin Sinnott.
Paul Forward reviews the Dynafit Hoji Free for Blister

2021-2022 Dynafit Hoji Free

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This year we spent time in the Dynafit Hoji Free, the stiffest boot in the Hoji series, and think its blend of uphill mobility and downhill power may be unrivaled. But there's more to it than that — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Blister directly compares several of the 130-flex alpine touring ski boots on the market for the 20/21 season

Deep Dive: 130-Flex Touring Boots

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We directly compare several 130-flex alpine touring boots, including the Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130, Atomic Hawx Prime XTD 130, Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro, Dynafit Hoji Free, Scarpa Maestrale XT, Lange XT3 130, K2 Mindbender 130, Fischer Ranger Free 130, Dalbello Lupo Factory, & Dalbello Lupo Pro HD.

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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Luke Koppa reviews the J Skis Slacker for Blister.

2021-2022 J Skis Slacker

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J Skis has set out to make the “least nerdy touring ski on the market,” and the result is their brand-new Slacker. Check out our First Look & Flash Review to find out how their non-nerdy touring ski design compares to the rest of the market.
Kieran Nay reviews the Altra King MT 2 for Blister.

Altra King MT 2

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Altra recently revised their most minimal trail shoe, the King MT, and after running a couple hundred miles in it, we think the new King MT 2 is a very nice upgrade from previous versions.
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