BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Flash Review: 24/25 Heritage Lab Swallowtail R120
Reviewer and heli-guide, Paul Forward, has been testing a new version of Heritage Lab’s big-mountain powder ski, the Swallowtail R120. Here are his initial impressions after his first days with it in Alaska.
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Flash Review: 25/26 Head Kaliber 130 MV BOA2
We’ve been logging time in the Kaliber 130 BOA2 and have started to learn some things about this new boot and the dual-BOA system in general.
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2025-2026 Head Kaliber 130 MV BOA2
Here are the details and our measured specs for Head’s new dual-BOA all-mountain boot, the Kaliber 130 MV GW BOA2.
Sports Nutrition, Entrepreneurship, & Magic Bird Poop with Skratch Labs’ Founder, Dr. Allen Lim (Ep.345)
You geek out about your gear, but do you know how to fuel yourself when you’re out in the mountains or on the trail? What, when, and how much should you be eating and drinking? We talk to Scratch Labs founder, Dr. Allen Lim, about all of this, and more.
2024-2025 Icelantic Nomad 106
Icelantic overhauled their most popular skis this season — but was this risky move worth it? After a full season of testing, we think it was. Here’s our Full Review of the new Nomad 106.
Deep Dive: Icelantic Nomad 106
We compare the Nomad 106 to the previous Nomad 105, current Nomad 112, Nomad 100, J Skis Hotshot, Salomon QST 106, Nordica Unleashed 108, Moment Wildcat 108, 4FRNT Devastator, Armada ARV 106, Dynastar M-Free 108, K2 Reckoner 110, Fischer Ranger 108, Rossignol Sender Soul 102, ZAG Slap 104, Blizzard Rustler 10, Black Crows Atris, RMU Apostle 106, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Armada Declivity X 102, Line Optic 104, DPS Wailer 107, & Line Pandora 106.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Win Carv’s Digital Ski Coach System
The TWO winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the Carv 2 Ski Coach system as well as a Carv Season Pass!
Matt Manser on Atomic’s New Redster Ski Boots, New Remedy 130, & More (Ep.334)
What’s the difference between a true race boot; a race-inspired ski boot; and a high-performance freeride or freestyle boot? Matt and Jonathan discuss all of these things and more, and you’ll hear the most important rant / public service announcement in GEAR:30 history.
Flash Review: 25/26 Majesty HNX Ti
Part of Majesty’s new Resort collection, the HNX Ti is an 85mm-wide ski with a unique look. Here are our initial thoughts after our first day on it.
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2025-2026 Majesty HNX Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Majesty HNX Ti.
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, January 2025 (Ep.260)
What impact are Trump’s tariffs going to have on the bike industry, and will they affect that new bike or component upgrade you have your eye on? Mike and Simon weigh in with their thoughts on the tariffs; as well as a Preview of Red Bull Hardline Tasmania; Mexico as a mountain bike destination; and a whole lot more.
‘Ski: The Greatest Ski Tour of All Time’ w/ Nikolai Schirmer, Cody Townsend, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.35)
We talk with Nikolai Schirmer about snow monk warriors, obsessive weirdos, and his outstanding new movie. And Cody Townsend (who is in the film) joins in to talk about the evolution of ski culture, filmmaking, and more.
Flash Review — Santa Cruz Bronson 5
Update 2.6.2024: We’ve got the Santa Cruz Bronson 5 in for a long-term review, and have some updated thoughts on how it stacks up.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2024-2025 Nordica Enforcer 104
Many of us loved the original Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, but this season, Nordica updated it. So, just how similar or different is this new, un-Freed Enforcer 104? Here’s our Full Review.
