BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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Flash Review: 21/22 Volkl Secret 96
Update 3.22.21: Kara Williard adds her thoughts on the new Secret 96.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Video: Blister Summit Panel on Ski Boot Design
In the Blister Summit panel on Ski Boot Design, we talk to three key people in the world of ski boots: Thor Verdonk, global brand director of Lange ski boots; Matt Manser, product manager of Atomic ski boots; and Stefano Mantegazza, product manager of the Tecnica Group. We discuss their design philosophies; whether we should get rid of flex ratings; whether a precise-fitting boot can be a warm boot; the most frustrating trend in ski design today; where the biggest innovations are currently taking place; and more.
MADE: Custom Technical Apparel (Ep.139)
MADE is a new company that’s setting out to make custom technical apparel. Their 3 co-founders are all veterans of the technical apparel and outdoor industries, and Luke Koppa and I talked to Cheryl LeBarr, Capri Philip, and Dustin Butcher about why they started MADE and how they are making this happen.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 22/23 Majesty Superpatrol
Majesty’s new touring ski, the Superpatrol, has some pretty interesting design elements, and we just got our first day on it. Check out our initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Revel Bikes’ Adam Miller on the new Rail 29 & the State of the Bike Industry (Ep.114)
Revel’s new Rail 29 was a long time coming, and now it’s here — so we sat down with Revel founder Adam Miller to get the story on its development; managing a bike company during the pandemic; the state of the supply chain; wheel sizes; and much more.
Antidote Woodsprite
Antidote has long been known for their Enduro and DH bikes, but today they’re launching a shorter-travel Trail bike — the Woodsprite. Check out our First Look for all the info.
2022-2023 4FRNT Switch
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the 4FRNT Switch.
Flash Review: 22/23 Blizzard Hustle 10
We’ve been skiing Blizzard’s new “lightweight freeride” skis, the Hustle series — check out our thoughts so far on the Hustle 10.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2022-2023 Majesty Superpatrol
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the Majesty Superpatrol — a new 95mm-wide touring ski with some very interesting design elements.
Salomon Ultra Glide
The Ultra Glide is Salomon’s first foray into the maximal trail shoe category, and it does not disappoint. Check out our review to hear from two of our reviewers about their experience with the shoe, and how it compares to the competition.
Stacked Fields, Golden Tickets, & Thoughts From the Lead Pack (Ep.116)
In this ‘Race Edition’ of Running Through the News, Salomon athlete, Leah Yingling (who’s already been on major podiums twice this year), joins us to discuss race results from the past few weeks and to preview the stacked fields at Madeira Island Ultra Trail and Canyons 100k.
How We Test & Review Gear, Pt 1 | BLISTER Summit ’22 Panel Discussion
Blister reviewers, Paul Forward, Jonathan Ellsworth, Kara Williard, and Dylan Wood talk about how they approach testing and reviewing gear; how this applies to anyone trying something new; how to make the most of a ski demo; and more.
Flash Review: 22/23 K2 Mindbender 108Ti
Here are some of our initial thoughts on the revised Mindbender 108Ti, how it compares to the previous version, and new Mindbender 99Ti.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Deep Dive: Head Ski Boots Brand Lineup, 21/22
Next up in our Deep Dive series on ski boots is Head — check it out for a rundown on every boot in Head’s current lineup, the most comparable alternatives from other brands, and more details to help you figure out what differentiates each boot in the lineup.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review — 2023 Santa Cruz Megatower
We’ve started spending time on the brand-new Santa Cruz Megatower. Check out our first impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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