Recent Posts
Making the 1st Electric Snowmobile: Taiga Motors (Ep.92)
While more and more electric cars are hitting the streets, Taiga Motors is about to bring the world’s first commercial electric snowmobiles to the backcountry and ski areas. So we talked with Taiga Motors CEO & co-founder, Sam Bruneau, about taking the electric snowmobile from a college project to an actual business; and we get into the specifics of charging a Taiga, and how these electric sleds measure up against gas-powered ones in terms of power, torque, weight, range, and performance in harsh temperatures.
Wild Rye Freel Short, Marion Chammy, & Sandia Shirt
Wild Rye is a women’s-specific apparel company that’s designing pieces that stand out not only in terms of style, but also performance. Check out our review of their Freel Shorts, Marion Chammy, and Sandia Shirt.
2019-2020 Salomon QST 99
Salomon overhauled their QST 99 for 19/20, and we think the new ski ought to be very appealing to a whole lot of skiers. Check out our full review.
Deep Dive: Salomon QST 99
We compare the new QST 99 to the K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Volkl Mantra M5, Volkl Mantra 102, Blizzard Bonafide, 4FRNT MSP 99, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Fischer Ranger 99Ti, Nordica Enforcer 100, J Skis Masterblaster, Blizzard Rustler 9, Renoun Endurance 98, Moment Commander 98, ON3P Wrenegade 96, Rossignol Experience 94 Ti, Atomic Vantage 97 Ti, Dynastar Legend X96, and Liberty Origin 96.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are produced for Blister members.
To get our comprehensive deep dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear without waiting for our full reviews, become a Blister Member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
If you’re already a 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.)
How & Why We Do What We Do
If you’re curious about Blister’s history, how the review world generally works, and how and why we do things differently, check out the recent Channel Mastery podcast, where Jonathan Ellsworth was asked to discuss Blister’s background and mission.
19/20 Faction Candide 5.0
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of Candide Thovex’s signature ski.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are produced for Blister members.
To get our comprehensive deep dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear without waiting for our full reviews, become a Blister Member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
If you’re already a 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.)
A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 2: Flex Patterns (Ep.55)
We’re talking again with Atomic Ski Boots product manager, Matt Manser, about the messy world of ski boot flex ratings; the actual differences between some brands’ 120 and 130 rated boot; how Atomic arrives at their own flex ratings; the next areas of innovation that Atomic is focused on, and more.
Guerrilla Gravity’s New Bikes & Big Ideas (Ep.3)
When a small indie bike company with a heavy-metal vibe makes extremely big claims about the cutting-edge materials they are using to manufacture bikes right here in the USA, and doing all of this at a pretty modest price point … are they full of crap, or are they truly onto something here? And if so, how big of a deal is this? Jonathan Ellsworth headed to Guerrilla Gravity HQ in Denver to sit down with their co-founders and their director of composites to find out.
Video: Riding in Gunnison – Crested Butte
Want to know why we *really* like the riding around here? This short video from Dakine will give you a taste of the rocky and desert-like riding around Gunnison, and the aspen forests and high-alpine terrain around Crested Butte.
Jennifer Pharr Davis on ‘Hiking’ vs ‘Trail Running’ Culture (Ep.7)
Scott Jurek called his attempt to break Jennifer Pharr Davis’ FKT record for hiking the Appalachian Trail the hardest thing he’d ever done. And yet, hiking and thru-hiking often isn’t given proper credit either as a monumental test of endurance, or as a more accessible / less intimidating activity to get more people outdoors. So we talk to Jennifer about the divides between hiking culture & trail running culture; lessons from her book, The Pursuit of Endurance, and more.
2019-2020 K2 Mindbender 116C
Apart from the name, the new K2 Mindbender 116C doesn’t share a lot in common with the Mindbender 99Ti and Mindbender 108Ti. And that’s no accident. Check out our full review for more.
Deep Dive: K2 Mindbender 116C
We compare the Mindbender 116C to the Moment Wildcat / Blister Pro, Rossignol Super 7 RD, Rossignol Super 7 HD, Line Sick Day 114, Blizzard Rustler 11, Head Kore 117, Folsom Trophy Carbon, Faction Dictator 4.0, Blizzard Spur, Dynastar PR-OTO Factory, 4FRNT Inthayne, Icelantic Nomad 115, Nordica Enforcer Pro, and Faction Candide 4.0.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are produced for Blister members.
