BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Current State of the Camping Industry (Ep. 139)
“Camping” is a massive industry, and a lot goes on under that single name. So on our latest Blister Podcast, we discuss who’s doing it; what the different segments of camping are; the most important trends; some of the current problems and challenges in the space; and some of the potential solutions.
WNDR Alpine’s 20/21 Lineup with Matt Sterbenz, Pep Fujas, & Xan Marshland (Ep.109)
Matt Sterbenz, Pep Fujas, and Xan Marshland came to Crested Butte and sat down with us in Blister HQ to fill us in on WNDR Alpine’s new materials, new updates to the Intention 110, and their brand new ski, the Vital 100. And you’ll also hear some stories about Matt and Pep competing in slopestyle events against each other back in the day, and more.
Win a YETI Cooler
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get YETI’s Roadie 24 hard cooler!
Blister Brand Guide: Salomon Running Shoe Lineup, 2020
Salomon recently added even more new models to their 2020 running lineup. Check out our Brand Guide to learn more about the new additions and where they slot into the rest of the brand’s collection.
Anneke Beerten on Racing, ‘Badass’ Books, & Big Ideas (Ep. 34)
Anneke Beerten was born in the Netherlands, started racing BMX when she was 4, then became a 2 x world champion in BMX, a 3-time Four-cross world champion, the Queen of Crankworx, and she’s won, podiumed, and top 5’d many enduro, DH, DS races. She also just won the So Cal Enduro and Snow Summit DH. So Blister reviewer Dylan Wood and Jonathan Ellsworth caught up with Anneke to talk about racing; what she’s up to these days; ‘badass’ books; business ideas; and you’ll get to hear ‘the story of Dylan and Anneke.’
2020 Speedgoat 50K Winner, Noah Brautigam (Ep. 61)
Noah Brautigam just won the Speedgoat 50K, and a few days after winning, he sat down with us in Blister HQ to provide a very fresh and fun recap of the race, and describe what tweaks were made to allow the event to happen. We also discuss his background and a surprising discovery that has him feeling great, performing at a high level, and recovering really well.
2021-2022 K2 Reckoner 122
Last season we got to ski a lot of very deep snow on the very wide K2 Reckoner 122. Check out our Full Review and Deep Dive comparisons for more on this new playful pow ski.
Deep Dive: K2 Reckoner 122
We compare the Reckoner 122 to the Reckoner 112, Volkl Revolt 121, K2 Catamaran, Salomon QST 118, Moment Wildcat, Dynastar M-Free 118, Faction Candide 5.0, 4FRNT Inthayne, J Skis Friend, Line Outline, Atomic Bent Chetler 120, Icelantic Nomad 115, Parlor McFellon Pro, Rossignol BLACKOPS Gamer, Blizzard Rustler 11, K2 Mindbender 116C, ON3P Jeffrey 116, Prior CBC, & Kye Shapes Metamorph.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Swiftwick Running Sock Roundup
We’ve been running in several of Swiftwick’s socks, including a few new options that they just released today. Check out our roundup to see how the numerous models in their lineup compare.
Jeremy Bloom on Winning, Happiness, & The Weight of Gold (Ep. 138)
Jeremy Bloom is a 3-time world champion mogul skier, a 2-time Olympian, an 11-time World Cup gold medalist, and an All-American football player that was drafted into the NFL. He’s also the executive producer of an important new film, The Weight of Gold, which explores the mental health challenges that Olympic athletes often face. So we talked to Jeremy about his own background; the pursuit of athletic excellence; winning and happiness; brain health; and more.
Pros, Cons, & Potential Solutions to Increased Trail Use (Ep. 33)
Bike sales are through the roof this season, and all around the world, a lot of people are hitting the trails. So we talked to the executive director of the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association, Dave Ochs, to discuss the implications of — and potential solutions to — increased trail use.
Win a Camping Sleep System from Zenbivy
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, & a pillow from Zenbivy!
