BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Liza Howard on Donut Money; Parenting; Age & Expectations; Band of Runners; & More (Ep.37)
Liza Howard is smart, funny, accomplished, humble, and by her own account … is extremely susceptible to peer pressure. She’s run marathons to impress a guy, still runs marathons for donut money, has won the Leadville 100 (and other big races) multiple times, is a coach, a parent, a NOLS Wilderness instructor, and the director of the terrific non-profit, Band of Runners. Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and you are in for a treat.
Trip Report: Eleven Cat Skiing
We recently headed out to Irwin, Colorado, with Eleven Cat Skiing to do some very proper pow ski testing. Check out our trip report for a full recap and more info.
Flash Review: 20/21 Dynastar M-Free 108
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new M-Free 108.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2020 Outdoor Retailer Highlights (Ep.85)
We sat down at the Outdoor Retailer / SIA show to discuss some of the most notable trends, interesting products, weirdest products, and the thing at the show that caused Jonathan to legally change his name.
Win any Sego Ski
Enter for your chance to win any of Sego’s 14 different skis!
Duncan Callahan on Winter Training; Coaching & Competing; & More (Ep.36)
Duncan Callahan is back on Off The Couch, and we discuss the increasing amount of coaching he’s doing with Carmichael Training Systems (including our own Maddie Hart); thoughts on winter training; the logistics of being a coach versus being an athlete, and more.
2020-2021 DPS Alchemist Zelda 106 C2
We’ve been spending a lot of time on DPS’s redesigned Zelda A106 C2 and have come away pretty impressed by the versatility of this lightweight all-mountain ski. Check out our full review.
2021-2022 Nordica Enforcer 100
Nordica is changing the Enforcer 100 — a 5-time winner of our “Best Of” award. Check out our First Look & Flash Review to see what’s different, what’s stayed the same, and our initial on-snow impressions.
Flash Review: 20/21 Nordica Enforcer 100
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new Enforcer 100.
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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Blister Speaker Series 2.4: Wendy Fisher (Ep.118)
Wendy Fisher is one of the all-time greats. She is a two-time World Extreme Skiing Champion; was on the U.S. Ski Team; filmed with Warren Miller and MSP; and played a huge role in showing the world what women could do in big-mountain arenas. We spoke to Wendy about all of this and more (including a few fantastic Shane McConkey and Seth Morrison stories).
2021-2022 Atomic Backland Carbon
Reviewer Paul Forward has spent this season touring in the overhauled Atomic Backland Carbon, and you can now check out his full review of this lightweight AT boot.
SCARPA CEO, Kim Miller, on the new F1 LT & More (Ep.84)
In part 2 of our conversation with SCARPA CEO, Kim Miller, Kim offers his predictions for the ski industry and how SCARPA is positioning itself for the future; discusses which materials they use in their boots and why; shares the lessons learned from the Maestrale 2017 recall; and unveils a brand-new boot, the F1 LT.
Win a Helmet & Goggles from Sweet Protection
Enter for your chance to win Sweet Protection’s Switcher Helmet & flagship Interstellar Goggles!
Winter Headwear Roundup
Keeping your face, neck, and head warm and comfortable during the colder months of the years can be tricky, but we’ve rounded up a bunch of our favorite options from neck gaiters to headbands to balaclavas and hoods. Check out our roundup to see what sets each one apart from the others.
2020 Guerrilla Gravity Trail Pistol
Reviewer David Golay has also been spending time on Guerrilla Gravity’s aggressive short-travel bike, the Trail Pistol, and he now offers his take on the bike.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: Trek Session
We’ve been spending time on the new, high-pivot 2022 Trek Session. Check out our Flash Review for some 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.
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2021 Marin Alpine Trail
The Marin Alpine Trail is one of the most playful Enduro bikes we’ve been on recently, but also manages to keep a great deal of capability in technical terrain — and is an impressive bang-for-buck to boot. We think it’s a really compelling option for the right sort of rider, and you can check out our full review to find out who we think will get on best with this unique offering from Marin.
Unlikely Hikers & the Evolution of the Outdoor Industry (Ep.86)
If you want to understand one of the most important developments currently taking place in the outdoor industry, then listen up. Jenny Bruso is the founder of Unlikely Hikers, and what she has started is a movement that is growing fast, and for good reason. See why.
Flash Review: 21/22 Atomic Maverick 88 Ti
This season we spent time on all the new Maverick “Ti” skis, and here we discuss our initial thoughts on the narrowest option in the group.
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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Blister Brand Guide: Santa Cruz / Juliana Mountain Bike Lineup, 2021
Santa Cruz and its sister brand, Juliana, have been steadily updating several of their long-standing bikes over the past year. Check out our Brand Guide for more info on their whole 2021 lineup, and which of their bikes might make sense for you.
Ride Concepts Hellion Elite Shoe
Ride Concepts recently added a new flat-pedal shoe to their lineup, the Hellion Elite, which is a relatively low-profile option with the brand’s stickiest rubber. But how does it compare to popular options like the Five Ten Freerider Pro, and which riders are going to like this new shoe the most? Check out our full review to find out.
Old Principles & New Challenges of Apparel Design (Ep.147)
We talk with Carl Moriarty (previously the Design Director at Arc’teryx, currently the Design Director at Rapha) about his career path in the outdoor industry; several principles of technical apparel design; the challenge of balancing high performance with sustainability; and how being clear on these things can help us evaluate advertising claims about new pieces.
Win a Women’s or Men’s MTB Kit from 7mesh
This week the winner will get kitted out head-to-toe with high-end Mtb apparel from 7mesh!
Flash Review: 21/22 Romp Zorro 89
Romp is adding a few new designs to their lineup for next year, and we’ve so far been impressed by the versatility of their new narrow 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.)
Hoka One One Evo Mafate 2
The Evo Mafate 2 is designed to cover a lot of distance while still being light, efficient, and reliable on a wide range of trail surfaces. And so far, we’d say it pretty much lives up to the hype. Check out our review for more.
Öhlins TTX22 Shock
The world of high-end shocks is one filled with lots of dials and adjustments, but that can also make it a bit tricky to arrive at your ideal settings. The Öhlins TTX22, however, has proven to offer the reliable, high-end performance you’d expect of a top-tier product, but is also very simple and easy to get running really well. Check out our full review for the whole story.
Vero Sandler on REAL MTB, Digging, Dance Moves, & Getting Slidey (Ep.65)
Vero Sandler just competed in the first ever REAL MTB event, so we caught up with this Kiwi with the French name (Veronique) who lives in Wales to talk about the experience and get her thoughts on being the first (and only) female in the comp; the importance of checking your junk (???); the art of “getting slidey”; her current big idea; and more.