Deep Dive: Nordica Enforcer 104
We compare the Enforcer 104 to the previous Enforcer 104 Free, current Enforcer 99, Nordica Unleashed 108, Volkl Mantra 102, Salomon Stance 102, Blizzard Anomaly 102, Moment Commander 102, Folsom Primary 104, Romp Oso 105, 4FRNT MSP 107, Wagner Summit 107, Stockli Stormrider 102, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Black Crows Justis, Atomic Maverick 105 CTI, J Skis Hotshot, Dynastar M-Pro 100 Ti, Armada Declivity X 102, Line Optic 104, Icelantic Nomad 106, Salomon QST 106, Rossignol Sender Soul 102, & Fischer Ranger 102.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
25/26 Gear, Boot Trends, Making the Most of Any Season, & More w/ Powder Hound (Ep.338)
We catch up with Eric Helmbrecht of Powder Hound, our Blister Recommended Shop in Girdwood, Alaska to discuss the ups and downs of this season up in Alaska; our tips and tricks on how to make the most of any season; 25/26 gear; Dual BOA; boot trends; aftermarket liners; and more.
Deep Dive: Kona Process 153
We compare the Kona Process 153 to the Transition Sentinel V3, Knolly Fugitive 140, Marin Alpine Trail XR, Forbidden Druid V2, Deviate Highlander II, Norco Sight, Yeti SB165, Kona Process 134, Transition Smuggler, REEB Steezl, and Santa Cruz Bronson 5.
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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Kona Process 153
The Process 153 is Kona’s take on the modern long-travel Trail bike, but it also carries some unique traits. The result is a spirited, fun bike that we think plenty of people could get along with. Our Full Review has all the details.
Win Apparel From Mountain Equipment & Bridgedale
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the men’s or women’s Switch Pro Hooded Jacket from Mountain Equipment, as well as a 3-pack of men’s or women’s Lightweight Merino Endurance Over Calf socks from Bridgedale!
2025-2026 Dynastar M-Free 100
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the brand-new Dynastar M-Free 100.
Flash Review: 25/26 Dynastar M-Free 100
For 25/26, Dynastar is replacing the existing M-Free 99 with the new M-Free 100. So, how different is the new ski? Here are some of our initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Reviewer Reports: Tons of Bikes, Chain Damper Shootout, & Much More (Ep.265)
David Golay and Zack Henderson check in on a ton of gear they’ve been testing, including bikes, suspension, and a bunch of other components — including a comparison of Ochain’s active spider vs. Rimpact’s new Chain Damper.
2025-2026 Fischer Nightstick 97
The Nightstick has historically been Fischer’s competition park ski, but that name now applies to several park and all-mountain-freestyle models. The Nightstick 97 is designed to be the most versatile of the bunch, and we’re ready to weigh in on it — here’s our Full Review.
Deep Dive: Fischer Nightstick 97
We compare the Fischer Nightstick 97 to the Fischer Nightstick 104, Fischer Ranger 96, Fischer Ranger 102, Liberty Scope 104, Rossignol Sender Free 100, Black Crows Camox, Nordica Unleashed 98, K2 Reckoner 102, Faction Studio 2, Dynastar M-Free 99, Season Kin, Line Optic 96, RMU Apostle 96 Ti, J Skis Allplay, 4FRNT Switch, Prior Northwest 100, Line Chronic 101, Völkl Revolt 104, and Whitedot Altum 104.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Lo-Fi Wine Making With Uffe Deichmann, Poppelvej Wines (Ep.61)
Uffe Deichmann is a sort of pioneer in Australian winemaking; his focus on lo-fi production methods and non-traditional flavors has helped redefine what consumers expect from the land down under. We dive deep into the history of Poppelvej, Uffe’s own journey through winemaking, and the philosophy that underlies the incredible wine they are producing.
Cannondale Topstone Carbon Gen 3
The Cannondale Topstone Carbon has entered its third generation. More tire clearance, frame storage, and a supposedly more compliant implementation of the KingPin rear suspension design make it one of the more fully-featured Gravel bikes on the market. Let’s walk through the details of the new Topstone Carbon.
Flash Review: 25/26 Head Kore 100 Ti
The Kore 100 Ti occupies the middle of Head’s overhauled freeride collection, and we’ve already logged several days on it. Here’s what we’ve learned so far, including some interesting takeaways after A/B testing it against the Kore 99 Ti W.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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