BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

2021-2022 Wagner Summit 106
Wagner made a few skis for testing at the Blister Summit, and we’ve continued to spend time on their “50/50” 106mm-wide ski. The results have been quite impressive — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.

Deep Dive: Wagner Summit 106
We compare the Wagner Summit 106 to the Line Sick Day 104, Elan Ripstick 106, Liberty Origin 106, Black Crows Atris, Blizzard Rustler 10, Volkl Blaze 106, Armada Tracer 108, Sego Condor 108, J Skis Slacker, 4FRNT MSP 107, Whitedot Altum 104, 4FRNT Devastator, Moment Wildcat 108, & Fischer Ranger 102 FR.
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Flash Review: 21/22 Liberty Origin 101
Liberty is updating their Origin & Genesis skis for 21/22, and launching two new models. Check out our initial thoughts on the new Origin 101.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Blister Brand Guide: Specialized Mountain Bike Lineup, 2021
The 2021 model year brought with it a bunch of new and revised bikes from one of the biggest brands in the world. Check out our Brand Guide for Specialized’s 2021 lineup for more info on the bikes, how they compare, and which ones you might want to consider.

Ski Boot Liners: Zipfit & Atomic Mimic Professional (Ep.140)
Sascha Anastas and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss a couple of new liners they’re reviewing: the Zipfit World Cup liner and the Atomic Mimic Professional liner.

Flash Review: 21/22 DPS Pagoda 100 RP
DPS is launching a whole new collection of skis for 21/22. Check out our initial thoughts on the 100mm-wide option in the new Pagoda series.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Win Women’s & Men’s Fjallraven Jackets & Packs
The TWO winners this week will each get a rain jacket + totepack from Fjallraven!

Kera Linn is Coming Up Fast (Ep.58)
We talk to Kera Linn about her rather meteoric rise in the mountain biking world — from her first time on a mountain bike, to her recent signing with Cannondale. We also talk about her equally interesting backstory (which includes playing all of the sports and going to all of the colleges) in this really fun conversation.

Blister Summit Athlete Panel: Elyse Saugstad, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, & Pep Fujas
At our Blister Summit, we talked to Elyse Saugstad, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, and Pep Fujas about this unusual ski season; the evolution of the ski industry; their best advice to aspiring pros; thoughts on ski gear; and more.

Strafe Castle Jacket
With a sleek look that’s paired with high-end materials and insulation, the Strafe Castle Jacket warrants strong consideration if you’re in the market for an insulated ski / snowboard jacket that doesn’t look out of place away from the slopes.

Flash Review: 21/22 Elan Ripstick 116
Check out some of our initial answers to the questions we posed when we first got our hands on Elan’s widest ski.
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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Daryl Murphy on Miles for Justice (Ep.83)
Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Daryl Murphy about his Miles For Justice project; why he’s been running 5k or more every single day for over 300 days; his running background; his ideas about the future of Miles For Justice; and more.

Deep Dive: Elan Wingman 86 CTi
We compare the Wingman 86 CTi to the Blizzard Brahma 88, Nordica Enforcer 88, Salomon Stance 90, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Liberty Evolv 90, Renoun Endurance 88, Salomon S/Force Bold, Folsom Spar 88, Black Crows Orb, K2 Disruption 82Ti, Fischer Ranger 94 FR, Volkl M6 Mantra, & Elan Ripstick 106.
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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2021-2022 Elan Wingman 86 CTi
If your definition of an “all-mountain” ski is one that’s a blast to carve on groomers but that can also handle occasional laps off piste, the Wingman 86 CTi should be on your list. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.

Flash Review: 21/22 Dynastar M-Free 108, 192 cm
Update 3.22.21: We’ve added some more thoughts after putting in a few more days on the long M-Free 108.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

On Our Blister ‘Crash Course’ Snow Blade Video (Ep.208)
We take you behind the scenes of our Blister ‘Crash Course’ Snow Blade video, and answer all the big questions, like: why no ski poles?; telemark vs. snowblading; & more.

New Skis, Ski Boots, & Gas-Station Food (Ep.192)
Luke and Jonathan discuss new skis, ski boots, liners, and apparel from Faction, Salomon, ZipFit, Dynastar, Renoun, Majesty, Strafe, Lange, and more. Plus gas-station food and owls.

Win Le Bent Prize Packs
This week TWO winners will each get a spring prize pack from Le Bent, including their merino wool / bamboo mountain bike socks, trail running socks, and shirt!

Blister Crash Course Video: Snow Blading / Ski Boarding
Here it is: watch some of us struggle and others excel on some very short snow-sliding devices. Who was the MVP?

2022-2023 K2 Mindbender 99Ti W
K2 updated their women’s metal-laminate freeride series for 22/23, and we think the new Mindbender 99Ti W could work well for a whole lot of skiers. Check out our Full Review.

MountainFLOW Brand Guide – Snowsports
MountainFLOW makes quality ski waxes with an eco-friendly approach, and we’ve partnered with them to bring you a breakdown of their snowsports wax lineup.

Flash Review: 22/23 Tecnica Zero G Peak Carbon
Reviewer Paul Forward has been spending time in Tecnica’s new 1000-g touring boot — here are some of his initial thoughts.
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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Ski Boot Design in 2022 | BLISTER Summit ’22 Panel Discussion
We talk with Christoph Lentz (Fischer ski boots product manager), Tom Pietrowski (K2 ski boots product manager), and Greg Klein (product development & owner of Willi’s Ski Shops) about the current state of ski boot design, the latest trends (including pros & cons), and their predictions about the future.

Chelsea Kimball on Van Life, Darkfest, & the Growth of Women’s Freeride (Ep.113)
Chelsea Kimball is really making waves in the burgeoning world of women’s freeride, so we sat down with her to talk about her unconventional path to being an MTB pro; Darkfest & being among the first women to participate; Freeride Fiesta; and a whole lot more.

POC Kortal & Kortal Race MIPS Helmets
We’ve been testing both versions of POC’s new Kortal helmet, and it’s an excellent option for riders looking for a notably burly, high-coverage Trail / Enduro helmet. Check out our full review for more details, and how they stack up against a bunch of their competitors.

Speedland SL:PDX
Speedland calls their SL:PDX, “the world’s first hyper-performance trail shoe,” which is a lot to live up to. Our review takes a closer at whether or not the shoe is worthy of that title.

Flash Review: 22/23 Nordica Unleashed 98 W
We wrapped up the season skiing the new women’s Unleashed 98 W, including A/B testing it against the Santa Ana 98. Check out our thoughts so far.
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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