BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2019-2020 Icelantic Maiden 101
Icelantic is updating their women’s Freeride collection for 19/20, and you can now check out our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions of the 1-ski-quiver candidate in the line, the Maiden 101.
19/20 Armada ARV 96 Ti
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the ARV 96 Ti.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Patagonia R1 TechFace Pullover
Last year Patagonia released what quickly became one of our favorite layers for high-output activities in the mountains — the R1 TechFace Hoody. This year, they released a more minimal Pullover version, and for some people, it could be even better than the original. Check out our review.
We’re Hiring
We are looking to bring on an editor to direct the bike side of BLISTER. If you really know bikes and you really know how to write, learn more here.
Win an Avalanche Rescue Kit + a Pack from Ortovox
Spring touring season is here, and now’s your chance to get a full avalanche rescue kit + a backpack from Ortovox!
Avalanche Beacons & Backcountry Safety with BCA Co-Founder, Bruce Edgerly (Ep.43)
Avalanche beacons might not be sexy, but their proper use and design can be the difference between life and death. So we sat down with BCA’s co-founder, Bruce Edgerly, to talk about avalanche transceiver design, backcountry safety research, and the most important — yet often overlooked — aspects of a rescue.
Filmmaker, Sanjay Rawal, on the World’s Longest Race (Ep.2)
Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk with filmmaker, Sanjay Rawal, about a 3,100 mile-long race that takes place on a sidewalk in Queens, NY; the attempt to save the traditional ways of life of the San Bushmen of Botswana; the long-distance (and extremely consequential) rituals of a Buddhist monastic community in Japan, and a whole lot more.
Deep Dive: Folsom Spar 88
We compare the Spar 88 to the Blizzard Brahma, Head Monster 88 Ti, Nordica Enforcer 93, J Skis Masterblaster, Renoun Z-Line 90, Atomic Vantage 90 Ti, Armada Invictus 89Ti, K2 Ikonic 84Ti, and Black Crows Orb.
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.)
2021-2022 Folsom Spar 88
Building a narrower “all-mountain” ski that actually works well all around the mountain is trickier (or, at least rarer) than you might think. But the Folsom Spar 88 does, and you can now check out our full review.
Holden M-51 Fishtail 3 Layer Jacket
Look good, ski good. The Holden M-51 Fishtail Jacket definitely brings a lot of style to the table, and it doesn’t skimp out on technical features, either. Check out our review.
Benshi Creative — “Before Tomorrow”
We watch a lot of ski edits, but the one series that has clearly stood out this year is Benshi Creative’s “Before Tomorrow.” Check out all three episodes here.
19/20 DPS Foundation Koala 119
Here’s our updated Flash Review of DPS’s new pow ski, where Jonathan Ellsworth shares his thoughts on the Koala F119.
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 Speaker Series 1.3: Dan Abrams, Flylow (Ep.84)
Our 3rd Blister Speaker Series at Western Colorado University was with Dan Abrams, president and co-founder of Flylow. Dan gets into the details of running an outerwear company, and in doing so, offers insight into maintaining perspective while under pressure, how he approaches risky decisions, making the most of bad situations, and more.
Smith 4D Mag Goggle
Ski & snowboard goggles have undergone a lot of changes recently, but one thing that’s remained relatively unchanged is their lenses. For 19/20, Smith is changing that with their 4D Mag goggle, which features a unique extended lens to offer increased field of view. So is it just a gimmick, or a notable advancement? Check out our review.
Amundsen Peak Anorak
Anoraks and technical fabrics don’t often get packaged together. But Norwegian brand, Amundsen, combined the two in their Peak Anorak, and the resulting jacket certainly stands out compared to the rest of the ski jackets on the market.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Folsom Skis 20/21 Lineup + Update on our Buyer’s Guide (Ep.117)
We’ve got Folsom Skis CEO, Mike McCabe, back on the show to catch us up on what’s been going on at Folsom; the PPE equipment they’ve been making; their lineup for the 20/21 season; and more. Mike also asks how things have been at Blister, we share what we’re celebrating this week, and give an update on the status of our 20/21 Winter Buyer’s Guide.
Win J Skis
The winner this week will get what J calls “the least nerdy touring ski on the market.”
RockShox ZEB Ultimate Fork
We’ve spent the last couple of months using the new RockShox ZEB — check out our updated review for thoughts on how it compares to forks like the RockShox Lyrik & Manitou Mezzer Pro, and who we think is going to get along best with it.
Surfing Trails on a Bike without Pedals (Ep.41)
A bike without pedals? Dog mushing? Surfing mountains? We talk to Gravity Scooters about how the idea of a DH scooter came to be; the advantages of ditching your pedals — and seat posts; designing a DH scooter; dog mushing; and more.
Kaytlyn Gerbin on Science, Volcanoes, & Pretty Much Everything Else (Ep.69)
Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Kaytlyn Gerbin about her work as a bioengineer, the Rainier Infinity Loop; running ultras vs mountaineering; why scientists make good ultra runners; cheating on snowboarding; and a whole lot more.
Black Crows Skis co-founder, Camille Jaccoux (Ep.144)
We talk to Black Crows Skis founder, Camille Jaccoux, about growing up in Chamonix and his background in skiing; what Black Crows is doing to grow the brand while trying to stay true to the reasons they started the company; the lost art of ski ballet; who would win in a mogul comp between Camille and Glen Plake; and more.
Win Men’s & Women’s Packs from Dakine
The TWO winners of this week’s Gear Giveaway will each get one of Dakine’s Heli Pro ski / board packs!
Shop Talk: Sebastian Steinbach, Black Sheep Sports (Ep.116)
We talk to the founder of Black Sheep Sports about this past ski season; his predictions for the upcoming ski season in Europe — and whether we’ll see a backcountry boom in Europe? We then talk about the critical art of customer service; why friends shouldn’t tell friends to just “Go buy this boot”; and more.
2021 Fox 38 Fork
We’ve spent the last 3 months riding Fox’s burliest single-crown fork, the 38, and comparing it to other mainstays in the category to see just how much of a difference the bigger chassis (and new internals) make on the trail. Spoiler alert: it’s a significant difference, but there’s more to it. Check out our full review.
Jonathan & Maddie run (and record this during) the Elk Run 5k (Ep.68)
Last Saturday, Blister reviewer & accomplished ultrarunner, Maddie Hart, ran the Emma Coburn Elk Run 5k with Blister founder & unaccomplished runner, Jonathan Ellsworth, and they recorded the experience. Hilarity (and embarrassment) ensued, but it was all for a great cause.
Order our 20/21 Winter Buyer’s Guide
The most honest, accurate, and useful buyer’s guide in the world. Order your copy today.
Faction Skis: Company History & 20/21 Lineup (Ep.115)
For some time now, Faction has been one of the hottest brands in skiing. But how much do you actually know about the company? This week we are talking about the history of the brand, some key moments in the company, and some big recent changes; what it’s like to go skiing with and design skis for Candide Thovex; and Faction’s lineup for the upcoming season.