BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Powder Ski Comparisons: Old vs New vs What Should Be Next? (Ep.320)
The snow’s been falling, and we’re already fantasizing about those really deep days. So today, Paul Forward and Jonathan Ellsworth make the case for wide pow skis, then they talk about a bunch of current pow skis, old pow skis, and some design specifics they think are good ideas.
EXTENDED: Win Antti Ollila’s Ski & Boot Setup
The winner of this week’s Gear Giveaway will win the Prodigy 3 ski from Faction and the fs 01 120 boot from phaenom Footwear, the go-to setup of Finnish freestyle skier Antti Ollila!
3-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
Rounding out Part Three of our reviewers 3-ski quiver picks, we hear from Kristin Sinnott and Jonathan Ellsworth — check out their selections and let us know what your ideal 3-ski quiver would look like!
‘Inner Boots’ vs. Liners in Ski Boots | ZipFit 2025 Lineup Video
Several of our reviewers have used a single pair of ZipFit “inner boots” for hundreds of days, as have many pro and everyday skiers around the world. But how exactly do they accomplish that, and what makes them different from a regular boot liner? In this video from Blister Summit 2024, we get answers from ZipFit’s Jeff Colt.
Deep Dive: Knolly Fugitive 140
We compare the Knolly Fugitive 140 to the Santa Cruz Hightower 3, Trek Fuel EX, Revel Rascal V2, Santa Cruz Bronson, REEB Steezl, Rocky Mountain Instinct, Transition Smuggler, Norco Optic, Deviate Highlander II, Forbidden Druid V2, Norco Sight, Yeti SB140, Banshee Phantom V3, and Propain Hugene.
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Knolly Fugitive 140
We’ve had a couple of reviewers riding Knolly’s updated Fugitive 140, and it stands out from the mid-travel Trail bike market in a few interesting ways — not an easy task in that typically “jack of all trades, master of none” category. Here’s our Full Review.
Casey Brown on the Inaugural Women’s Red Bull Rampage (Ep.246)
Red Bull Rampage finally, belatedly, included a women’s category this year — and it was outstanding. Casey Brown arguably did more than anyone else to get her foot in the door, and to smash it down for others to follow, so we sat down with her to hear all about it. Don’t miss this one.
Stuff We Like: October 2024
This edition of Stuff We Like includes some excellent camera-friendly outdoor gear, several shoulder-season layering pieces, two of our bike editors’ favorite grips, and more. Check it out to see all the latest gear our reviewers have been digging.
Diner Coffee, Sour Beers, Well-Done Steaks, Putting Greens, & Brand Building with Alex LeBlanc of Calibration Coffee Lab (Ep.51)
Last year, we talked with Alex LeBlanc about starting Calibration Coffee Lab in Greenville, South Carolina. Today, Alex is back to talk about how it’s going, what he’s been learning, how his thinking about coffee has evolved, and how he’s trying to build a brand that people will love.
Michelin’s New Enduro and DH Tires
Michelin gave their Enduro and DH tire lineup a big overhaul this year, and we’ve been spending time on the whole range of models. Here are our thoughts on the new Wild Enduro MH, Wild Enduro MS, Wild Enduro Rear, DH 16, and DH 22.
‘Downhill Racer’ with Daron Rahlves & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.28)
55 years ago today, the movie ‘Downhill Racer’ came out, starring two legendary actors, Robert Redford and Gene Hackman. The film critic Roger Ebert calls this “the greatest sports movie ever made,” and today, we’re discussing it with one of the greatest American downhillers of all time, Daron Rahlves.
Natural Selection Tour Expands to Ski, Snowboard, Bike, & Surf Events
Big News: Travis Rice and the Natural Selection Tour have announced their most extensive development yet — the addition of ski, bike, and surf events. Here are the details.
Amie Engerbretson on Ugly Sweater Parties + Can the Outdoor Community Actually Make a Difference? (Ep.330)
Jonathan talks with professional skier Amie Engerbretson about our upcoming ugly sweater / ski-movie-rom-com event; her film, Hypocrite; and the question, “Can the outdoor community actually make a difference?”
Ohlins DH38 & RXF38 Coil Spring Kits
Öhlins is one of the few suspension brands offering a coil conversion kit for their forks, and it manages to incorporate some compelling features at a reasonable price point. Does it deliver that fabled coil-sprung magic, or is there more to the story? Our reviewers have some thoughts after a few months of testing.
2025 Transition Sentinel
It may look familiar, but the new Transition Sentinel has been fully revised with new geometry, new frame details, and broader configuration options. Read on for more on how Transition has evolved one of the most versatile bikes in their range.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Viking Ski Shop
Viking has been a stronghold and a big part of the outdoor community in the Chicago area and beyond for over 50 years. While the industry has changed and evolved, Viking’s dedication to offering the best products, services, and prices in the greater Chicago area has remained the same.
Flash Review: 24/25 Volkl Peregrine 80 & Peregrine 82
Update 12.4.24: Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth have both spent time A/B testing these new piste skis from Volkl, and now, Jonathan adds his own take on how they compare.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2024-2025 Black Diamond Helio Carbon 115
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Black Diamond Helio Carbon 115.
Commencal Meta Power SX 400
Commencal’s new Meta Power SX 400 puts the lightweight Bosch SX drive unit in a long-travel Enduro eMTB with a burly build, an aluminum frame, and a compelling price point. Here are all the details.
2024-2025 Black Crows Octo
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Black Crows Octo.
‘Surviving Our Story’ w/ Connor Ryan, Ryan McClure, & Isaiah Branch-Boyle (Ep.30)
Jonathan talks with Connor Ryan, Ryan McClure, and Isaiah Branch-Boyle about their powerful new film, Surviving Our Story. It should be required viewing for anyone who backcountry skis, splitboards, snowmobiles — or does any form of backcountry travel on snow.
2024-2025 Armada Reliance 92 Ti
Here are our measured specs, flex pattern numbers, and rocker profile pictures for the new Armada Reliance 92 Ti.
Flash Review — Vorsprung Telum
It’s always noteworthy whenever a brand ventures into a new product category, but that’s just the start of the story with Vorsprung’s first shock, the Telum. We’ve begun testing it, and you can now check out 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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2024-2025 La Sportiva Salto
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the La Sportiva Salto skis.
Flash Review: 24/25 Black Crows Octo
Update 12.2.24: Luke Koppa adds his thoughts on the new Black Crows Octo after spending some of his first days of the season aboard it.
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.)
2-Board Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
Following their 3-board quivers, our reviewers chime in with which snowboards and splitboards they’d select for their personal 2-board quivers.
Reviewer Reports + a Shop Talk First (Ep.324)
Luke and Jonathan offer their early-season reviewer reports, then Jonathan talks to Bangtail Bike & Ski’s new owner about why he did something that no other shop in the world has done — but why others might want to.