BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2021-2022 Nordica Enforcer 88
We’ve now had multiple reviewers on two lengths of Nordica’s narrowest Enforcer, the Enforcer 88. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons for our thoughts on this all-mountain ski.
Deep Dive: Nordica Enforcer 88
We compare the Enforcer 88 to the Nordica Enforcer 93, Blizzard Brahma, Folsom Spar 88, Head Monster 88 Ti, Black Crows Orb, Parlor Cardinal 90, Armada Invictus 89 Ti, Atomic Vantage 90 Ti, Salomon XDR 88 Ti, Liberty Evolv 90, K2 Ikonic 84 Ti, & Renoun Z-Line 90.
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SCARPA CEO, Kim Miller, Part 1 (Ep.79)
This week, Sam Shaheen visited SCARPA’s North American headquarters to talk with SCARPA’s CEO, Kim Miller. Here in Part 1 of the conversation, they discuss Kim’s impressive career in the outdoor industry; SCARPA’s philosophy of ski boot design; their position within the market; the specifics of the new Maestrale XT; Kim’s thoughts on boot/binding compatibility; and more.
Win any Hestra Glove or Mitten
Pick any glove or mitten you want from Hestra’s expansive lineup!
Nordica Announces New Enforcer Skis & HF Boots
Today, Nordica announced that they’re changing one of our favorite skis, the Enforcer 100; they’re releasing a new Enforcer 94; and they’re launching an entire collection of new ski boots. Learn more here.
Winter Baby Accessories Roundup
Keeping your little one warm and dry during the winter can be tricky, so we’ve rounded up some of our favorite cold-weather accessories for babies & infants.
FW Manifest 3L Jacket & Pants
The Manifest 3L Jacket & Pants from FW, a brand-new apparel company, have tons of features, a modern “freeride” fit, and offer skiers & snowboarders a unique aesthetic. But how do they perform as both an inbounds and backcountry kit? Check out our review.
2021-2022 Blizzard Rustler 10
The updated Rustler 10 looks similar to the old version on paper, but there are some key differences between the two that we think could make the new version a more appealing option for many resort skiers. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Blizzard Rustler 10
We compare the new Rustler 10 to the previous Rustler 10, ON3P Woodsman 108, Moment Wildcat 108, Salomon QST 106, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Nordica Enforcer Free 104, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Line Sick Day 104, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, J Skis Metal, Armada ARV 106Ti, Liberty Origin 106, 4FRNT MSP 107, Black Crows Corvus, Sego Big Horn 106, Faction Prodigy 3.0, Elan Ripstick 106, & Blizzard Cochise.
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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Brendan Leonard on Running 52 Marathons in 52 Weeks (Ep.30)
For 2019, Brendan Leonard (semi-rad.com) set a goal for himself: run 52 marathons in 52 weeks. He told very few people about this goal, and we are proud to report that Brendan accomplished his goal with several weeks to spare. So we talked to Brendan about what prompted him to create this plan; why he decided to tell very few people about it; exactly what the parameters were for these ‘marathons’; how he handled the logistics; what he learned along the way; and more.
Strafe Wildcat Pant
Insulated ski / snowboard pants may seem unnecessary to those who have their layering systems dialed, but our reviewer was very surprised by the versatility of Strafe’s insulated Wildcat Pants. Check out her full review.
What We’re Watching — December, 2019
More ski videos! We’ve just updated our ski video roundup with 11 new videos, including Chris Benchetler’s visually stunning night-riding project, edits from FWT athletes, crazy FPV drone footage, and much more.
Ski Quiver Questions, Part 2 (Ep.78)
Last week on GEAR:30, Sam Shaheen, Luke Koppa, and I addressed some of the questions you have been asking us about ski quivers, and we also discussed the topic of the one-boot quiver. And now, we are running part 2 of this conversation with our reviewers Kristin Sinnott, Sascha Anastas, and Kara Williard.
Win a Helmet & Headphone Combo from Unit 1
Enter to win Unit 1’s helmet with integrated headphones!
