BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2021-2022 Armada BDOG
Phil Casabon is one of the best freestyle skiers out there, and for 19/20, Armada is overhauling his signature ski. Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions of the new BDOG ski.
“Call of the Wild” — Eric Larsen
In honor of Earth Day, polar adventurer and expedition guide, Eric Larsen, put together a beautiful video that gets at why we love to explore wild places, how we can help to preserve those places. Check it out here.
Enve M7 Bar & M7 Stem
If you’re looking for a bar & stem that offer an excellent balance of low weight, stiffness, and enough vibration damping for long days on the trail, Enve’s M7 Bar & Stem are worth a very good look.
Win Men’s & Women’s MTB Packs from Deuter
Itching to get out on some spring MTB rides? Enter to win a pack from Deuter that’ll let you spend long days on the trail.
2020-2021 Dynastar Menace 98
Whether under its old “Slicer” name or its new one, the Dynastar Menace 98 has been around for a long time. And after getting two reviewers on it, we think there’s good reason for that. Check out our full review.
Deep Dive: Dynastar Menace 98
We compare the Menace 98 to the Rossignol Black Ops 98, Armada ARV 96 Ti, Atomic Bent Chetler 100, Liberty Helix 98 & Origin 96, J Skis Masterblaster, Blizzard Rustler 9, Nordica Enforcer 100, 4FRNT MSP 99, Moment Commander 98, and ON3P Wrenegade 96.
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The Guide Life with AMGA President, Angela Hawse (Ep.85)
Angela Hawse is the president of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), and is certified to the highest international mountain guide standards. We talk to her about how she got into guiding; the various roles she has taken on in her career; what advice she would offer to aspiring guides; her company Chicks Climbing and Skiing, her work with POW Climb, and more.
2019-2020 Faction Candide 4.0
Candide Thovex has made more of an impact on the ski industry than most people, and his signature Faction skis have helped him do that. One of those skis, the Candide 4.0, is getting updated for 19/20, and you can now check out our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions.
Patagonia SnowDrifter Bibs
The brand-new Patagonia SnowDrifter Bibs replace their well-loved Descensionsist Pants. So how do the SnowDrifter Bibs compare to their predecessor and the rest of the ski / snowboard pants on the market?
Deep Dive: Armada ARV 106Ti LTD2
We compare the ARV 106Ti LTD2 to the ON3P Kartel 108, Moment Meridian 107, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Faction Candide 3.0, Prodigy 3.0, & Prodigy 4.0, Sego Big Horn 106, and J Skis Metal.
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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2019-2020 Armada ARV 106Ti LTD2
We’ve now had two reviewers on two different lengths of Armada & evo’s limited-edition ski, the ARV 106Ti LTD, and you can now check out our full review.
19/20 Salomon QST 106
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the all-new QST 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.
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Zeal Hatchet Goggle
Goggles with magnetic lens-swap systems have made it easier than ever to swap lenses. But most of them are very expensive, and some people aren’t thrilled about a few magnets being the only thing securing lenses to their frames. The Zeal Hatchet aims to solve both of those issues — check out our full review.
2021-2022 Armada Tracer 108
Armada is tweaking several of their backcountry oriented Tracer skis for 19/20, supposedly making them both lighter and more durable. So how does the new Tracer 108’s design compare to the rest of the market? Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions.
19/20 Amplid Facelift 108
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of Amplid’s playful touring ski.
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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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Matt Hart on Nike, The Oregon Project, & PEDs in Sports (Ep.74)
We talk to Matt Hart about his book, Win at All Costs: Inside Nike Running and its Culture of Deception, which is is an important book that everyone interested in competitive athletics should read. We discuss how Matt got interested in and involved with this story; whether we should just make all performance-enhancing drugs legal in all sports; who is most to blame for PED use in sports; what Nike’s response to the book has been; and Alberto Salazar’s upcoming trial.
Athletic Brewing Company founder, Bill Shufelt (Ep.151)
Athletic Brewing Company is a fast-growing brand in an emerging category that is about to blow up: non-alcoholic craft beer. So we talked to Athletic Brewing’s founder about why he started the company; the stigma of not drinking; why “near beer” has been so bad; why there’s such a need for products like this in the outdoors community; Athletic’s brewing process; how he feels about the emerging competition in the space; and more.
ON Cloudventure Peak
ON’s shoes immediately stand out due to their unique midsole “pods,” and we’ve been testing their recently revised, lightweight trail racer, the Cloudventure Peak. Check out our review to see where we think it excels, where it falls short, and how it compares to the competition.
Shop Talk: Tyson Stellrecht, Boise Gear Collective (Ep.123)
We sat down with Tyson Stellrecht, the founder of Boise Gear Collective, to talk about the selling of both used gear and brand new gear; how it’s going with backcountry.com one year later; why Tyson isn’t moving into e-commerce; gear snobs; predictions for the upcoming season; and more.
Win Wagner Skis + Glade Goggles & Helmet + James Niehues Book
The winner this week will get a really cool collection of gear from Wagner Custom Skis, Glade, & James Niehues!
4-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (20/21)
In Part Two of our reviewers’ 4-ski quiver selections, Jonathan Ellsworth & Kristin Sinnott add their picks for the 20/21 season.
Anneke Beerten on Her Accident; Recovery; Pastranaland, & More (Ep.44)
Anneke Beerten (the 2 x world champion BMX rider, 3-time Four Cross world champion, and Queen of Crankworx) was in an accident and suffered a serious concussion, so we check in with her to hear more about what happened; get a firsthand report of her recovery; and present a public service announcement that we all need to hear. Then we shift gears to talk about participating in the amazing Pastranaland Pit Bike Championships, so this is both a serious and super fun conversation.
Hoka Founder & Deckers Group VP of Innovation, Jean-Luc Diard (Ep.73)
If you are interested in product design and the process of innovation, then you need to listen to this conversation. Jean-Luc Diard started as an intern at Salomon, developed the first shaped ski, became the CEO at Salomon, played a major role in the development of Salomon’s running shoes, moved on to found Hoka One One, and is currently the VP of Innovation for the Deckers Group, where he currently heads up the Deckers X Lab.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Nov 2020) (Ep.150)
Today we are launching a new segment on the Blister Podcast. Each month, Cody Townsend and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the biggest stories and most interesting news headlines from the world of outdoor sports, and on occasion, the broader world, too. We also share some of the best things we’ve watched, read, or listened to.
Blister Brand Guide: Nike Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2020
Nike continues to expand their trail-running lineup, and in our Brand Guide we cover every shoe in their 2020 Trail lineup to help you figure out how each shoe differs and which might make the most sense for you.
Reviewer Reports: Shoulder Season MTB Gear + Forks Roundup (Ep.43)
For many of us, it’s shoulder season, where the riding conditions are wet, muddy, and / or cold. And some of us live in places where we regularly encounter those conditions. So on our latest Bikes & Big Ideas podcast, we discuss why some of the apparel that’s intended for wet/muddy riding sucks; which products have worked the best for us; and then we shift to a conversation about forks from Fox, RockShox, and Manitou.
Bending the Paradigm: Polartec’s Approach to “Waterproofness” & Comfort (Ep.122)
What does “waterproof” really mean, and when should you worry (and not worry) about a 10k or 20k rating on the jacket or pants you are thinking of buying? Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth spoke with Michael Cattanach, the product design director at Polartec, about the “ingredients” used to make your favorite apparel; Polartec’s history; and what Polartec is up to today.