BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
The Science & Witchcraft of World Cup Ski Tuning (Ep.70)
How do the world’s elite ski racers and their technicians squeeze every drop of performance out of their skis? We sat down with Cameron Smith who runs the race department for Head USA to learn about all the major aspects of ski tuning including base vs edge angles, base prep, and waxing. We also discuss why World Cup racers have 50 skis per discipline; the elusive “speed wagon”; and the delicate balance of science and superstition in ski racing.
Win a Men’s or Women’s Outerwear Kit from Flylow
Win a jacket + bib combo from Flylow!
2020-2021 Amplid Snommelier
As part of Amplid’s “Future Shapes” collection, their Snommelier is designed to “create a unique personality” on snow. And after spending a lot of time on this big-mountain gun, we’d say that Amplid’s claims are pretty spot-on. Check out our full review for more.
Cam Smith on Moving through Mountains (Ep.21)
When Cam Smith graduated high school in Rockford, Illinois in 2014, he had little or no mountain experience. But fast forward a few years, and Cam is now an accomplished trail runner, mountain biker, a member of the U.S. ski mountaineering team, a repeat winner of the Grand Traverse Mountain Run from Crested Butte to Aspen, and a repeat winner of the Grand Traverse Triple Crown. So we talk to Cam about his journey, his goals, his relation to running and skiing and mountain biking, his work as a coach and as a guide at the Adaptive Center here in Crested Butte, and more.
Blister Speaker Series 2.2: Honnold Foundation ED, Dory Trimble (Ep.105)
When Alex Honnold, was looking for a new executive director for his Honnold foundation, he tapped Dory Trimble. And with the massive success of the film, Free Solo, Dory has guided what started as Alex’s small, personal passion project into a rapidly growing nonprofit working on global solar energy initiatives. So in our latest Blister Speaker Series, we talk to Dory about what it’s like working with Alex; how she’s managed the explosive growth of the Honnold Foundation; and she offers great advice for anyone interested in getting involved with organizations committed to doing social good.
BLISTER Buyer’s Guide, Pt. 2 + Reviews of Other Buyer’s Guides (Ep.69)
We answer a bunch of the questions you submitted, then assess some of the product reviews from several of the other ski review publications — and one gear recommendation website.
Patagonia’s Entire Waterproof Shell Lineup Now Made With Recycled Materials
In Patagonia’s latest step forward toward more sustainable apparel, they’ve made a big announcement regarding their waterproof shells. Learn more here.
Win Ski Boots from Scarpa
Pick any boot you want from Scarpa’s Maestrale & Gea lines!
Blister Brand Guide: Commencal Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020
Commencal is one of a few direct-to-consumer MTB brands, which means many of their bikes are significantly cheaper than their competitors. They also make several bikes that cover a pretty broad range of end uses, so check out our Brand Guide to figure out which of their bikes could be a good fit for you.
Blister Brand Guide: La Sportiva Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2019
La Sportiva has made a name for itself in many categories, including the trail running world. Their trail running shoes range from minimal race shoes to burly options designed for rough terrain, and you can check out our Brand Guide to see what sets each Sportiva shoe apart from the others.
Which Mountain Bike Pedals, and Why?
We just added more reviewers’ perspectives on the topic of which MTB pedals they use, and why they prefer the ones that they do. Check them out here.
Jason Koop: Runner, Head Coach at CTS Ultrarunning (Ep.20)
Jason Koop is a passionate runner, the author of Training Essentials for Ultrarunning, the head coach of CTS Ultrarunning, and someone who is not afraid to speak his mind. So we talked to Jason about his endurance coaching; “nonsensical” training aids & techniques; his recent running of the 330 km Tor de Geants; the current state of the minimalist / maximalist shoe debate; what he thinks the running scene will look like 10 years from now; and a *whole* lot more.
Blister Brand Guide: Trek Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020
Trek is one of the largest bike manufacturers in the world, and they have an expansive MTB lineup. Check out our Brand Guide for an overview of all of their mountain bikes.
