BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Nike Air Zoom Terra Kiger 5
The Terra Kiger is Nike’s take on a low-stack-height, fast trail shoe, and we’ve now put over 200 miles in it. Check out our review to see how it compares to the competition.
X Games Real Ski 2020 Gold Medalist, Jake Mageau (Ep. 127)
The creativity and talent on display in X Games Real Ski is always so bonkers that it can be easy to overlook all that goes into making these 90-second edits. So we talked with Real Ski 2020 winner, Jake Mageau, about what really goes into filming a successful 90-second edit; scouting and settling on locations; the insane “Mind Flip” he puts down in this edit, and more.
Basketball Legend Bill Walton on His Love of Bikes, Life, & Humanity (Ep. 21)
Bill Walton is not only one of the greatest basketball players of all time, his passion for bikes is all-time, too. So we talked to Bill about his life-long love of bikes, and about his upcoming event, Bike For Humanity, which is a virtual event that Bill created as a way for all of us to show our solidarity in these times. We also discuss the top-5, all-time, NBA ‘bike’ guys; Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, and more.
AT Binding Shootout, New Touring Skis, & Tiger King (Ep.96)
Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, and Luke’s mustache discuss the pros and cons of a number of current AT bindings, including the new Marker Duke PT, the SHIFT binding, Daymaker Alpine Touring adapters, frame bindings, and tech toe bindings. They then discuss four new touring skis: the J Skis Slacker, Sego Condor, 4FRNT Raven, and Volkl Blaze 106. Then it’s time to talk Tiger King.
Get Your Bike Storage Dialed with Feedback Sports
Still leaning your bikes up against the wall? Well this week you’ve got a chance to win a $500 gift card from Feedback Sports, who make a wide assortment of bike storage and repair products.
2020-2021 Blizzard Brahma 88
Blizzard has updated one of our favorite skis for 20/21, the Brahma 88. And you can now check out our First Look & updated Flash Review for more on this new 88mm-wide all-mountain ski.
Flash Review: 20/21 Blizzard Brahma 88
Update 4.17.20: Jonathan Ellsworth & Luke Koppa have updated their thoughts on the new Brahma 88 and how it compares to the previous Brahma.
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2020-2021 Elan Ripstick 102 W
Elan is updating their whole freeride line for 20/21, and we’ll be spending time on the updated women’s Ripstick 102 W. Check out our First Look & Flash Review to see how it compares to the crowded category of ~105mm-wide freeride skis.
Flash Review: 20/21 Elan Ripstick 102 W
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new Ripstick 102 W.
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 Rincon
The Hoka Rincon packs a lot of cushion into an exceptionally lightweight package, making it an appealing option for long days on the road. But is this some specialty shoe, or does it work well even if you’re not focused on low weight & max cushion? Check out our full review.
How Outdoor Companies are Helping to Fight COVID-19
There are now a lot of outdoor companies doing a wide range of things to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. So we’ve put together an article highlighting these efforts, and we invite you to share the companies you know of that are contributing to the cause.
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.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Anton Krupicka on His Return to Racing; DFW vs. Murakami; & More (Ep.96)
We talk to Anton Krupicka about his recent return to racing; his ongoing exploration of different ways to move through the mountains; we get his unfiltered take on Murakami’s What I Talk about When I Talk about Running; and more.
2022 Transition Scout and Sentinel Alloy
Transition has long offered both aluminum and carbon frame options on most of their bikes, but the aluminum option was missing from both the Scout and Sentinel — until now. The more affordable versions are back, and you can check out all the details in our First Look.
2021 Knolly Tyaughton
We’ve talked a lot about how much fun aggressive hardtails can be, and now Knolly has launched their take on the genre — the Tyaughton — which is available in both titanium and steel. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Season Eqpt Co-Founder, Austin Smith, on Snowboarding, Telemarking, Comfy Boots, & Fire Truck Customization (Ep.182)
Austin Smith is the co-founder of Season Eqpt and the man in charge of the snowboard side of Season, while his co-founder, Eric Pollard, oversees the ski side. Today you’ll get Austin’s perspective on Season and their 21/22 snowboard lineup (plus a whole bunch of other topics), then on our GEAR:30 podcast, you’ll hear Eric offer his perspective on all the latest at Season.
Hoka One One Speedgoat 4
Hoka’s Speedgoat shoe has garnered a very strong following over the years, but how does the latest iteration compare to the previous ones — and other high-cushion trail shoes on the market? Check out our review of the Speedgoat 4.
Blister Q&A: Suspension Setup, Value Parts, & Bike Geometry Trends
In our new recurring Blister Q&A series, we’re tackling your questions on whatever topics you might want to hear about — we’re kicking it off with some Q’s about suspension setup, value MTB parts, and more.
Win Full Tilt Boots
This week the winner will get a pair of boots from Full Tilt’s First Chair collection!
The Pro’s Gear: Bode Miller (Ep.163)
On this episode of GEAR:30, Bode Miller makes clear that his different and creative ways of thinking weren’t just hallmarks of his approach to racing — they define his approach to skis, ski boots, bindings, and eyewear, too.
We Are One Founder, Dustin Adams, on The Arrival (Ep.83)
When we last checked in with We Are One’s Dustin Adams, he broke the news that they’d be making a bike. Now, 18 months later, it’s here. So we figured it was a great time to get Dustin back on Bikes & Big Ideas to talk about The Arrival, including balancing versatility vs. focusing on specific attributes; the modular frame platform and plans for future models; frame repairs, and making things in North America. And if that’s not enough, Dustin also drops several bonus big ideas in this one.
2022 Devinci Spartan HP
What’s that? It’s, it’s … another high-pivot Enduro bike! This one’s the all-new Devinci Spartan — check out our First Look for all the details.
Olympian Natasha Wodak on Mental Preparation; Her Mantras; Running Playlists; & More (Ep.95)
We talk to Tasha Wodak about her performance in last month’s Olympic games; the twists and turns of her running career; mental preparation and the mantras that inspire her; a critical insight to remember during life’s hardest moments; running playlists; and more.
2022 Fox 34 Fork
We’ve now tested Fox’s new 34 fork on both a hardtail and a modern short-travel Trail bike. Check out our full review of the fork for our thoughts on it, including how it compares to the alternatives from both Fox & RockShox.