BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Coree Woltering on his Ice Age Trail FKT, Catcalls, & Tick Removal (Ep.67)
Coree Woltering is definitely one of the most interesting ultrarunners out there, so Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talked to Coree about the one time when a catcall actually worked; why the running world needs to stop overlooking midwestern athletes; Quick Trip burgers and how to remove ticks; and the injury and the miracle that happened while he was setting a new FKT on the Ice Age Trail.
EXT Storia Lok V3 Shock
EXT’s custom shocks have been used on everything from F1 cars to motocross, but they also make some very interesting suspension components for mountain bikers. We’ve been testing the latest version of their Enduro-oriented Storia Lok shock, and it is very impressive. Check out our full review for an in-depth explanation.
Will Gadd on The Last Ascent + Doing all the Sports (Ep.143)
We talk to the elite ice climber, Will Gadd, about ice climbing, skiing, paragliding, rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking — and how they relate to one another. And we talk about his new film, The Last Ascent, which documents Will’s return to Mount Kilimanjaro to climb the Messner route and the Tanzanian ice (at 19,000’ altitude) while there’s still time.
Car Camping Gear Roundup — 2020
We’ve rounded up a bunch of gear that has made our camping experiences more enjoyable, whether you need products that work for both car-camping and backpacking, like to head out with your little one, or simply want to make your next car-camping trip more pleasant.
The Skier’s Sportshop
Looking for ski gear — whether for you or the rest of your family — in the Edmonton, Alberta area? The Skier’s Sportshop is our top pick.
The Spokane Alpine Haus
Spokane Alpine Haus is our pick for all ski- and ride-related gear in the Spokane area, now with two convenient locations.
Win Ultralight Down Blankets from Rumpl
The TWO winners this week will each get Rumpl’s Featherlite Down Blanket!
Jason Levinthal & 4FRNT’s New Ownership Group (Ep.114)
Last week, it was announced that Jason Levinthal had sold 4FRNT Skis. So we talked to Jason about how this deal came about; learn the background of the new leadership group at 4FRNT; ask what the group does and doesn’t intend to change about the brand; and more.
Our Best / Worst Ski Ideas for 20/21
We’ve created the most cutting-edge lineup of skis for the coming season, so here are our best (or worst) designs to meet the current moment.
The Ski Monster
The Ski Monster is our go-to shop in Boston, MA, for all things ski- and snowboard-related.
Your Fully Customizable Dream Build? Introducing Sherpa Custom Mountain Bikes (Ep.39)
What if you could buy a bike without immediately looking to swap out a bunch of the stock parts? And what if this dream build of yours was competitively priced? Sherpa Custom Mountain Bikes is a brand-new company that allows you to customize every part and color of your new bike, with over 1,000,000 combinations to choose from; their “photorealistic 3D dream builder” provides life-like graphics that allow you to scrutinize every detail of your custom build; and they’re also offering a life-time warranty on their frames and rims. Sound too good to be true? We sat down with the founders of Sherpa to question them about this intriguing ambitious new venture.
Ryan Hall on His First Ultra; Performance & Weight; Proper Perspective; & More (Ep.66)
Ryan Hall is a two-time Olympian and is the only American to run a sub-2:05:00 marathon. But these days, Ryan is far more focused on lifting, yet he just completed his first ultramarathon — and he did it in the most ‘Off The Couch’ way possible. So we sat down with Ryan in Blister HQ to talk about his first ultra; finding proper perspective; weight & performance; and more.
Blister Brand Guide: Hoka One One Shoe Lineup, 2020
Hoka’s shoe lineup is now more diverse than ever: they still make plenty of maximal, high-cushion shoes, but they also offer a lot of more minimal options for both roads and trails, as well many casual variations designed to bring the brand’s comfy, plush ride to everyday shoes. Check out our Brand Guide for a rundown on their entire 2020 lineup.
Jeremy Jones on His New Film, Purple Mountains (Ep.142)
We talk to snowboarder & Protect Our Winters founder, Jeremy Jones, about his new film; the importance of reviving a lost art; and more.
Shaggy’s Skis 20/21 Lineup + Luke & Drew Ski Pow on 9.9.20 (Ep.113)
We talk to Northern-Michigan-based Shaggy’s Copper Country Skis co-founder & product engineer, Jeff Thompson, about their 20/21 lineup; their unusual “nanoMag” construction; and more. Then Luke Koppa talks about skiing pow this week (??) in Crested Butte.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 21/22 Head Kore 103 W
Here are some of our initial thoughts on the widest ski in the women’s Head Kore series, including comparisons to the Nordica Santa Ana 104.
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Guerrilla Gravity on 10 Years of US-Made Bikes (Ep.98)
Guerrilla Gravity just celebrated their 10th anniversary, so we figured it was a good time to check in with co-founders Will Montague and Matt Giaraffa and get some stories from their first decade, hear what’s next for the not-so-little-anymore brand, get their predictions for the future of the bike industry, and a whole lot more.
Flash Review: 21/22 RMU North Shore YLE 110
Here are our initial impressions of RMU’s big-mountain pow ski, including comparisons to the RMU Apostle 3.0 106 & Head Kore 111.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review: 21/22 Head Kore 111
With all the snow here in Crested Butte, we’ve been spending more time on Head’s new Kore ski. Check out Dylan Wood’s initial 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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2021-2022 4FRNT Renegade
We’ve now been able to get several reviewers on both lengths of 4FRNT / Eric Hjorleifson’s pow ski. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: 4FRNT Renegade
We compare the Renegade to the 4FRNT Inthayne, Moment Chipotle Banana, Folsom Rapture, Dynastar M-Free 118, DPS Foundation Koala 118, Volkl Revolt 121, K2 Reckoner 122, Atomic Bent Chetler 120, Kye Shapes Numinous, Line Pescado, Rossignol Blackops Gamer, and Line Outline.
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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Cascade Components Full Guide
Cascade Components’ new chain guide promises great chain retention, low weight, and easy setup — i.e., all the things we look for in a chain guide. But does it deliver? And are there any downsides?
The Current Storm, Backcountry Travel, & Best Practices (Ep.196)
Many areas are currently getting hammered with snow, and the consequences of backcountry travel are high. So we asked Zach Guy, lead forecaster for the CBAC, to come back on the podcast to discuss some best practices and important reminders for anyone venturing out.
Reviewer Reports: Backcountry Ski Touring Gear (Ep.176)
We discuss some of the backcountry gear that Paul Forward has been testing around Girdwood, Alaska, including skis from Moonlight and Movement; bindings from Moment and Dynafit; skins from G3 and Pomoca; and Scarpa boots. We also discuss current trends (fads?) in ski poles, and the underrated value of a good snow saw.
Win SPY Goggles & Helmets
This week TWO winners will each get a Marauder Elite Goggle and Astronomic MIPS Helmet from SPY. Enter for your chance to win!
2021-2022 Black Crows Serpo
The new 93mm-wide Serpo isn’t like most skis in its class, yet we’ve found it to be a very versatile ski that could work for a wide variety of skiers. Check out our Full Review and Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Black Crows Serpo
We compare the Serpo to the Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Volkl M6 Mantra, Nordica Enforcer 94, Blizzard Rustler 9, Black Crows Camox, Salomon QST 98, Salomon Stance 96, 4FRNT MSP 99, Blizzard Bonafide 97, Moment Commander 98, Fischer Ranger 94 FR, Dynastar M-Pro 99, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Liberty Origin 96, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, and DPS Pagoda Piste 94 C2.
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.)