Dash Longe on Skiing, Ski Films, & Ski Design (Ep.104)
Dash Longe is a skier who’s been doing it — and going big — for a long time. So I spoke to Dash about his brand new film, Stone’s Throw, and about ski films in general; his coming up during the heyday of the freeskiing revolution in Tahoe; ski design and Dash’s work on the DPS Koala 119; and more. Check out this post for the whole conversation — and watch Dash’s film, Stone’s Throw.
2019 Alchemy Arktos 29
While there are now lots of “do-it-all” Trail bikes on the market, the Alchemy Arktos 29 brings something a bit different to the table. Check out our full review for more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
MADE: Custom Technical Apparel (Ep.139)
MADE is a new company that’s setting out to make custom technical apparel. Their 3 co-founders are all veterans of the technical apparel and outdoor industries, and Luke Koppa and I talked to Cheryl LeBarr, Capri Philip, and Dustin Butcher about why they started MADE and how they are making this happen.
2021-2022 Volkl Katana 108
The Volkl Katana was an absolute classic of a ski that was beloved by many. Volkl brought back the Katana name this season, and you can now check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons of the new Katana 108.
Deep Dive: Volkl Katana 108
We compare the Katana 108 to the old Katana, Volkl Mantra 102, Head Monster 108, Blizzard Cochise 106, Dynastar M-Pro 105 / Pro Rider, Folsom Blister Pro 104, Rossignol Blackops Sender Ti, Black Crows Corvus, Fischer Ranger 107 Ti, Prior Husume, Nordica Enforcer 100, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, 4FRNT MSP 107, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, J Skis Hotshot, Salomon QST 106, Dynastar M-Free 108, & ON3P Woodsman 108.
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Win Men’s & Women’s Baselayers from ODLO
The TWO winners this week will each get ODLO’s merino baselayers!
Flash Review: 21/22 Atomic Maven 93 C
We’ve been spending time on the widest women’s ski in Atomic’s new Maven series — check out our thoughts on it so far.
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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Cassie Abel on Wild Rye, Women-Led Wednesday (Ep.57)
Cassie Abel is the co-founder and CEO of Wild Rye, which is a company that creates apparel for women-identifying outdoor-lovers, regardless of age, background, size, or skill level. But Cassie is not only running a women’s apparel company, she is working to change the entire business landscape for women.
Flash Review: 21/22 Volkl M6 Mantra
We now have a day on both the 177 cm & 184 cm M6 Mantra. Check out what we think so far.
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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Sun Ringlé Duroc SD37 Pro Wheels
Sun Ringlé has been making mountain bike wheels for about as long as there have been mountain bikes, and we’ve spent the past 6 months on their latest heavy-duty alloy wheelset, the Duroc SD37 Pro. Check out our full review to see how they compare to the competition.
Flash Review: 21/22 Salomon Shift Pro 130
Eric Freson has been spending time (in the backcountry & resort) in Salomon’s newest offering in the “50/50” category of AT boots. Here are some of his thoughts.
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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Season Forma Ski
While it sounds cliche, the Season Forma is a ski that legitimately makes you look at the mountain in a different way. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see why it has become one of the standout skis this year for our managing editor.
Deep Dive: Season Forma Ski
We compare the Forma to the Line Pescado, Dynastar M-Free 118, Line Vision 118, Volkl Revolt 121, Line Outline, 4FRNT Renegade, DPS Koala 118, Blizzard Rustler 11, K2 Reckoner 122, Black Crows Anima, Volkl Revolt 121, J Skis Friend, Moment Wildcat, Salomon QST Blank, Icelantic Nomad 115, & K2 Mindbender 116C.
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 Brand Guide: Rocky Mountain’s Mountain Bike Lineup, 2021
For model-year 2021, Rocky Mountain’s lineup saw some significant changes, including the all-new Instinct and Altitude. Check out our Brand Guide to learn more about the current line and which bike might work best for you.