BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Freerunner, Dom Di Tommaso (@domtomato) (Ep. 46)
Dom di Tommaso (@domtomato) is a freerunner, a certified mind blower, and the guy behind one of our favorite Instagram pages and YouTube channels in the world. So on our latest Off The Couch podcast, we talked to Dom about his uncommon upbringing; his training, his focus, his injury history, and how he avoids dying doing the stuff he does; and more.
2020-2021 Fritschi Xenic 10
The category of lightweight (~300 g) touring bindings has been expanding & improving over the last few years, and the Fritschi Xenic 10 is the most recent addition. Check out our full review to see how it compares to the competition.
SKI INC. 2020: The Current State & Future of the Ski Industry (Ep. 126)
The ski industry has undergone rapid changes in the past several years, and we are currently in another unprecedented moment with the COVID-19 pandemic. So to help us better understand the past, present, and future of the ski industry, we talked to industry veteran and author of SKI INC, and SKI INC. 2020, Chris Diamond, about the rise of the EPIC and IKON passes; this recent era of rampant ski resort acquisitions; the state (and fate) of independent ski areas; whether COVID-19 will likely have lasting impacts on the ski industry; and more.
2020 Guerrilla Gravity Smash
We’ve now had two reviewers convert Guerrilla Gravity’s 120mm-travel Trail Pistol to their 145mm-travel Smash (an option that’s noteworthy in itself) and they both think the Smash is one of the more versatile and easy-to-recommend bikes in the Trail category. Check out our full review of the Smash.
Flash Review: 20/21 Volkl Katana 108
Check out our initial impressions of the new Katana 108.
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Crash Course: Telemark Ski Gear, Part 1 (Ep.95)
Since we have to learn how to tele ski and shoot a tele video, we’re crowdsourcing a crash course in telemark technique (see Blister Podcast episode 125) and in telemark gear. So here in Tele Gear Part 1, we’re talking again with the artist, Geoff McFetridge; Flylow Gear co-founder and president, Dan Abrams; and Blister reviewers Paul Forward and Kristin Sinnott.
Win Sunglasses from SPY
This week TWO people will each get a pair of sunglasses from SPY — enter for your chance to win!
2021-2022 Dynafit Hoji Free
This year we spent time in the Dynafit Hoji Free, the stiffest boot in the Hoji series, and think its blend of uphill mobility and downhill power may be unrivaled. But there’s more to it than that — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: 130-Flex Touring Boots
We directly compare several 130-flex alpine touring boots, including the Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130, Atomic Hawx Prime XTD 130, Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro, Dynafit Hoji Free, Scarpa Maestrale XT, Lange XT3 130, K2 Mindbender 130, Fischer Ranger Free 130, Dalbello Lupo Factory, & Dalbello Lupo Pro HD.
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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What We’re Watching — April, 2020
Looking for more isolation entertainment? We just updated our video roundup with 13 more of our favorite MTB and snowsports videos, from goofy to gnarly.
2021-2022 J Skis Slacker
J Skis has set out to make the “least nerdy touring ski on the market,” and the result is their brand-new Slacker. Check out our First Look & Flash Review to find out how their non-nerdy touring ski design compares to the rest of the market.
Altra King MT 2
Altra recently revised their most minimal trail shoe, the King MT, and after running a couple hundred miles in it, we think the new King MT 2 is a very nice upgrade from previous versions.
Topo Athletic Founder, Tony Post (Ep.45)
We talk to Topo Athletic founder, Tony Post, about serving as the CEO of Vibram USA; founding Topo Athletic; minimalist and maximalist shoes; Topo’s design philosophy and process; and more.
Fauna Pioneer
This season we spent a good chunk of time skiing Fauna’s lightweight (and beautiful) freeride ski, the Pioneer. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons to see how this new ski performed.
Deep Dive: Fauna Pioneer
We compare the Pioneer to the Moment PB&J, Line Sir Francis Bacon, Sego Big Horn 106, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Line Sick Day 104, WNDR Intention 110, Moment Wildcat 108, Salomon QST 106, Liberty Origin 106, Moment Wildcat Tour 108, Line Vision 108, Amplid Facelift 108, 4FRNT Raven, Renoun Citadel 106, Atomic Backland 107, Blizzard Zero G 105, & Black Diamond Helio 105.
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 Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Aug 2021) (Ep.181)
Cody and Jonathan discuss wildfire management; athlete sponsorships and why the current model needs to be fixed; emerging technologies designed to capture CO2; having to pay to ski uphill; the prospects of Airbnb returning to its roots; and they also fight about coffee, share what they’re reading and watching, and more.
What We’re Watching — September, 2021
What We’re Watching is back, this time with some recent event coverage, several new edits, and a couple of throwbacks for good measure.
Your Questions, Our Buyer’s Guide, & Luke’s Cry for Help (Ep.161)
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth answer listener gear questions; share some info about our new winter buyer’s guide; and Luke shares with us some good news, but also presents new reasons for us to worry about him.
Win a Helmet, Sunglasses, & Pads from POC
This week you could win POC’s Kortal Race MIPS Helmet, Devour Sunglasses, & VPD Oseus Knee Pads!
2021 Ibis Ripley AF
We’ve spent the past few months riding the least-expensive version of Ibis’s least-expensive bike, the Ripley AF. All of our reviewers came away impressed, and you can check out our video and written reviews for the whole story.
Galfer on MTB Brake Tech (Ep.81)
Mountain biking with inadequate brakes is terrifying, but the role of pads and rotors is often underappreciated. So we sat down with Daryl Simmons of Galfer USA to go deep on brake pads and rotors, including differences in pad materials and why the basic metallic vs. organic debate doesn’t tell the whole story; what factors influence wet-weather performance and heat resistance; rotor design and how to think about choosing rotor sizes; and a whole lot more.
Blister Brand Guide: Rocky Mountain’s Mountain Bike Lineup, 2022
For model-year 2022, Rocky Mountain’s lineup remains mostly the same, apart from some new build kits and colors on their already-successful offerings. Check out our Brand Guide to see which 2022 Rocky Mountain bike might work best for you.
Flash Review: Nicolai / Geometron G1
The Nicolai G1 stands out as being just about the most aggressive-seeming Enduro bike on the market, and we’ve been spending time on it. Check out our Flash Review for our initial 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.)
Running through the News (Aug 2021) (Ep.93)
Today we’re kicking off a new series on Off The Couch, and Sanjay Rawal joins us to talk primarily about track and field at the Olympics, but we also talk about the Leadville 100, and the longest foot race in the world, the 3,100-mile Self Transcendence race in New York.
Stuff We Like: August 2021
In the latest edition of “Stuff We Like,” our reviewers share a broad range of products they’re currently using — and really liking — from fancy sparkling water to bike tires, boots, and more.
Mountain Town Economics, Pt 3: Developing Housing, Addressing Climate Change, & Mitigating Megafires (Ep.180)
While we are dealing with the crisis of affordable housing, we are also dealing with a crisis of megafires. And our guest today, Scott Ehlert, is here to make clear how these two crises are related, and what solutions are available to mitigate both.
Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra
One of our reviewers is calling the Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra “one of the best long-distance trail shoes on the market.” Check out his review to see why.