BLISTER — Outdoor Gear Reviews, Podcasts, Buyer’s Guides, Giveaways

BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

Jonathan Ellsworth and Luke Koppa review the Black Crows Atris for Blister in Crested Butte, Colorado.

Deep Dive: Black Crows Atris

We compare the Atris to the Black Crows Corvus, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Kastle FX106 HP, Head Kore 105, DPS Alchemist Wailer 106 C2, ON3P Woodsman 108, ON3P Jeffrey 108, Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender Ti, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Fischer Ranger 107 Ti, Line Sick Day 104, Dynastar M-Free 108, K2 Reckoner 112, Line Sir Francis Bacon, Moment Wildcat 108, Icelantic Nomad 105, 4FRNT MSP 107, Blizzard Rustler 10, Liberty Origin 106, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Salomon QST 106, & 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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Kingswood Skis founder, Alex Herbert, goes on Blister's GEAR:30 podcast to discuss ski design, the 2020 Southern Hemisphere ski season, and more

Kingswood Skis founder, Alex Herbert (Ep.104)

Kingswood Skis is a custom indie ski manufacturer based on the South Island of New Zealand, and we caught up with Kingswood founder, Alex Herbert, to talk about ski materials, sidewalls, cosmetics & ski repairs, base material thickness, Kingswood’s rather unconventional Race Department.

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Noah Bodman reviews the Tannus Armour Tire Inserts for Blister

Tannus Armour Tire Inserts

We’ve had more reviewers using the Tannus Armour tire inserts, and have updated our review with thoughts on long-term durability; how the inserts perform when primarily used in a rear tire; and how noticeable the different ride quality will feel to beginners and intermediates.

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Gordon Gianniny reviews the Hoka One One Evo Jawz for Blister in Crested Butte, Colorado.

Hoka One One EVO Jawz

Most brands now make at least one mud-oriented shoe for very technical terrain, and most of them are very niche. However, Hoka’s aptly named EVO Jawz has proven to be surprisingly versatile, and seems particularly appealing to those looking for maximum grip and stability — even on longer runs.

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Tyler Jones goes on the Blister podcast to discuss BlackAFinSTEM, Black Birders Week, her master's work on bees, & more

BlackAFinSTEM, Birders, & Bees (Ep.133)

BlackAFinSTEM was started to encourage and support Black individuals who are working in — or who are just passionate about — the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and also to encourage, support, and increase the visibility of Black naturalists and Black people who recreate and work outdoors. So we talk to Tyler Jones, the co-organizer of Black Birders Week, about all of the above, plus the difference between a bird and a trash bag; Taco Bell & STEM; her graduate work on bees (!!!); and more.

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Blister Brand guide

Blister Brand Guide: Cannondale Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020

Cannondale has become known for coming up with some unique designs, and while their current MTB lineup features some of their proprietary tech, it also spans everything from budget hardtails to XC race rigs to longer-travel Trail bikes. Check out our Brand Guide to see which of their bikes might make sense for you.

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Ben Sims reviews the Revel Ranger for Blister

2021 Revel Ranger

Revel just released their 3rd bike, the Ranger, which blends the signature CBF suspension design with an XC-friendly 115 mm of rear travel. Check out our First Look for more on how the Ranger’s design compares to Revel’s other bikes and the broader short-travel, 29er market.

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Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth review the Dynastar M-Pro 99 for Blister in Crested Butte, Colorado.

2021-2022 Dynastar M-Pro 99

The M-Pro 99 follows a long line of Dynastar’s directional freeride skis, and we think this new ski represents both an interesting departure and an interesting addition to the lineup. Check out our full review and Deep Dive comparisons.

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Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth review the Dynastar M-Pro 99 for Blister in Crested Butte, Colorado.

Deep Dive: Dynastar M-Pro 99

We compare the M-Pro 99 to the Dynastar M-Pro 105 / Pro Rider, Dynastar M-Free 108, Dynastar Legend X96, Salomon QST 99, Moment Commander 98, Nordica Enforcer 100, Blizzard Bonafide, Volkl Mantra M5, 4FRNT MSP 99, Fischer Ranger 99 Ti, Volkl Mantra 102, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Liberty Origin 96, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, J Skis Masterblaster, & Blizzard Rustler 9.

