BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Creating Your Own Sport: Buzz Burrell & the Invention of the ‘FKT’ (Ep.53)
A few weeks ago Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talked to the legend, Buzz Burrell, about his first ever long-distance run; starting the first organic farm in Colorado; the time he delivered a baby; inventing the hydration pack; and more. Then we discuss Buzz’s role in establishing the concept of the Fastest Known Time; creativity and FKTs, the process of approving FKT submissions, and some of the trends he’s seeing in the world of FKTs.
Food Sovereignty, Indigenous Rights, & the Film, Gather (Ep.131)
We talk with our friend, Sanjay Rawal, about his new film, Gather. (Sanjay directed the film, Renan Ozturk was the cinematographer, & Jason Momoa produced it.) Gather tells the story of the growing food sovereignty movement among Native American tribes across the U.S., and this film is sure to cause you to re-evaluate your own relationship to food and to land and to a lot of other things.
Nathan VaporKrar 2.0 4L Race Vest
The Nathan VaporKrar 2.0 4L Race Vest is a part of a crowded category of running vests targeted at shorter, self-supported runs and we’ve spent 100 miles comparing it to some of its competition. Check out our review to see how it compares.
Flash Review: 20/21 Blizzard Black Pearl 88
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new Black Pearl 88.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Biking 101: Hubs
How do mountain bike hubs work, what do you gain with a more expensive hub, and why should you care? In this GEAR 101 article, we dive into those questions and more.
2020-2021 Kastle FX106 HP
The Kastle FX106 HP is a ski that’s quick & lively but that some skiers will still be able to ski quite hard. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see if it’d be a good fit for you.
Deep Dive: Kastle FX106 HP
We compare the FX106 HP to the Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Head Kore 105, DPS Alchemist Wailer 106 C2, Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender & Sender Ti, Black Crows Corvus, Black Crows Atris, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Fischer Ranger 107 Ti, Line Sick Day 104, Moment Wildcat 108, 4FRNT MSP 107, Blizzard Rustler 10, Liberty Origin 106, Salomon QST 106, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, & K2 Mindbender 108Ti.
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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Women’s Mountain Bike Bike Jersey Roundup
We’ve rounded up 13 of the women’s MTB jerseys we’ve been using, all of which are designed for hot summer rides and many of which work well off the bike. Check out our roundup to see how they compare and which ones might work well for you.
OneUp Dropper Post V2
OneUp’s V2 Dropper Post manages to stand out in a crowded category with several unique features and a more affordable price. We’ve been testing the post for several months now and you can check out our review to see how it compares to the competition.
Salomon S/Lab Sense 8
The Salomon S/Lab Sense 8 is an example of a product that’s designed to do a pretty specific thing, and that does that exceptionally well. But what about using it outside of racing and fast runs? Check out our review.
2020-2021 Salomon Stance 90
New for 20/21, the Salomon Stance 90 is a metal-laminate all-mountain ski with a design that has us excited about its potential versatility. Check out our First Look to see why.
ON3P Skis 20/21 Lineup with Scott Andrus (Ep.102)
We talk to the founder of ON3P Skis, Scott Andrus, about the ON3P lineup for the upcoming season. There is a lot of new and interesting stuff going on at ON3P, and we break quite a bit of news in this conversation. Check it out.
Win Shorts & Vests from Ultimate Direction
Enter for a chance to win Ultimate Direction’s hydration-integrated Hydro Shorts + pick any of their vests!
Deep Dive: Alpine Touring Bindings, 2020
We directly compare several of the current, more downhill-oriented touring bindings, including the Salomon / Atomic Shift MNC 13, Marker Duke PT 16, CAST Freetour, Fritschi Tecton, Marker Kingpin, G3 ION 12, Fritschi Vipec EVO, & Dynafit ST Rotation 10. We also discuss what you tend to gain and give up by going to much lighter touring bindings, and in what scenarios that lighter category might make more sense for you.
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.)
Bikes, Bike Shops, & Crack Waffles (Ep. 27)
We sit down with bike-industry veterans Simon Stewart and Joe Parkin to announce their brand-new shop name; talk about what it’s like to own and operate a bike shop in these times; and finally, we discuss Joe’s wildly addictive creation that our editor-in-chief calls, the “Crack Waffle.”
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
adidas Terrex Two Ultra
The Terrex Two Ultra is designed to offer comfort during long trail runs, and for the right person, it could be excellent. Check out our review to see if you should have it on your list.
Full Stack Supply Co. (Faction Skis & FW Apparel) Announces New Ski Boot Brand
Today it was announced that the parent company of Faction Skis & FW Apparel will be launching a new ski boot brand next season.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Oct 2021) (Ep.188)
Cody and Jonathan discuss ‘fast pass’ programs at ski areas; Angel Collinson’s retirement announcement; the recent climate change / energy bill; bighorn sheep terrain closures in the Tetons; what we’re reading & watching; and more.
Stuff We Like: October 2021
Our latest Stuff We Like roundup features everything from paddleboards to beer, MTB tires to water bottles, a whole lot of apparel, and more.
Debatable: The Worst Bike Maintenance Task
What’s the worst bike maintenance task you can think of? In this edition of our “Debatable” series, our editor lays out his nomination, and his potential solutions to it.
Pete Wagner on Wagner’s new Summit Skis, Avalanche Cores, & Niehues Collab (Ep.168)
We talk to Pete Wagner about three big new things happening at Wagner Custom Skis, where everything is built right in Telluride, Colorado.
2021-2022 Wagner Summit 97
Historically, Wagner has only offered fully custom skis. But last year they made four models for the Blister Summit, and those Summit skis are now available as stock, “factory” options. The Summit 97 is their take on a versatile and stable all-mountain ski, and we think it is an excellent execution of that concept. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Wagner Summit 97
We compare the Summit 97 to the Wagner Summit 107, Volkl M6 Mantra, Volkl Mantra 102, Blizzard Bonafide 97, Nordica Enforcer 94, J Skis Masterblaster, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Salomon QST 98, Salomon Stance 96, Salomon QST 99, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Fischer Ranger 99 Ti, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Moment Commander 98, Dynastar M-Pro 99, & 4FRNT MSP 99.
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.)
Win a Full Kit from Strafe
This week the winner will get to pick a jacket, pant, and midlayer from Strafe!
Mick Hannah on Racing & What Comes Next (Ep.89)
Mick Hannah just concluded a 20-plus year career on the World Cup DH circuit, but he’s far from done with bikes — and has a whole lot to say about racing, bike tech, growing mountain biking, and more.
Flash Review: 2022 Santa Cruz Bronson
The new Santa Cruz Bronson now features ultra-trendy mixed wheel sizes, but how does that play out on the trail? Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions.
Catching Up with Grayson Murphy (Ep.99)
Grayson Murphy is back on Off The Couch to talk about her 2021 race season; trail racing in Europe vs. the US; the Olympic trials; avoiding injuries; the biggest changes to her own training; the most ‘off the couch’ thing she’s ever done; and more.