BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
19/20 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide
Here it is — check out the entire 19/20 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide, and you can still order your limited-edition print copy of the Buyer’s Guide.
Reviewing the Reviewer: Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.67)
Luke Koppa and Sam Shaheen pose questions & rate the answers of Blister founder, Jonathan Ellsworth, about being charged by a bear; nearly burning his house down; teaching philosophy; his favorite gear in the world; and (of course) the things he’s better at than Sam Shaheen.
Win an Outerwear Kit from FW
FW is a new apparel brand and the winner of this week’s Gear Giveaway will get their flagship outerwear kit, the 3L Manifest Jacket & Pants. Many of us at Blister were really excited when we saw FW’s collection at Outdoor Retailer last year, and the Manifest kit looks like a solid choice for those who want reliable weather protection and tons of features, all in a modern, clean style. Enter now for your chance to win.
Luke Nelson on Testing Limits (Ep.18)
Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Luke Nelson about being a professional runner, physician assistant, race director (of the Scout Mountain Ultras), climate activist, husband, father of three, and … someone who doesn’t get a lot of sleep.
Video: Verb Cabin — “Another Way”
Ian Compton has taken a very different approach to skiing. Once one of the best park / urban skiers out there, Ian decided to leave skiing and move to, as he calls it, the “middle of nowhere,” Vermont. Verb Cabin’s short film, “Another Way,” documents Ian’s rise in the sport, the reasoning behind and the outcome of his decision to leave it, and now his return to skiing, in the form of a tiny undisclosed rope-tow near his new home. We think the video is incredibly well done, and you can watch it here.
J Skis founder, Jason Levinthal (Ep.102)
J Skis founder, Jason Levinthal, is back on the show, and this time, our conversation is made up almost entirely of your questions. And in his trademark style, Jason answers each of them with extreme candor. Check out the full video and conversation here.
2020 Ibis Mojo HD5
Ibis is releasing today the 5th generation of their longer-travel 27.5″ bike, the Mojo HD5. We came away impressed with the prior-generation HD4, so how similar is the HD5 to the HD4? Is this new bike an entirely different beast? Check out our First Look.
Support Robb Gaffney
Robb Gaffney is a historic figure in the ski world, and he & his family need our help. Robb (who wrote the book Squallywood, created the Game of GNAR, and produced GNAR The Movie) was diagnosed with a rare form of bone-marrow cancer that he’s fighting hard against. But that has left him unable to work for the foreseeable future, and this has created a very significant financial burden for his family. A GoFundMe page has been started for Robb, and we would ask you to please make a donation.
Strafe Sickbird Suit
One-piece snowsuits have had an interesting history. They were once very common, then they became a bit of a joke, and now some brands are making high-end one-pieces with modern materials and features. The Strafe Sickbird Suit falls into that last category, and we’ve come away both surprised and impressed by it. Check out our review.
2020-2021 Liberty Genome
Summer in the Northern Hemisphere officially ends tomorrow, and just in case that’s got you down, we thought we’d get you dreaming of skiing deep pow on super-fat skis. So check out our full review of the 140mm-wide Liberty Genome.
Folsom Skis & the New Blister Pro 104 (Ep.66)
We’ve been working on a special project with Folsom Skis, and it’s finally time to discuss the details with Folsom’s Mike McCabe. We also talk about Folsom’s (insane?) new plan to build and deliver custom skis in 2-3 days; go over a few highlights from the 19/20 Folsom lineup; and we ask Mike how much of a nightmare it was to work with us on this project.
Win a Backpack from Mystery Ranch
Enter now to win Mystery Ranch’s brand-new alpine pack, the Scepter 35.
Blister Brand Guide: Santa Cruz / Juliana Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020
Santa Cruz and its sister brand, Juliana, have garnered a strong following over the years, and they make a wide range of mountain bikes. Check out our Brand Guide for an overview of their entire lineups.
Blister Brand Guide: Salomon Running Shoe Lineup, 2019
From shoes designed to help Kilian Jornet dance up technical terrain, to studded winter spikes and everyday road and trail shoes, Salomon makes a really wide variety of running shoes. Check out our Salomon Brand Guide to quickly get clear on their whole lineup and figure out which shoes might work best for you.
Why We Built a Running-Shoe Brand Guide (Ep.17)
Finding the right running shoe can be extremely complicated and confusing. So reviewers Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, Maddie Hart, and Gordon Gianniny discuss our new BLISTER Brand Guide to Running Shoes; why we saw a need for it; what we hope it accomplishes for runners everywhere; and the trends and takeaways we’ve seen in the process of building it.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 21/22 Volkl Secret 96
Update 3.22.21: Kara Williard adds her thoughts on the new Secret 96.
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Video: Blister Summit Panel on Ski Boot Design
In the Blister Summit panel on Ski Boot Design, we talk to three key people in the world of ski boots: Thor Verdonk, global brand director of Lange ski boots; Matt Manser, product manager of Atomic ski boots; and Stefano Mantegazza, product manager of the Tecnica Group. We discuss their design philosophies; whether we should get rid of flex ratings; whether a precise-fitting boot can be a warm boot; the most frustrating trend in ski design today; where the biggest innovations are currently taking place; and more.
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.
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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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.
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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.