BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Eric Pollard on Skiing, Creating, & Evolving (Ep.111)
When it comes to skiing, product design, filmmaking, and art, few people have exhibited a more distinctive style than Eric Pollard. But for someone who has been working at the forefront of these mediums for about 20 years, we know a relatively small amount about the person behind all of it. So in this conversation, we talk to Eric about skiing and art and creating and evolving, and we discuss his soon-to-be-released film and book that share the same title, ‘Drawn From Here.’
Casual Shoe & Boot Roundup — 2019
While we love to talk about the newest and most technical footwear, we spend most of our time in much more casual shoes and boots. The good news is that we’re continuing to see casual-looking shoes that are more comfortable, more versatile, and / or more environmentally sustainable, and you can check out our roundup for several of our favorite men’s and women’s options.
2021-2022 Salomon S/Max 130 and S/Max 130 Carbon
Blister reviewer, Eric Freson, spent most of last season skiing the Salomon S/Max 130 & S/Max 130 Carbon, and he offers his take on the two boots, how they differ, and where he thinks they excel.
Win Goggles, Poles, & a Backpack from Zipline
Enter to win some new gear from Zipline!
Nikwax & the Future of DWRs (Ep.76)
DWRs — or “Durable Water Repellent” coatings — play an enormous role in the performance of your outdoor gear, and are used on nearly every waterproof garment on the market. But most DWRs are made with chemicals called PFCs, which can be harmful to you and the environment. Nikwax, however, has never made any of their specialized cleaning, conditioning, or waterproofing products with PFCs. So we talked with Heidi Allen from Nikwax about how DWRs work; the dangers of PFCs; how the industry is attempting to shift away from PFCs; garment care; and more.
2019-2020 Kastle MX99
We recently received the Kastle MX99, and this ski has many of us at Blister very, very excited. Check out our First Look to see why.
What We’re Watching — November, 2019
Today we’re thankful for a lot of things, including all of you — and ski movies. Lots of ski movies. For some pre- or post-Thanksgiving dinner entertainment, check out a bunch of new ski videos that dropped this past week.
Stevie Kremer on the NYC Marathon & More (Ep.27)
Stevie Kremer is back on the show, and she came to BLISTER HQ in Mt. Crested Butte to talk about her experience at this year’s New York City Marathon — including all the gory details and the lessons she learned; the things about running she truly loves and truly hates the most; how many children is too many children, and more.
2020 Trek Fuel EX
This year Trek overhauled their most popular Trail bike, the Fuel EX, and we’ve started spending time on the Fuel EX 9.8 XT. Check out our First Look and initial on-trail impressions.
‘Lindsey Vonn: The Final Season’ with TGR’s Steve Jones (Ep.110)
Most of us know Vonn as one of the greatest ski racers of all time — and probably the toughest. But in the new HBO film, Lindsey Vonn: The Final Season, Vonn pulls back the curtain on her career and the steep price of pursuing the record for most World Cup wins.
So we talked to the film’s co-director and Teton Gravity Research co-founder, Steve Jones, about the making of this film; Vonn’s accessibility and emotional vulnerability; the hidden costs of pursuing greatness; and more.
2019-2020 Spark R&D Women’s Surge Pro Splitboard Binding
Spark recently released women’s versions of their “Pro” line of splitboard bindings, and after spending much of last season on the Women’s Surge Pro, it received our “Best Of” award. Check out our full review to see why.
1-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (19/20)
Check out Part 2 of our reviewers’ 1-ski-quiver selections, including additions from Jonathan Ellsworth, Sascha Anastas, Kara Williard, & Paul Forward.
Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson (Ep.75)
We talk to Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, about Moment’s entire “Commander” series; why we still need to do a better job educating skiers; how the Deathwish got its name; the history of the Bibby and the Blister Pro; some upcoming changes to the Blister Pro; and more.
Win Women’s & Men’s Outerwear Kits from Spyder
Get a jacket & pants from Spyder’s new Freeski line!
2-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (19/20)
The quivers keep getting smaller, and the decisions keep getting harder. We’re now asking our reviewers to cut their quivers down to 2 skis, and you can now check out all of their selections.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 21/22 Rossignol Blackops Sender Squad
We’ve been spending time on the 194cm-long, 112mm-wide ski in Rossi’s freeride lineup, and it’s been a lot of fun so far. Check out Jonathan Ellsworth’s initial thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2021-2022 Dynastar M-Free 108
This season we’ve been reviewing the longest length of Dynastar’s playful freeride ski, and the results have been very interesting. Check out our updated review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Dynastar M-Free 108
We compare the M-Free 108 to the Dynastar M-Free 118, Moment Wildcat 108, Moment Deathwish, Volkl Katana 108, Blizzard Cochise 106, Dynastar Pro Rider, Black Crows Corvus, Prior Husume, J Skis Hotshot, Moment Meridian 107, K2 Reckoner 112, ON3P Jeffrey 108, ON3P Woodsman 108, Line Sir Francis Bacon, Faction Prodigy 4.0, Parlor McFellon Pro, Liberty Origin 106, Icelantic Nomad 105, Blizzard Rustler 10, Nordica Enforcer 110 Free, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Folsom Primary, Black Crows Atris, & Prior Northwest 110.
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.)
Adventure Photographer, Adam Clark (Ep.164)
We talk to the skier and adventure photographer Adam Clark about how he got started in photography; how he went about making a name for himself and honing his craft; his favorite camera gear; one of his most memorable ski trips; and a whole lot more.
Reviewer Reports: Fun Carvers & All-Mountain Skis (Ep.142)
Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth report on the new skis they’ve been reviewing from Black Crows, Salomon, Dynastar, Wagner, RMU, Moment, & more.
Blister Summit Brand Lineups: WNDR Alpine Skis 21/22
We talk with WNDR Alpine’s Matt Sterbenz about tea; ski shapes & design philosophy; their new Vital 100; Rambo & choppin’ broccoli; working with other brands; and being the first B-Corp ski brand.
Get Entered to Win a Santa Cruz Hightower & Support Grow Cycling
We’ve got a very special giveaway this week, with a chance to not only win a really, really nice bike, but also support a great cause.
2021-2022 Rossignol Blackops Rallybird Ti
We’ve been spending a lot of time on the two widest women’s-specific skis in Rossignol’s new Blackops freeride line. Check out our full review for more on the Rallybird Ti, and how it compares to the standard Rallybird.
Vorsprung Suspension — Steve Mathews (Ep.60)
We talk to Vorsprung Suspension founder Steve Mathews about the past, present, and future of mountain bike suspension, and a whole lot more.
Flash Review: 21/22 Fischer TransAlp Pro
Next season Fischer is launching a very intriguing new touring boot. Check out our initial (very positive) thoughts on the TransAlp Pro.
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.)
Flash Review: 21/22 Black Crows Serpo
Black Crows are adding a new 93mm-wide, metal-laminate ski to their “All-Terrain” lineup for 21/22. Check out our initial thoughts on the new Serpo.
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.)
2021-2022 Salomon Stance 96
This season Salomon stepped back into the metal-laminate all-mountain ski market, and you can now check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons of the Stance 96.