BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Ian Sharman & Dana Kracaw on the Leadville 100; the Art of Pacing; & How to Get Away with Murder (Ep.90)
We talk to Ian Sharman and Dana Kracaw about how they met; the art of pacing; the art of DNF-ing; Tanya Harding; deer costumes; trolling; all-mountain roller skates; and yes, murder.
Flash Review — Canfield Lithium
We’ve been riding Canfield’s new longer-travel 29er — check out our thoughts on the bike so far.
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Flash Review — Canyon Spectral 29
We’ve been spending time on Canyon’s overhauled Spectral 29 — check out some of our initial impressions and comparisons.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2021 GT Force
High-pivot Enduro bikes are popping up all over the place these days, and now there’s another option on the market — the all-new GT Force. Check out our First Look for more info.
Mountain Town Economics, Pt 1: Affordable Housing, Short-Term Rentals, & More (Ep.177)
Our guest is Dr. Jenny Stuber, a sociologist and author of the book, Aspen and the American Dream. Jenny talks about some of the policies that the town of Aspen has employed, and which of them might be applicable to other towns trying to navigate the needs of full-time residents, part-time residents, local workers, and the visitors that many of these towns rely on.
La Sportiva VK BOA
The Sportiva VK BOA is designed for something pretty specific — running up steep trails. That said, for the right people, we think it could be a really good option even if you’re not always sprinting up mountains. Check out our review for more.
What We’re Watching — August, 2021
Our What We’re Watching series is back, with an assortment of videos short & long; goofy & important; & relaxing to very high adrenaline. Check out a bunch of the best video content we’ve recently seen — plus a sneak preview of our next Bikes & Big Ideas guest.
The Pro’s Gear: Chris Davenport (Ep.157)
Chris Davenport walked over to Blister HQ from Aspen to talk about how he thinks about ski gear and his own personal preferences. We also discuss monoskiing; which gear he is most and least picky about; ski width; mount points; weight; and whether Shane McConkey would be into these GEAR:30 conversations.
Win a RUX Gear Organizer
The RUX is currently the “piece of gear our editor most wants to steal from another reviewer,” and this week you can win one!
Reviewer Reports: DW-link Head-to-Head; Forbidden Dreadnought; Shimano vs. Sram; & Category-Defying Pedals
David Golay talks to Dylan Wood about two short-travel, DW-link bikes at opposite ends of the price spectrum; a range of longer-travel Enduro bikes from fairly conventional to quite unusual; some category-defying pedals; thoughts on the importance (or lack thereof) of bike weight; & the current state of the Shimano vs. SRAM drivetrain wars.
Nathan Pinnacle 12L Race Vest
We thought the Nathan VaporKrar 2.0 running vest was “really close to being an awesome pack.” Now Nathan has released its successor, the Pinnacle 12L, so does it address some of the downsides of the previous one while maintaining the upsides? Check out our review.
Flash Review — Ibis Ripley AF
Update 8.3.21: Luke Koppa adds his thoughts on Ibis’s budget-friendly, shorter-travel Trail bike.
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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2021 Pivot Trail 429
Pivot’s longstanding Trail 429 recently got a major update, but how true to the original recipe is the new, V3 version? We’ve now had two reviewers spending a lot of time on the new bike, and you can check out our full review for their thoughts on the new bike and how it compares to the rest of the market.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (July 2021) (Ep.176)
Cody and Jonathan discuss athletes & mental health; the affordable housing issues facing mountain towns; Pit Viper vs. far-right extremists (??); the ongoing consolidation of outdoor media; and more.
Stuff We Like: July 2021
In this edition of our “Stuff We Like” series, we’ve got a mix of products we’ve grown to love even more after posting our reviews, some daily essentials, camping gear, and more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2022-2023 K2 Dispatch LT W
Here are our measured specs, photos, and a quick rundown on K2’s new lightweight “freetouring” women’s boot, the Dispatch LT W.
“North Shore” Betty Birrell on MTB at Age 73
Few 45-year-old women were taking up mountain biking in the early 1990s, and even fewer are still riding the North Shore nearly 30 years later — but Betty Birrell hasn’t let that stop her, and at 73, she’s still getting after it. So we sat down with Betty to talk about what keeps her going, and along the way she shares some great insights on motivation, role models, and not letting the expectations of others slow you down.
Bike Pant Roundup — 2022
Modern bike pants vary a lot, from lightweight options for warm days to burly, waterproof heavyweights for when conditions aren’t so favorable. Check out our updated bike pant roundup for more info on fourteen of the men’s & women’s options we’ve been testing.
2022-2023 Dynastar E-Pro 99 W
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the Dynastar E-Pro 99 W.
Blister Brand Guide: Topo Athletic Running Shoe Lineup, 2022
Topo Athletic continues to expand their line of low-drop, wide-toebox running shoes — check out our Brand Guide for the full rundown on their 2022 lineup and which model might make the most sense for how and where you run.
2022-2023 J Skis Masterblaster
The latest J Skis Masterblaster continues to stand out because of its rare combination of suspension, stability, and maneuverability. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for the whole story.
Deep Dive: J Skis Masterblaster
We compare the latest Masterblaster to the previous J Skis Masterblaster, J Skis Fastforward, Volkl Mantra 102, Blizzard Bonafide 97, Black Crows Camox, 4FRNT MSP 99, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Faction Dancer 2, Salomon QST 98, Volkl M6 Mantra, Nordica Enforcer 100, Dynastar M-Free 99, Atomic Maverick 100 Ti, Dynastar M-Pro 99, Wagner Summit 97, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Moment Commander 98, Renoun Endurance 98, Fischer Ranger 102, Line Blade Optic 96, Salomon Stance 102, & Salomon Stance 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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Roxanne Vogel on Lightning Ascents, Flavor Science, and GU Energy Labs (Ep.125)
Ultramarathons are sometimes called eating competitions with a bit of running thrown in, and with so many different nutrition products and approaches at our disposal these days, it can be hard to know how to fuel properly. So, we talked to GU Energy Labs’ Nutrition and Performance Research Manager, Roxanne Vogel, about the ins & outs of eating on the run; how GU’s line of products fit into that equation; and much more.
Flash Review — 2023 Santa Cruz Hightower
We’ve been spending time on the new 2023 Santa Cruz Hightower. 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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Stuff We Like: June 2022
In the June edition of our “Stuff We Like” series, we’ve got everything from sun hoodies to ski racks, fishing gear, handlebars, water-treatment options, and much more. Check it out to see the latest gear our reviewers have been digging.
Trail Running 101: How to Run in the Rain
No matter how much running experience you have, at some point you’re going to look out a rain-spattered window and wonder, “am I really going to run in this?” Wet weather can put a huge damper on our motivation, but with the right gear (and some adjusted expectations), getting out for a rainy run can be downright enjoyable. In part five of our Trail Running 101 series, we offer a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when showers are in the forecast.
2021-2022 Head Kore 97 W
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the Head Kore 97 W.