Mountain Biking Flat-Pedal Shoe Roundup — 2020
Flat-pedal shoes now vary a lot, from those with ultra-sticky, racing-slick-style outsoles to options that resemble hiking shoes to others that look like any other sneaker. Check out our roundup for in-depth comparisons on 6 shoes that we’ve been using.
Bikes, Forks, & Our 20/21 Winter Buyer’s Guide (Ep.108)
Jonathan Ellsworth talks to David Golay, Dylan Wood, & Luke Koppa about the Guerrilla Gravity Gnarvana; Manitou Mezzer & RockShox ZEB; Rocky Mountain Instinct BC; our 20/21 Winter Buyer’s Guide; and … ‘The Year of Ellsworth.’
Martinus Evans, 300 Pounds & Running (Ep. 60)
Martinus Evans is the founder of 300poundsandrunning.com and the Slow AF Run Club, and Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Martinus about modern media, being a Black runner in 2020, DJ-ing, motivation, Detroit pizza vs. Chicago pizza, the Slow AF Run Club, and more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
MountainFLOW founder, Peter Arlein, on How Ski Wax Works; its Environmental Impact; Ceramic Nano Technology; & More (Ep.175)
We discuss the environmental impacts of ski wax (and how ski wax actually works); Peter’s appearance on Shark Tank; the upcoming ban on fluorocarbon waxes at the highest levels of ski racing; and Peter reveals mountainFLOW’s brand-new product.
Cannondale on the Jekyll, Dual-Shock DH Bike, & Keeping it Weird (Ep.96)
We’re joined by Cannondale’s Scott Vogelmann and Travis Tomczak to talk about their latest bikes, and their development process; what’s next for the brand (including some upcoming product teasers); keeping Cannondale weird; and more.
Olympic Champion Kikkan Randall on Running, Racing, Longevity, Motherhood, & More (Ep.101)
Before Kikkan Randall was winning Olympic and World Cup gold medals in XC skiing, she was a runner, and she has never stopped being a runner. In this conversation, we discuss running and how she got into XC skiing; some of the keys to her longevity; becoming a mother while also being a professional athlete (and how much attitudes still need to change for women in a similar position); and going from winning an Olympic gold medal to being diagnosed with cancer, and how she is doing today.
TRP Trail Evo Brakes
There’s a lot to like about TRP’s new Trail Evo brakes, but they’re not perfect. Check out our full review for all the details.
2-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (21/22)
Check out Part Two of our reviewers’ 2-ski quiver picks, with additions from Jonathan Ellsworth, Kristin Sinnott, Eric Freson, Paul Forward, Sascha Anastas, & Drew Kelly.
Baby / Toddler Wool Baselayer Roundup
The benefits of wool baselayers are well known by many, and these days, there are lots of good options for the little ones, too.
Flash Review: 21/22 Season Kin
Freestyle ski? Carver? Both? Season’s new ski is unique, and it’s been a lot of fun so far. 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.)
Lou Dawson: Ski Mountaineer, WildSnow.com founder, & Author (Ep.194)
Lou Dawson is a ski mountaineer, founder of WildSnow.com, author, and the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks. We discuss all of the above; the current state of backcountry skiing; and his new guidebook, Light Tours of Colorado.
Topic of the Week: On Motivation
Our Bike Editor has been doing a lot of riding in terrible weather lately, and he’s learning how to love it — or at least talking himself into it — and has some thoughts on how you can, too.
The Blister Summit was created for YOU
In this post, we wanted to underscore who the Blister Summit was designed for — spoiler alert: it’s you.
Shop Talk: Backcountry Skis, Boots, & Bindings (Ep.174)
John Weir from Bentgate in Golden, CO, is back to discuss advances in backcountry skis; draw comparisons between some high-profile touring boots; and reassess the pros, cons, & compromises of various AT bindings.
Win Any WNDR Alpine Ski
This week the winner will get a pair of WNDR Alpine’s algae-derived backcountry skis!