BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Strafe Meadow Jacket
If you’re looking for a technical women’s ski shell that can be used in the backcountry and the resort, but that doesn’t look all that “techy,” the Strafe Meadow Jacket is worth a good look.
19/20 Fischer Ranger 94 FR
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new Fischer Ranger 94 FR.
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Michael “Bird” Shaffer on Old & New Ways of Experiencing the Mountains (Ep.83)
To be sure, a guy named Bird is going to see the world a bit differently. So we talked to Bird about growing up on a commune in Washington; falling in love with skiing; finding a home away from home in Chamonix; his passion for speed riding, better (and worse) ways of experiencing the mountains, and more.
2019-2020 Jones Ultra Mountain Twin
The Jones Ultra Mountain Twin takes a freestyle shape and combines it with their stiff, carbon-laden “Ultra” construction. The result? One of the better freestyle boards we’ve used for aggressive, hard-charging riders. Check out our full review.
Deep Dive: Line Sir Francis Bacon
We compare the new Sir Francis Bacon to the ON3P Kartel 108, Faction Candide 3.0, Sego Big Horn 106, Line Sick Day 104, Moment Meridian 107, J Skis Metal, Armada ARV 106Ti, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Faction Prodigy 3.0 & 4.0, and Renoun Citadel 106.
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 Line Sir Francis Bacon
Line completely redesigned the iconic Sir Francis Bacon for 19/20, and you might say that our managing editor is flipping out about the new ski. Check out our full review.
Mammut Trion Spine 50 Backpack
Mammut just released a new line of packs with a unique suspension system designed to move with you, rather than against you. So how does the Trion Spine compare to packs with similar designs, and where does this all-purpose alpine pack excel? Check out our full review.
2019-2020 Amplid Time Machine 90
The new Amplid Time Machine 90 combines a very traditional shape with a very non-traditional construction. Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions.
Flannel Shirt Roundup — 2019
Looking for that perfect flannel shirt that you can use all year? We’ve rounded up a bunch of men’s and women’s options to make your search easier. Check them out here.
Deep Dive: Nordica Enforcer 104 Free
We compare the Enforcer 104 Free to the Nordica Enforcer 100 & 110, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Line Sick Day 104, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Salomon QST 106, 4FRNT MSP 107 & 99, Blizzard Rustler 10, ON3P Wrenegade 108, J Skis Metal, Black Crows Corvus, and Moment Commander 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.
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 Nordica Enforcer 104 Free
The new Nordica Enforcer 104 Free has a lot to live up to given how good the Enforcer 100 and Enforcer 110 are. So does it? Check out our full review of the Enforcer 104 Free.
Win Insulated Bottles & Mugs from Hydro Flask
Enter to win some insulated bottles and mugs from Hydro Flask!
19/20 Apparel — Sustainability, New Tech, & the Death of Full-Zip Jackets?? (Ep.40)
We’ve been inundated at HQ with new apparel from Patagonia, Mammut, Flylow, Sole, and much more in the past few weeks. Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa recently sat down to do their favorite thing — geek out on new apparel.
19/20 Dynastar Menace 98
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of Dynastar’s all-mountain-freestyle ski, with comparisons to the Rossignol Black Ops 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.
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.)
The North Face Ceptor Jacket
The North Face Ceptor Jacket brings a lot of what you’d expect from a technical 3L shell (great weather resistance, plenty of features, and decent breathability) but does so without an exuberant price tag. Check out our full review.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Win Ultralight Down Blankets from Rumpl
The TWO winners this week will each get Rumpl’s Featherlite Down Blanket!
Jason Levinthal & 4FRNT’s New Ownership Group (Ep.114)
Last week, it was announced that Jason Levinthal had sold 4FRNT Skis. So we talked to Jason about how this deal came about; learn the background of the new leadership group at 4FRNT; ask what the group does and doesn’t intend to change about the brand; and more.
Our Best / Worst Ski Ideas for 20/21
We’ve created the most cutting-edge lineup of skis for the coming season, so here are our best (or worst) designs to meet the current moment.
The Ski Monster
The Ski Monster is our go-to shop in Boston, MA, for all things ski- and snowboard-related.
Your Fully Customizable Dream Build? Introducing Sherpa Custom Mountain Bikes (Ep.39)
What if you could buy a bike without immediately looking to swap out a bunch of the stock parts? And what if this dream build of yours was competitively priced? Sherpa Custom Mountain Bikes is a brand-new company that allows you to customize every part and color of your new bike, with over 1,000,000 combinations to choose from; their “photorealistic 3D dream builder” provides life-like graphics that allow you to scrutinize every detail of your custom build; and they’re also offering a life-time warranty on their frames and rims. Sound too good to be true? We sat down with the founders of Sherpa to question them about this intriguing ambitious new venture.
Ryan Hall on His First Ultra; Performance & Weight; Proper Perspective; & More (Ep.66)
Ryan Hall is a two-time Olympian and is the only American to run a sub-2:05:00 marathon. But these days, Ryan is far more focused on lifting, yet he just completed his first ultramarathon — and he did it in the most ‘Off The Couch’ way possible. So we sat down with Ryan in Blister HQ to talk about his first ultra; finding proper perspective; weight & performance; and more.
Blister Brand Guide: Hoka One One Shoe Lineup, 2020
Hoka’s shoe lineup is now more diverse than ever: they still make plenty of maximal, high-cushion shoes, but they also offer a lot of more minimal options for both roads and trails, as well many casual variations designed to bring the brand’s comfy, plush ride to everyday shoes. Check out our Brand Guide for a rundown on their entire 2020 lineup.
Jeremy Jones on His New Film, Purple Mountains (Ep.142)
We talk to snowboarder & Protect Our Winters founder, Jeremy Jones, about his new film; the importance of reviving a lost art; and more.
Shaggy’s Skis 20/21 Lineup + Luke & Drew Ski Pow on 9.9.20 (Ep.113)
We talk to Northern-Michigan-based Shaggy’s Copper Country Skis co-founder & product engineer, Jeff Thompson, about their 20/21 lineup; their unusual “nanoMag” construction; and more. Then Luke Koppa talks about skiing pow this week (??) in Crested Butte.
Win a Jacket from Dark Peak
The winner this week will get a men’s or women’s insulated jacket from Dark Peak!
The Strangest Bike? Structure Cycleworks founder, Loni Hull (Ep.38)
Structure Cycleworks arguably makes the coolest bikes out there — or the ugliest bikes out there. So we talked to their founder, Loni Hull, about why he introduced a front-linkage suspension design; why rear-linkage designs are everywhere, while front-linkage designs are utterly uncommon; and the pros and cons of bringing such an unorthodox bike to market. So whether you are a true bike dork or you just appreciate outside-the-box thinking and design, consider this a ‘Must-Listen.’
4FRNT SKIS Gets New Owners
Jason Levinthal has sold 4FRNT. Here’s the deal, and some thoughts from Hoji.