To get our comprehensive deep dives and our initial, unfiltered reports on new gear without waiting for our full reviews, become a Blister Member and receive many other services, deals, and discounts.
If you’re already a 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.)
Running Shirt Roundup — 2019
Tired of being hot and sweaty all summer? Check out our running shirt roundup for a bunch of options that’ll work just as well for your next ultra as they will for your next session on the treadmill.
Sunglasses Roundup — Summer 2019
Whether you’re looking for a pair to use on the trail or at the bar, the right sunglasses can be difficult to find. So we’ve rounded up over 25 men’s and women’s frames to help you find the right pair for you.
Western States 100 Champion, Clare Gallagher (Ep.93)
Clare Gallagher just won the Western States 100, and she did so in spectacular fashion. But there is a whole lot more to this story. So we talk to Clare about the details of her epic win, why on earth she agreed to go on an expedition to Alaska with Tommy Caldwell right before her biggest race of the year, and more.
Moment Extra Crunchy PB&J
Lots of us are currently dreaming of skiing and / or our next skis. But one of our Blister members schemed up a new custom ski, then gave it a great name: the ‘Extra Crunchy’ PB&J. Check out the backstory & specs for this ECPB&J, and let us know about any dream builds you’ve thought up.
2019 Specialized Enduro 27.5
The Specialized Enduro has been around long before the Enduro World Series even existed, but the current model is a far cry from the original. So how does the current Enduro’s design stack up to the competition? Check out our initial impressions.
Making the 1st Electric Snowmobile: Taiga Motors (Ep.92)
While more and more electric cars are hitting the streets, Taiga Motors is about to bring the world’s first commercial electric snowmobiles to the backcountry and ski areas. So we talked with Taiga Motors CEO & co-founder, Sam Bruneau, about taking the electric snowmobile from a college project to an actual business; and we get into the specifics of charging a Taiga, and how these electric sleds measure up against gas-powered ones in terms of power, torque, weight, range, and performance in harsh temperatures.
Wild Rye Freel Short, Marion Chammy, & Sandia Shirt
Wild Rye is a women’s-specific apparel company that’s designing pieces that stand out not only in terms of style, but also performance. Check out our review of their Freel Shorts, Marion Chammy, and Sandia Shirt.
2019-2020 Salomon QST 99
Salomon overhauled their QST 99 for 19/20, and we think the new ski ought to be very appealing to a whole lot of skiers. Check out our full review.
Deep Dive: Salomon QST 99
We compare the new QST 99 to the K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Volkl Mantra M5, Volkl Mantra 102, Blizzard Bonafide, 4FRNT MSP 99, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Fischer Ranger 99Ti, Nordica Enforcer 100, J Skis Masterblaster, Blizzard Rustler 9, Renoun Endurance 98, Moment Commander 98, ON3P Wrenegade 96, Rossignol Experience 94 Ti, Atomic Vantage 97 Ti, Dynastar Legend X96, and Liberty Origin 96.
How & Why We Do What We Do
If you’re curious about Blister’s history, how the review world generally works, and how and why we do things differently, check out the recent Channel Mastery podcast, where Jonathan Ellsworth was asked to discuss Blister’s background and mission.
19/20 Faction Candide 5.0
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of Candide Thovex’s signature ski.
A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 2: Flex Patterns (Ep.55)
We’re talking again with Atomic Ski Boots product manager, Matt Manser, about the messy world of ski boot flex ratings; the actual differences between some brands’ 120 and 130 rated boot; how Atomic arrives at their own flex ratings; the next areas of innovation that Atomic is focused on, and more.
Guerrilla Gravity’s New Bikes & Big Ideas (Ep.3)
When a small indie bike company with a heavy-metal vibe makes extremely big claims about the cutting-edge materials they are using to manufacture bikes right here in the USA, and doing all of this at a pretty modest price point … are they full of crap, or are they truly onto something here? And if so, how big of a deal is this? Jonathan Ellsworth headed to Guerrilla Gravity HQ in Denver to sit down with their co-founders and their director of composites to find out.