BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Win 4FRNT Skis
The winner this week will get a pair of skis from 4FRNT’s 20/21 collection!
Buttered Noodles; Opening Day; & Ski Quivers (Ep.124)
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss the opening day of the ski season; approaches to building ski quivers; our specific selections; Luke’s latest rant; What we’re Celebrating; & more.
3-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (20/21)
In Part Two of our reviewers’ 3-ski quiver selections, reviewers Paul Forward, Sascha Anastas, Kristin Sinnott, & Jonathan Ellsworth add their picks.
Matt Hart on Nike, The Oregon Project, & PEDs in Sports (Ep.74)
We talk to Matt Hart about his book, Win at All Costs: Inside Nike Running and its Culture of Deception, which is is an important book that everyone interested in competitive athletics should read. We discuss how Matt got interested in and involved with this story; whether we should just make all performance-enhancing drugs legal in all sports; who is most to blame for PED use in sports; what Nike’s response to the book has been; and Alberto Salazar’s upcoming trial.
Athletic Brewing Company founder, Bill Shufelt (Ep.151)
Athletic Brewing Company is a fast-growing brand in an emerging category that is about to blow up: non-alcoholic craft beer. So we talked to Athletic Brewing’s founder about why he started the company; the stigma of not drinking; why “near beer” has been so bad; why there’s such a need for products like this in the outdoors community; Athletic’s brewing process; how he feels about the emerging competition in the space; and more.
ON Cloudventure Peak
ON’s shoes immediately stand out due to their unique midsole “pods,” and we’ve been testing their recently revised, lightweight trail racer, the Cloudventure Peak. Check out our review to see where we think it excels, where it falls short, and how it compares to the competition.
Shop Talk: Tyson Stellrecht, Boise Gear Collective (Ep.123)
We sat down with Tyson Stellrecht, the founder of Boise Gear Collective, to talk about the selling of both used gear and brand new gear; how it’s going with backcountry.com one year later; why Tyson isn’t moving into e-commerce; gear snobs; predictions for the upcoming season; and more.
Win Wagner Skis + Glade Goggles & Helmet + James Niehues Book
The winner this week will get a really cool collection of gear from Wagner Custom Skis, Glade, & James Niehues!
4-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (20/21)
In Part Two of our reviewers’ 4-ski quiver selections, Jonathan Ellsworth & Kristin Sinnott add their picks for the 20/21 season.
Anneke Beerten on Her Accident; Recovery; Pastranaland, & More (Ep.44)
Anneke Beerten (the 2 x world champion BMX rider, 3-time Four Cross world champion, and Queen of Crankworx) was in an accident and suffered a serious concussion, so we check in with her to hear more about what happened; get a firsthand report of her recovery; and present a public service announcement that we all need to hear. Then we shift gears to talk about participating in the amazing Pastranaland Pit Bike Championships, so this is both a serious and super fun conversation.
Hoka Founder & Deckers Group VP of Innovation, Jean-Luc Diard (Ep.73)
If you are interested in product design and the process of innovation, then you need to listen to this conversation. Jean-Luc Diard started as an intern at Salomon, developed the first shaped ski, became the CEO at Salomon, played a major role in the development of Salomon’s running shoes, moved on to found Hoka One One, and is currently the VP of Innovation for the Deckers Group, where he currently heads up the Deckers X Lab.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Nov 2020) (Ep.150)
Today we are launching a new segment on the Blister Podcast. Each month, Cody Townsend and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the biggest stories and most interesting news headlines from the world of outdoor sports, and on occasion, the broader world, too. We also share some of the best things we’ve watched, read, or listened to.
Blister Brand Guide: Nike Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2020
Nike continues to expand their trail-running lineup, and in our Brand Guide we cover every shoe in their 2020 Trail lineup to help you figure out how each shoe differs and which might make the most sense for you.
