BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
5-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (19/20)
It’s that time of year — we’re fantasizing about skiing and our ideal ski quivers. We’ll be rolling out a bunch of our reviewers’ personal selections, and we’re kicking it off with our 5-ski quivers.
What is The North Face Futurelight? (Ep.74)
The North Face is attempting to do something that many have tried, but few have succeeded: compete head-to-head with Gore-Tex in the waterproof / breathable fabric category. So we talked with Scott Mellin, the Global General Manager of Mountain Sports at The North Face, about their new fabric technology, Futurelight, the ideas behind it; what sets it apart in the waterproof / breathable fabric market; sustainability practices related to Futurelight; some stories from athlete testing, and much more.
Win an Avalanche Safety Course with 57hours
Win a 3-day AIARE Level 1 or Level 2 avalanche safety course!
Insulated Skirt Roundup
An insulated skirt may seem like a niche product, but after using several of them this fall, many of our reviewers now consider them an essential piece. Check out our roundup for a bunch of skirts that can take you from your morning run, bike, or ski tour all the way to après.
Blister Brand Guide: Topo Athletic Running Shoe Lineup, 2019
Topo Athletic takes a different approach than many brands when it comes to running shoes. They specialize in lower-drop shoes with wider, foot-shaped toe boxes, and their lineup covers a wide range of road and trail shoes. Check out our Brand Guide to figure out which Topo shoe might be best for you.
DPS Skis founder, Stephan Drake, no longer with DPS
UPDATE: We now have a statement from Stephan Drake regarding his departure from the company he founded.
Is Cappuccino Cowboys Ruining Ultrarunning? (Ep.25)
What is Cappuccino Cowboys, and who is the person behind it? Is he an evil genius hell-bent on ruining ultrarunning? A provocateur shaking up the stodgy state of running media? Or is he just a giant pain in the ass of Jim Walmsley, Eric Senseman, Jared Hazen, Cody Reed, Tommy Rivs and a few other unfortunate souls? We spoke to Mr. Cappuccino himself to find out.
Blister Speaker Series 2.3: Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson (Ep.108)
In our latest BLISTER Speaker Series at Western Colorado University, Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, talks about managing the significant growth of this indie brand; manufacturing in Sparks, Nevada; crucial decisions he’s had to make; how he would assess those decisions in hindsight; and more.
2019-2020 Renoun Citadel 114
Renoun is currently working on adding a wider ski to their lineup, and we recently received a prototype of their new Citadel 114. Check out our First Look for our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions of this lightweight, uniquely constructed ski.
Reviewing the Reviewer: David Golay (Ep.73)
On our latest “Reviewing the Reviewer” episode of GEAR:30, Jonathan Ellsworth talks to our mountain bike reviewer, David Golay, about how he went from playing sports in upstate New York, to researching metal alloys in Australia, to reviewing for BLISTER, and he shares a great story starring Jed Yeiser (of previous Blister podcast episodes fame).
Casual Jacket Roundup — Fall 2019
It’s that time of year when you really never know what the weather is going to throw at you. A foot of snow? Maybe. 70°F and sunny? Also totally possible. We’ve been using a bunch of casual jackets for women and men that can keep you comfortable in a variety of temps, and do so in style.
Win any Moment Skis You Want
Pick any pair of skis you want from Moment’s 19/20 lineup!
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.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 21/22 Weston Summit
Weston may be best known for their snowboards and splitboards, but they also make skis and we’ve been spending time on their 105mm-wide, do-everything touring ski, the Summit.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Casey Brown on Paving the Way & the Future of Women’s Freeride (Ep.62)
We talk with the pioneer of women’s freeride about growing up in the bush of New Zealand; her first bike (it was a mullet??); choosing mountain biking over skiing; career detours; being “toothless & ruthless”; Rampage; Formation; & the future of women’s freeride.
Women’s Mountain Bike Short Roundup — 2021
Need a new pair of shorts for long trail rides, gravity-fueled days, or that’ll work for a bit of everything? Check out seven of the women’s MTB shorts our reviewers have been testing the past two seasons.
Privateer 161
With progressive geometry, a bargain price for what you get, and thoughtful design touches and spec, the Privateer 161 looks awfully appealing on paper. We’ve been testing this aluminum Enduro race bike and think it delivers on what the brand claims about it — for the right types of riders. Check out our full review for all the details.
2021-2022 Black Crows Camox
Three of our reviewers spent time on the 97mm-wide, twin-tipped Black Crows Camox this season, and despite their different skiing styles, all three came away with pretty positive impressions. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Black Crows Camox
We compare the Camox to the Black Crows Atris, Black Crows Justis, Liberty Origin 96, Blizzard Rustler 9, Line Sick Day 104, Season Aero, Nordica Soul Rider 97, Dynastar Menace 98, Prior Northwest 100, K2 Reckoner 102, Rossignol BLACKOPS Holyshred, Fischer Ranger 94 FR, J Skis Masterblaster, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Salomon QST 99, Salomon QST 98, & 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.
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.)
Gronk + Pit Viper = 4.20
On the most appropriate of days, Rob Gronkowski & Pit Viper announce they’ve tied the knot.
Flash Review: 21/22 DPS Pagoda Tour 100 RP
Check out some of our initial thoughts on the lightest version of DPS’s maneuverable 100 RP shape.
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.)
Hoka One One Carbon X2
Shoes with carbon plates have gained a lot of attention recently, but most are pretty niche, race-oriented products. The Hoka Carbon X2 is designed to offer both race-day efficiency and long-distance comfort, and while we were at first skeptical about that bold claim, we’ve been thoroughly impressed by this shoe so far.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Mar 2021) (Ep.165)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the introduction of criminal charges for triggering avalanches; the case against straightlining; ski area news; our media recommendations; & more.
Blister Summit Panel: Next Generation Materials
We talk with the founders of MountainFlow Eco-Wax (Peter Arlein); Checkerspot (Charlie Dimmler); and Flylow (Dan Abrams) about the challenges and opportunities of working with new materials; performance vs. sustainability; greenwashing; “Flylower”; the most promising new materials; & more.