BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Our Upcoming Trip to Moab with 57 Hours
We’re heading to Moab for a multi-sport trip, and we’re linking up with a 57 Hours guide to do it. Learn more about our trip, the backstory, and more.
2019 Specialized Enduro 27.5
Specialized recently released a new Enduro, but whether you’re looking at the resale market, don’t love the new Enduro’s geometry or 29er-only design, or are just looking for a versatile Enduro / Trail bike, we think the Enduro 27.5 still deserves strong consideration. Check out Eric Freson’s full review, and Luke Koppa also adds his thoughts from the perspective of a newcomer to the sport.
CushCore Pro Tire Inserts
We recently published Noah Bodman’s take on CushCore’s Pro tire inserts, and now David Golay adds his thoughts. Check them out here.
Biking 101: Bike Fit & Geometry — Part 1
Selecting the “right” bike means selecting the right *size* bike — and understanding how a bike’s “geometry” affects that. So check out our Bike Fit & Geometry 101 article to learn more about a bike’s geometry and how it affects both fit and performance.
What You’re Wearing, Part 4: Hemp (Ep.65)
Shooting hemp t-shirts with guns; eating hemp seeds; building houses with hemp; and industrial hemp legalization in the US — Part 4 of our “What You’re Wearing” series tackles the complex history, misconceptions, and many uses of hemp.
Claudio Caluori on the World Cup DH Season (Ep.9)
Coming straight to Crested Butte after the amazing World Cup season finale, Claudio Caluori sits down with Jonathan Ellsworth in BLISTER HQ to discuss whether this was the best WC DH season ever; Loic Bruni & Amaury Pierron’s epic battle; his biggest takeaways from the men’s and women’s seasons; and what, if anything, could be done to make the series even better.
Win a G3 ZED Touring Binding
We have 2 big announcements this week: (1) you can win a pair of G3 ZED bindings and (2) Blister Members now get 10% off & free shipping on everything from G3. Learn more here.
Blister Brand Guide: Altra Lineup, 2019
Timp 1.5 vs. Lone Peak 4. Paradigm 4.5 vs. Duo 1.5. What sets Altra’s shoes apart from one another, and which is the best shoe for you? Check out our Brand Guide for an overview of their entire road and trail lineup.
Blister Brand Guide: Specialized Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020
In our new “Blister Brand Guide” series, we go over the entire product lineup of a brand, highlight how each product stands out from the rest of the lineup, and help you figure out quickly and easily which one might be best for you. First up on the MTB side: Specialized.
2020 Ibis Ripmo AF
Today Ibis announced the brand-new Ripmo AF, as in “aluminum frame.” As in, the first all-aluminum Ibis bike since they reopened shop in 2005. But there’s a whole lot more to this new Trail / Enduro bike than just being made of metal — check out our First Look for more info.
Jackson Brill: Full-Time Student, Full-Time Runner (Ep.16)
Salomon athlete, Jackson Brill, is a 21-year old senior in college at CU Boulder, but given his approach to running, the way he talks about the sport, and his race results, you’d be forgiven for assuming that he was twice as old as he is. So we talked to Jackson about his studies and his work in CU’s Locomotion Lab; being teammates with Kilian Jornet; his experience with the Golden Trail Series; and his strong interest in coaching.
Pep Fujas: from the Farm to K2 to WNDR (Ep.100)
Pep Fujas has always been at the forefront of freeskiing, and he is now looking to move things forward once again. So we talk to Pep about growing up on his family farm in Oregon; his remarkable film career; his favorite Seth Morrison story; his long relationship with K2 and his favorite K2 skis; his decision to go back to school; and his even bigger decision to join the team at WNDR Alpine.
Blister Brand Guide: Hoka One One Lineup, 2019
There are so many products and options available from so many different companies, it can be difficult to know where to even begin, or to figure out the differences between products in a brand’s own lineup. So we’re introducing our new “Blister Brand Guide” series, where we’ll go over the entire product lineup of a brand, highlight how each product stands out from the rest of the lineup, and help you quickly and easily figure out which one might be best for you. First up: Hoka.
Everyday Backpack Roundup — 2019
Need a new everyday backpack? We’ve rounded up 10 of our favorite options, with everything from clean, simple bags that are great for work or school to packs that can also work for casual hikes and travel.
What You’re Wearing, Part 3: Down (Ep.64)
Misconceptions about down are everywhere — fill power, proper care, and animal welfare are all often wildly misunderstood. So today, we’re talking with Matthew Betcher from Allied Feather & Down to shed some light on this fascinating material.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 21/22 Dynastar M-Free 108, 192 cm
Update 3.22.21: We’ve added some more thoughts after putting in a few more days on the long M-Free 108.
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Flash Review: 21/22 Volkl Secret 96
Update 3.22.21: Kara Williard adds her thoughts on the new Secret 96.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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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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