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.)

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Kieran Nay reviews the Altra Lone Peak 4.5 for Blister

Altra Lone Peak 4.5

The Lone Peak has been in Altra’s running lineup for many years now, serving as their rugged, moderate-cushion trail shoe. Check out our review of the latest iteration, the Lone Peak 4.5, to see how it compares to the last version, several of Altra’s other trail shoes, and some other options on the market.

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Blister's 2020 summer skirt & skort roundup

Summer Skirt & Skort Roundup — 2020

There are now lots of skirts & skorts that can transition from casual walks around town to running, swimming, and hiking far from the city. We’ve rounded up several of the casual and technical options our reviewers have been using — check out our roundup to see which ones might work for you.

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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

BLISTER — Outdoor Gear Reviews, Podcasts, Buyer’s Guides, Giveaways

Win Faction Skis

The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get Faction’s big pow ski, La Machine!

Mic Williams was racing as a privateer when Covid hit, and racing went on hold. But instead of binging Netflix, he used his free time to start a very unusual bike company — Williams Racing Products. Mic has a whole lot of ideas for how to make bikes better, and WRP has offered a lot of out-there products, including what can only be described as the reincarnation of the Honda RN-01 downhill bike. So on our latest episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with Mic to talk about all the big ideas he has for WRP; the Privateer Parts Program and privateer racing in general; and much more.

The Many, Many Big Ideas of Williams Racing Products (Ep.93)

Few people have as many big ideas for the bike world as Mic Williams of Williams Racing Products, and even fewer have started their own companies to make them a reality. So we sat down with Mic to hear all about it, privateer racing at the top level, and more.

Blister reviews the J Skis Fastforward

Flash Review: 21/22 J Skis Fastforward

We just got our first day on J’s new 92mm-wide, metal-laminate, all-mountain ski.

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.)

On our Blister Podcast, we talk to Rick Ridgeway, who has lived right at the center of the modern outdoor recreation movement. He was a part of the first American ascent of K2; he has gone on numerous adventures with his friends, Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard and The North Face founder, Doug Tompkins, and filmmaker, Jimmy Chin; and he has been right there working to protect wild places with them, Kristine Tompkins, and others.

A Life Lived Wild: Rick Ridgeway (Ep.191)

Rick Ridgeway has lived right at the center of the modern outdoor recreation movement. He was a part of the first American ascent of K2; he has gone on numerous adventures with his friends, Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard and The North Face founder, Doug Tompkins, and filmmaker, Jimmy Chin; and he has been right there working to protect wild places with them, Kristine Tompkins, and others.

On GEAR:30, Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss our 21/22 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide and some corresponding industry trends and category highlights. They also talk snowblades, clarify our Buyer’s Guide ‘Best Of’ Awards, and go on a rant or two.

Our 21/22 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide (Ep.171)

Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss our 21/22 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide and some corresponding industry trends and category highlights. They also talk snowblades, clarify our Buyer’s Guide ‘Best Of’ Awards, and go on a rant or two.

David Golay Reviews the Cannondale Jekyll for Blister

Flash Review: 2022 Cannondale Jekyll

How does the new Cannondale Jekyll stack up against several other high-pivot Enduro bikes? Check out our Flash Review for 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.

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.)

Luke Koppa & Dylan Wood review the DPS Pagoda Tour 100 RP for BLISTER

2021-2022 DPS Pagoda Tour 100 RP

The Pagoda Tour 100 RP is an easy, intuitive touring ski that we think would work very well for the backcountry skiing that most people do. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.

Luke Koppa & Dylan Wood review the DPS Pagoda Tour 100 RP for BLISTER

Deep Dive: DPS Pagoda Tour 100 RP

We compare the Pagoda Tour 100 RP to the DPS Pagoda 100 RP, Line Vision 98, Salomon MTN Explore 95, Movement Alp Tracks 106, 4FRNT Raven, Fauna Pioneer, Blizzard Zero G 105, Scott Superguide Freetour, K2 Wayback 96, K2 Wayback 106, Nordica Enforcer Unlimited 104, Weston Summit, Armada Tracer 98, WNDR Alpine Vital 100, G3 FINDr 102, Wagner Summit 105, & Renoun Citadel 106.

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.)