2020-2021 Moment Wildcat 108
After spending 15 days on it, you can now check out our full review and Deep Dive comparisons of the 184 cm Wildcat 108.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Mojo Suspension & Geometron Bikes founder, Chris Porter (Ep.64)
Chris Porter has long been known as one of the earliest and most vocal proponents of the longer/lower/slacker trends in mountain bike geometry, and his Geometron bikes have pushed the envelope further than just about anything else out there. Chris has opinions on a whole lot more than just bike geometry, though, and in our recent conversation we got his takes on wheel sizes, eBikes, suspension tuning, Vladimir Putin(?), and a whole lot more.
Giro Source MIPS & Giro Manifest Spherical
It’s not hard to spend several hundred dollars on a mountain bike helmet, but should you? And what do you give up, in opting for a less-expensive option? We’ve been doing some head-to-head testing of Giro’s moderately-priced Source and high-end Manifest Spherical helmets to find out, and you can now read our full review to see how they compare.
2021 Marin El Roy
Marin calls the El Roy “the ultimate aggressive steel hardtail,” and its geometry numbers are certainly eye-popping, even in our current world of longer, lower, and slacker. But who should be interested in a hardtail that’s so emphatically oriented towards descending? And does the El Roy really deliver on what looks like a promising recipe? Check out our full review to find out.
Blister Summit Brand Lineups: Black Crows Skis 21/22
We talk to Tristan Droppert about the entire 21/22 Black Crows lineup, several new skis (including the Mirus Cor and Serpo); their “Birdie” lineup for women — or anyone; and how to correctly pronounce the names of all of these skis!
Flash Review: 21/22 Prior Northwest 116
Twin tip, hefty weight, progressive mount point, & a strong flex pattern — Prior’s Northwest 116 has the makings of a playful charger. Check out our initial 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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2021-2022 Atomic Maven 93 C
Atomic is overhauling their all-mountain lineup for 21/22, and we spent a lot of time on one of the new women’s skis in the line, the Maven 93 C. Check out our full review to see where this new ski sits in the market.
Öhlins RXF36 m.2 Air
Öhlins has long been known for their motorsports suspension, but have more recently branched out into the mountain bike world, and we’ve been testing their RXF36 m.2 Air Enduro fork. It’s an impressive offering, but who does it make the most sense for, and how does it stack up to the competition from Fox, RockShox, and Manitou? Check out our full review to find out.
Spring Running Apparel Roundup
Spring can be a tricky time when it comes to figuring out what to wear while heading out for a run, so we’ve put together a roundup of pieces that we’ve found to work well for spring’s ever-changing temperatures and weather.
Win a Bike Rack from Rocky Mounts
This week the winner will get one of Rocky Mounts’ hitch-mounted bike racks!
AT Boots, Bindings, & Skis w/ Sebastian Steinbach (Ep.145)
We talk with the owner of Blacksheep Sports Freeride Shop in Munich, Germany, about a bunch of ski touring gear, including the new Tecnica Cochise 130, Lange XT3 Tour Pro, Dalbello Quantum Free 130, Plum Summit 12 binding, Moment Wildcat Tour 108, and more.
2021-2022 Salomon QST 98
The Salomon QST 99 was one of the most versatile skis we’ve reviewed in the past few years, and for 21/22, Salomon is replacing it with the new QST 98. While they’re pretty different, we think Salomon has once again made a ski that could work for a lot of people, but you should check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons to see if the new QST 98 is the ski for you.
Deep Dive: Salomon QST 98
We compare the QST 98 to the Salomon QST 99, Salomon Stance 96, Salomon QST 106, 4FRNT MSP 99, Volkl M6 Mantra, Blizzard Bonafide 97, Nordica Enforcer 100, Moment Commander 98, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Dynastar M-Pro 99, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Black Crows Camox, Black Crows Justis, Liberty Origin 96, Blizzard Rustler 10, Nordica Soul Rider 97, Dynastar Menace 98, & J Skis Masterblaster.
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.)