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

BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

Jed Doane reviews the Venture Carbon Storm Splitboard for Blister

2020-2021 Venture Carbon Storm Splitboard

Venture designed their Carbon Storm splitboard to handle everything from tight tree lines to big, open faces. While we often hear things like that, we don’t think Venture’s claims are far off. The Carbon Storm is a very versatile, approachable splitboard for the masses — check out our full review.

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Sawyer Thomas talks about the Colter Route on Blister's Off the Couch Podcast

Chasing John Colter & Recreating the Colter Route (Ep. 40)

Simply put, the exploits of the explorer, John Colter (who was a member of Lewis & Clarke’s famous expedition), are mind boggling. And in their short film, “Colter: A Legacy of Adventure,” Sawyer Thomas and Riis Wilbrecht set out to venture through the territory John Colter had explored two centuries ago, across some of the most remote terrain in the lower 48 states. So we talked to Sawyer and Riis about John Colter and why they chose this particular adventure; the (serious) difficulty of running, skiing, and trekking through this terrain; the logistics of shooting this film; and more.

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Blister reviews the Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender Ti

2021-2022 Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender Ti

Rossignol shocked a lot of us when they announced that they’re killing off their “7” series and replacing it with the very different BLACKOPS collection. Well, we’ve now spent a good chunk of time on one of the new skis, the BLACKOPS Sender Ti — check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.

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Blister reviews the Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender Ti

Deep Dive: Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender Ti

We compare the BLACKOPS Sender Ti to the Black Crows Corvus, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Folsom Blister Pro 104, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Volkl Mantra 102, Fischer Ranger 107 Ti, Nordica Enforcer 100, ON3P Woodsman 108, ON3P Wrenegade 108, Moment Wildcat 108, Blizzard Cochise, Salomon QST 106, K2 Mindbender 108 Ti, Moment Commander 108, Blizzard Rustler 10, and 4FRNT MSP 107.

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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Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa review the TREW Capow Jacket & Bib for Blister

TREW Capow Jacket & Bib

TREW designed their touring-oriented Capow kit with the help of CAPOW Guiding, and we’ve had two reviewers using it for everything from long days on the skin track to laps in the resort. Check out our full review.

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Eric Freson reviews the Moment Commander 118 for Blister

Flash Review: 19/20 Moment Commander 118

Check out Eric Freson’s initial on-snow impressions of Moment’s big gun, the Commander 118.

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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Maddie Hart reviews the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail for Blister

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail

The Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail is the lightest shoe in Nike’s trail-running lineup, and we’ve come away pretty impressed by it, both for fast races and mellower training runs. Check out our full review.

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Luke Koppa reviews the Black Crows Justis for Blister

2021-2022 Black Crows Justis

For 20/21, Black Crows are replacing both their Daemon & Navis with a brand-new ski, the Justis. This new ski is not exactly your traditional, 100mm-wide all-mountain ski — check out our video First Look, writeup, and Flash Review for more.

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Luke Koppa reviews the Black Crows Justis for Blister

Flash Review: 20/21 Black Crows Justis

Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the Justis.

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.

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Ibis Cycles founder, Scot Nicols, goes on Blister's Bikes & Big Ideas Podcast to discuss the history of Ibis, the new 2020 Ibis Ripmo, & more

Ibis Cycles founder, Scot Nicol (Ep.15)

We talk to Ibis Cycles founder, Scot Nicol, about the new Ripmo 2; the current Ibis lineup; Scot’s background in the early (and awesome) days of mtn biking; the history and trajectory of Ibis; and a whole lot more.

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Atomic's Matt Manser goes on Blister's GEAR:30 Podcast to discuss the new Atomic Hawx Prime XTD boot, Atomic's new Mimic Liners, Forward Lean, Ramp Angle, & More

A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 4: Liners, Ramp Angle, & Forward Lean (Ep.88)

Ski boot liners are probably the most overlooked and least appreciated piece of ski gear out there, but they are a critical piece of equipment. So Matt Manser, the product manager of Atomic Ski Boots, is back to demystify the extremely complex, very expensive, and poorly understood category of ski boot liners. Along the way, we also discuss Atomic’s new “Mimic” liner technology and the new-for-next-season Hawx Prime XTD.

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Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa review the Fischer Ranger 99 Ti for Blister

2021-2022 Fischer Ranger 99 Ti

If the words “precision,” “quickness,” and “energy” come to mind when describing your ideal all-mountain ski, the Fischer Ranger 99 Ti should be on your radar. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.

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Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa review the Fischer Ranger 99 Ti for Blister

Deep Dive: Fischer Ranger 99 Ti

We compare the Ranger 99 Ti to the Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Salomon QST 99, K2 Mindbender 99 Ti, Volkl Mantra M5, Volkl Mantra 102, Blizzard Bonafide, Nordica Enforcer 100, J Skis Masterblaster, Blizzard Rustler 9 & 10, ON3P Wrenegade 96, Atomic Vantage 97 Ti, Liberty Origin 96, Renoun Endurance 98, Moment Commander 98, and Dynastar Legend X96.