Reviewer Reports: Shoulder Season MTB Gear + Forks Roundup (Ep.43)
For many of us, it’s shoulder season, where the riding conditions are wet, muddy, and / or cold. And some of us live in places where we regularly encounter those conditions. So on our latest Bikes & Big Ideas podcast, we discuss why some of the apparel that’s intended for wet/muddy riding sucks; which products have worked the best for us; and then we shift to a conversation about forks from Fox, RockShox, and Manitou.
Bending the Paradigm: Polartec’s Approach to “Waterproofness” & Comfort (Ep.122)
What does “waterproof” really mean, and when should you worry (and not worry) about a 10k or 20k rating on the jacket or pants you are thinking of buying? Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth spoke with Michael Cattanach, the product design director at Polartec, about the “ingredients” used to make your favorite apparel; Polartec’s history; and what Polartec is up to today.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2021-2022 Dynastar M-Free 99
The M-Free 99 is both the narrower version of a Blister favorite, the M-Free 108, and the replacement for another favorite, the Menace 98. So it’s got a lot to live up to, but how does it compare? Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Dynastar M-Free 99
We compare the M-Free 99 to the Dynastar M-Free 108, Dynastar Menace 98, Dynastar M-Pro 99, Salomon QST 98, J Skis Masterblaster, Nordica Soul Rider 97, Wagner Summit 97, 4FRNT MSP 99, Volkl Revolt 104, K2 Reckoner 102, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, Moment Deathwish 104, DPS Koala 103, Black Crows Camox, Moment Commander 98, Whitedot Altum 104, Line Sir Francis Bacon, & J Skis Hotshot.
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.
If you’re already an active 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.)
Nick Russell on Splitboarding and ‘Light Bulb’ Moments (Ep.200)
On the Blister Podcast,we talk with Nick Russell about The Fifty Project and sharing a tent with Cody Townsend; Nick’s background and a number of his ‘light bulb’ moments; how he came to be a splitboarder sponsored by Red Bull; and how his recent signing with WNDR Alpine came about.
Shop Talk: Sturtevants, Sun Valley, & a Blueprint for Community Ski Areas (Ep.181)
We were recently in Sun Valley, Idaho, talking with Sturtevants owner, Olin Glenne, about Rotarun Ski Area (which could serve as a blueprint for local ski hills in other places); Olin’s lifelong love of skiing; the skiing in and around Sun Valley, and some of his favorite gear.
2021-2022 Blizzard Black Pearl 97
For women looking for a strong, damp, and stable all-mountain ski, the redesigned Black Pearl 97 is one of the best options out there. Check out our full review.
Win 4FRNT Skis & Blister Summit Tickets
Enter for a chance to win one of our favorite touring skis + 2 tickets to our upcoming Blister Summit!
Flash Review: 22/23 Nordica Santa Ana 93 Unlimited
We’ve been spending time on the new Santa Ana 93 Unlimited to see how it compares to the regular Santa Ana series. Check out our 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.
If you’re already an active 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.)
Flash Review: 21/22 Wagner Summit 107
Like the Summit 97, the Summit 107 does an excellent job of combining great suspension and stability with an easy going ride. 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.
If you’re already an active 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.)
2021-2022 Moment Sierra Tour
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for Moment’s narrowest women’s backcountry touring ski.
SCOR on Turning an After-Hours Project Into a New Bike Brand (Ep.101)
SCOR is a new MTB-focused brand by BMC, and we sat down with founders Mariano Schoefer and Christof Bigler to get the story of how their after-hours tinkering blossomed into SCOR and get the rundown on their first models, the 4060 ST and LT.
Tecnica Announces New Sub-1000-g Zero G Peak Boots
Tecnica is entering the 1000-g backcountry touring boot category. Check out our write-up for all the details on the new Zero G Peak boots.
Deep Dive: Nordica Ski Boots Brand Lineup, 21/22
Next up in our Deep Dive series on ski boots is Nordica — check it out for a rundown on every boot in Nordica’s 21/22 lineup, 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
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.
If you’re already an active 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.)