BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Flash Review: 21/22 Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95
We recently spent time on two different versions of one of Shaggy’s playful all-mountain skis: the standard Ahmeek 95, and then an extra-heavy version that features sheets of … magnesium. Check out our initial thoughts.
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2021 Pivot Switchblade
Over the past several months, three of our reviewers spent time on Pivot’s do-it-all Trail bike, the Switchblade, and they think it does an impressive job of standing out in a very crowded category. Check out our full review to see why.
Neli Vazquez Rowland on the Run to End Homelessness & A Safe Haven (Ep.84)
Neli Vasquez Rowland is the co-founder and president of A Safe Haven, which is a Chicago-based nonprofit whose goal is to end homelessness. So we talk to Neli about A Safe Haven’s comprehensive approach; how and why their model could be adopted by other cities around the world; their Run to End Homelessness; and more.
Blister Summit Brand Lineups: Wagner Custom Skis
At the Blister Summit, we talked to Wagner Custom Skis founder, Pete Wagner, about why Wagner had never done a ski demo before the Blister Summit; how & why they created skis specifically for the Summit (which are now a part of their offerings); and how their custom design process works.
2021-2022 WNDR Alpine Vital 100
From steep, techy lines in the backcountry, to fast laps at Mt. Crested Butte, we’ve now used the WNDR Alpine Vital 100 for a bit of everything. Check out our full review and Deep Dive comparisons for more on this ski and its algae-derived construction.
Deep Dive: WNDR Alpine Vital 100
We compare the Vital 100 to the WNDR Alpine Intention 110, 4FRNT Raven, Atomic Bent Chetler 100, Salomon MTN Explore 95, Line Sick Day 104, Armada Tracer 98, K2 Wayback 96, Line Vision 98, G3 FINDr 102, Fauna Pioneer, Blizzard Zero G 105, Volkl Blaze 106, Black Crows Camox, Liberty Origin 96, & Liberty Origin 101.
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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Report: The 20/21 Ski Season in Europe (Ep.166)
We talk to Sebastian Steinbach of Blacksheep Sports in Munich, Germany, about this past season; we revisit some of Sebastian’s predictions prior to the ski season; and we get his early predictions for what he thinks this next ski season will look like in Europe.
Banshee Titan V3
We recently reviewed Banshee’s short-travel Phantom, and we’ve also spent the past year+ on its longer-travel sibling, the Titan. It’s an impressive (and incredibly good looking) 29er, but who is it best suited for, and where does it most notably excel? Check out our full review to find out.
Flash Review: 20/21 Moment Voyager XIV
Update 4.26.21: Luke Koppa adds his thoughts on the Voyager XIV, how it compares to the ATK R12, and how it stacks up against heavier bindings like the Fritschi Tecton and Marker Kingpin.
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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Reviewer Reports: Powder Skis w/ Paul Forward (Ep.144)
Paul Forward and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about a number of the fat skis Paul’s been reviewing this season in Girdwood, Alaska.
Hoji on the updated 4FRNT Hoji
We talk to Eric Hjorleifson about the development process and the updates to his namesake ski, the 21/22 4FRNT Hoji.
Win a Wheelset from WTB
This week the winner will get WTB’s new Proterra Wheelset!
Flash Review: 21/22 Weston Summit
Weston may be best known for their snowboards and splitboards, but they also make skis and we’ve been spending time on their 105mm-wide, do-everything touring ski, the Summit.
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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Casey Brown on Paving the Way & the Future of Women’s Freeride (Ep.62)
We talk with the pioneer of women’s freeride about growing up in the bush of New Zealand; her first bike (it was a mullet??); choosing mountain biking over skiing; career detours; being “toothless & ruthless”; Rampage; Formation; & the future of women’s freeride.
Women’s Mountain Bike Short Roundup — 2021
Need a new pair of shorts for long trail rides, gravity-fueled days, or that’ll work for a bit of everything? Check out seven of the women’s MTB shorts our reviewers have been testing the past two seasons.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2022-2023 Black Crows Camox Birdie
Last year we reviewed the men’s Camox and found it to be an extremely lively all-mountain ski, and now we’re weighing in on the women’s version, the Camox Birdie.
2023 Line Blade Optic Skis | Blister Summit Brand Lineup
We talk with Line’s marketing manager, Connor Clayton, about Line’s new collection of metal-laminate freeride skis, the Blade Optics. We discuss the origin of the series, how it combines elements of the Line Blade and Line Vision skis, Line’s “Gas Pedal Metal” construction, and the four Blade Optic models.
Trail Running 101: What is Trail Running?
Trail running — it’s only one word away from road running. Is it really that different? Yes and no. While trail running is simply running, just not on pavement, its depth of nuances, styles, and considerations demand a bit more explanation. So in our first installment in our new Trail Running 101 series, we cover some of the basics.
Kavenz on Engineering a Better Enduro Bike (Ep.117)
Kavenz had been working on a high-pivot Enduro bike long before it was cool, and the VHP16 and new VHP18 that came out of the project have a lot of unique design features. So this week on Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with Kavenz founder Giacomo Großehagenbrock to talk about the founding of Kavenz; the design philosophy behind their bikes; starting and growing a business; and much more.
Flash Review — 2022 Rocky Mountain Element
“Longer” and “slacker” might be the go-to buzzwords for modern bike releases, but the Rocky Mountain Element made a way bigger jump than most — while still staying true to its XC roots, too — and the results are very interesting. 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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Galfer Brake Pads and Rotors
Brake pads are an underappreciated factor in mountain bike brake performance, and Galfer’s offerings make a strong case for why a lot of riders should pay closer attention. And rotor sizing is a big piece of the puzzle, so we cover that in detail, too.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (April 2022)
We talk with Cody about what he’s been up to and get an update on the Fifty Project, then we run through some of the latest news, including faked plane crashes; Vail Resorts’ minimum wage increase; fuel for backcountry skiing; golf; and what we’re reading & watching.
2022-2023 Nordica Enforcer Unlimited 104
The Nordica Enforcer Unlimited 104 shares a lot in common with the original Enforcer 104 Free, it just ditches a whole lot of weight — and the upsides and downsides that come with it. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to learn more about this new touring ski.
Deep Dive: Nordica Enforcer Unlimited 104
We compare the Enforcer Unlimited 104 to the Volkl Blaze 106, Faction Agent 3.0, Line Vision 108, Atomic Backland 107, 4FRNT Raven, Movement Alp Tracks 106, Blizzard Zero G 105, WNDR Alpine Vital 100, Folsom Cash 106 Carbon, Moment Wildcat Tour 108, DPS Pagoda Tour 100 RP, Ronin 108, and Weston Summit.
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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Brian Metzler on a Writer’s Life & the Art of Running Free (Ep.119)
Brian Metzler has been writing about running, in one form or another, for the better part of the last 25 years. His latest book, Trail Running Illustrated: The Art of Running Free (which he co-authored with Doug Mayer) is a genre-bending book with an interesting backstory, so we talked to Brian about how it all came together; his writing (and running) career; and much more.
2023-2024 Ferreol Pionnier 104
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the Ferreol Pionnier 104.
La Sportiva Akasha II
The best decision La Sportiva made when updating the Akasha, their long-distance trail shoe, was not to change much about it. The Akasha II is strikingly similar to its predecessor, and will work really well for certain runners for the same reasons as before.