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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Cy Whitling reviews the Beringia Altai Over Hoody for Blister

Beringia Altai Over Hoody

When it comes to stop-and-start activities like ski touring, a big puffy jacket can not only be nice, but also extremely important if things go wrong in the backcountry. We’ve been using the Beringia (the North American branch of Teton Bros) Altai Over Hoody a lot this season, and think it makes for a great insulation layer. Check out our full review.

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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

David Golay Blister Mountain Bike Review on the 2021 Santa Cruz Nomad

2021 Santa Cruz Nomad

The original Santa Cruz Nomad was one of the first bikes to shape the mold for the modern Enduro bike, way back in 2005. Now in its fifth generation, the new bike stands out from the rest of the market in some interesting ways. We’ve been spending a ton of time on this 27.5”-wheeled bike, and it makes a compelling case for why smaller wheels should stick around. Check out our full review for more.

David Golay Blister Mountain Bike Review on the Forbidden Dreadnought

Flash Review — Forbidden Dreadnought

High-pivot bikes might be even trendier than mullets right now, and we’ve now been spending time on the Forbidden Dreadnought. Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions of this very interesting offering.

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.)

Blister Men's Mountain Bike Review Jersey Roundup — 2021

Men’s Mountain Bike Jersey Roundup — 2021

We’ve been testing 11 different MTB jerseys, from standard options to casual-looking ones to some that you could even wear to a pretty nice dinner. Check out our roundup to see how they all compare.

Gordon Gianniny Reviews the Ultimate Direction Fastpack 40 for Blister.

Ultimate Direction Fastpack 40

Ultimate Direction’s Fastpack 40 is designed for, well, fastpacking, but we’ve also found it to be great for longer day hikes and runs where you need to carry lots of gear but also want to move quickly through all sorts of terrain.

Previously on GEAR:30 we laid out our Mt. Rushmore of Ski Suspension. Now, we’re moving to the opposite end of the spectrum. We define some terms, talk about some of the characteristics that can help make a ski more poppy; and work our way through a bunch of skis. Check it out, and let us know what skis you think are most deserving.

The Mt. Rushmore of “Poppy” Skis (Ep.153)

Previously on GEAR:30 we laid out our Mt. Rushmore of Ski Suspension. Now, we’re moving to the opposite end of the spectrum. We define some terms, talk about some of the characteristics that can help make a ski more poppy; and work our way through a bunch of skis. Check it out, and let us know what skis you think are most deserving.

Few (if any) riders have the power, balance, & creativity of Brad Simms. So you might assume it’s been a pretty quick and easy path to prominence for someone this unique. But it hasn’t been an easy road, and in this episode of our Bikes & Big Ideas podcast, Brad spells it all out; talks about how close he came to calling it quits; his new partnership with Canyon bikes; his interest in all types of riding; and more.

The Rise — and Rise — of Brad Simms (Ep.73)

Few (if any) riders have the power, balance, & creativity of Brad Simms. So you might assume it’s been a pretty quick and easy path to prominence for someone this unique. But it hasn’t been an easy road, and in this conversation, Brad spells it all out; talks about how close he came to calling it quits; his new partnership with Canyon bikes; his interest in all types of riding; and more.

Blister Outdoor Gear review Crested Butte

WNDR Alpine Launches New Pow Ski: The Reason 120

Today WNDR Alpine released their third ski, the Reason 120, and we sat down with WNDR’s Matt Sterbenz to get the backstory on the new ski; why it was actually the first ski he wanted to make; how it compares to their Vital 100 & Intention 110; and more.

Kevin Geisen Reviews the New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail for Blister.

New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail v1

New Balance made their name in the trail running world with their super minimal shoes, but their Fresh Foam More Trail is basically the opposite — a plush, maximal shoe designed for long distances. And after our first ~85 miles in it, we think it’s an excellent execution of that design.

This week on the Blister Podcast we discuss grizzlies, whales, microbes, humankind, & the future of the world with the wildlife biologist & author, Doug Chadwick. All of these are topics in Doug’s excellent new book, Four Fifths a Grizzly: A New Perspective on Nature that Just Might Save Us All.

Doug Chadwick on Our Need for a New Understanding of Nature (Ep.173)

This week we discuss grizzlies, whales, microbes, humankind, & the future of the world with the wildlife biologist & author, Doug Chadwick. All of these are topics in Doug’s excellent new book, Four Fifths a Grizzly: A New Perspective on Nature that Just Might Save Us All.

Noah Bodman reviews the Shimano ME7 Shoes for Blister

Shimano ME7 Clipless Shoes

Shimano’s ME7 is a clipless trail shoe that’s meant to be up for a bit of anything, so how well does it live up to Shimano’s claims about its versatility? Check out our review to find out.

On Blister's GEAR30 Podcast series on Helmet Technology and R&D, we talk with the Head of Product at POC, Oscar Huss, about headforms — the things they stick into helmets to mimic your head before smashing up helmets in testing; the numerous variables that need to be considered when setting up a way to test “safety”; the different considerations that go into designing kids helmets; and more.

Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 4: POC (Ep.152)

We talk with the Head of Product at POC, Oscar Huss, about headforms — the things they stick into helmets to mimic your head before smashing up helmets in testing; the numerous variables that need to be considered when setting up a way to test “safety”; the different considerations that go into designing kids helmets; and more.