BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Boycott Backcountry.com?
For some time now, backcountry.com has been involved in business practices that the outdoor community needs to stand against. So we explain why; we offer a detailed response to the statement put out by their CEO; and we lay out what we think needs to happen next.
High Above Lookout Hip Pack
Fanny / hip packs have been making a resurgence, and are no longer limited to 90’s throwback parties or dads on vacation. We’ve been using the High Above Lookout pack, made with modern, technical materials in Bellingham, Washington, and you can check out our full review for more.
ON3P — “ON3P 5”
ON3P just dropped their fifth team movie, and this time around they traded urban rails and thrift-store clothes for Gore-Tex, cliffs, and pillow lines around British Columbia. Watch it here.
Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra Winner, Maggie Guterl (Ep.24)
Maggie Guterl just became the first woman ever to win Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra, a multi-day race that does not have a fixed-distance finish line. So we talked to Maggie about how this extraordinary race works, and Maggie does a brilliant job of detailing what it was like to overcome the unique physical and mental challenges of Big’s; the significance of being the race’s first female champion; the next insane race she has her sights set on, and more.
Flannel & Casual Shirt Roundup — 2019
Flannels are the unofficial uniform of the outdoors, and for good reason. Check out our roundup for a bunch of options for women, men, and even for kids.
Rachael Burks on Skiing & Shakespeare & Sweatpants & More (Ep.107)
Rachael Burks is known for skiing burly lines and her signature backflip, but she is also known for her boundless enthusiasm, which is on full display in our conversation about skiing and Shakespeare; her spot-on impression of Julian Carr; podiuming in a comp on rental skis; her best ski season ever; her abiding love of sweatpants, Star Wars, fantasy novels, Red Bull Rampage; and more.
New Marker Duke PT; Backcountry.com; New Apparel & Skis (Ep.72)
Today, Marker unveiled their brand-new Duke PT binding, so we discuss the new binding and where it fits with respect to the Shift MNC and CAST Freetour System; some big new changes at GORE; the new GORE-TEX Pro vs. The North Face Futurelight; the appalling behavior of backcountry.com; several new skis from Moment, Blizzard, and Prior; and more.
Blister Brand Guide: Columbia Montrail Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2019
Montrail is one of the longer-standing trail running brands out there, and now under the “Columbia Montrail” moniker, they offer a pretty wide range of trail shoes. Check out our Brand Guide to quickly figure out which one might be best for you.
Paul Basagoitia on His Spinal Cord Injury, Road to Recovery, & New Film (Ep.12)
Paul Basagoitia was the first back-to-back winner of Crankworx Slopestyle, participated in Red Bull Rampage numerous times, and was one of the top riders in the game. But one tiny mishap led to a crash that left him paralyzed, and Paul’s life was changed in an instant. So we talk to Paul about his ascension in the sport, the events surrounding his accident, his road to recovery, how he views Rampage today, and his new Red Bull / HBO film, Any One of Us that chronicles it all — and provides an unfiltered look at life after a spinal cord injury.
Casual Pants Roundup — 2019
If you’re looking for some “casual” everyday pants that you can also use for climbing, hiking, biking, etc., you now have lots of great options. We’ve rounded up several of our favorites for both women & men — check them out here.
19/20 Moment Wildcat 108
Check out our initial impressions of the Moment Wildcat 108, including comparisons to the standard Wildcat, Moment Deathwish, and ON3P Woodsman 108.
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Triple Crown of 200s Winner, Mike McKnight (Ep.23)
Simply put, Mike McKnight is amazing. He won the Bigfoot 200 in August, the Tahoe 200 in September, and he just won the Moab 240. And in covering those ~640 miles of racing, he smashed his own cumulative-time record for the 3 races by … 43 hours. That’s not what you’d expect from a chubby kid who grew up on a dairy farm and didn’t participate in sports til he tried 1 season of highschool football, nor from a person who broke his back in a ski accident 8 years ago and had 2 rods and 9 screws placed in his spine, along with part of his hip bone. So we talk to Mike about all of this and more.
What We’re Watching — October, 2019
A bunch of really good and entirely free ski films dropped over the past week. Check out this post for films from the likes of Tanner Hall, Sammy Carlson, Blank Collective, Phil Casabon, and many more.
Saving Weight in Your Backcountry Ski Setup
Next up in our ‘Saving Weight in Your Backcountry Ski Setup’ series, reviewer Paul Forward discusses where he chooses to cut weight in his backcountry gear, and where he opts to keep a bit of weight for better downhill performance.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
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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
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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.
Deep Dive: Salomon Stance 96
We compare the Stance 96 to the Stance 102, Stance 90, Blizzard Bonafide 97, Volkl M6 Mantra, J Skis Masterblaster, Nordica Enforcer 94, Nordica Enforcer 100, Moment Commander 98, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Fischer Ranger 99 Ti, Dynastar M-Pro 99, Salomon QST 99, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, & 4FRNT MSP 99.
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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Blister Summit Panel: How to Start & Grow a Brand in the Outdoor Industry
The founders of Black Crows (Camille Jaccoux), Flylow (Dan Abrams), Icelantic (Ben Anderson), and WNDR Alpine (Matt Sterbenz) share their experiences and offer their advice on how to start — and continue to grow — a brand in the outdoor industry.
Flash Review: 21/22 RMU Apostle 3.0 106
RMU is overhauling their long-standing Apostle skis for 21/22, and we just spent a day on the new Apostle 3.0 106.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Hoka One One Challenger ATR 6 Gore-Tex
The Challenger ATR 6 Gore-Tex is a waterproof shoe that we’ve found to be surprisingly versatile, from long runs on pavement to technical trails in sloppy conditions.
Flash Review: 21/22 Moment Commander 98
We’ve been spending time on the latest versions of Moment’s metal-laminate skis. Check out our initial thoughts on the Commander 98.
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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