BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Win a Travel Bag from RMU
Enter to win RMU’s versatile and travel-friendly BRFCS35.50!
Western States 100 Champion, Clare Gallagher (Ep.93)
Clare Gallagher just won the Western States 100, and she did so in spectacular fashion. But there is a whole lot more to this story. So we talk to Clare about the details of her epic win, why on earth she agreed to go on an expedition to Alaska with Tommy Caldwell right before her biggest race of the year, and more.
Moment Extra Crunchy PB&J
Lots of us are currently dreaming of skiing and / or our next skis. But one of our Blister members schemed up a new custom ski, then gave it a great name: the ‘Extra Crunchy’ PB&J. Check out the backstory & specs for this ECPB&J, and let us know about any dream builds you’ve thought up.
Making the 1st Electric Snowmobile: Taiga Motors (Ep.92)
While more and more electric cars are hitting the streets, Taiga Motors is about to bring the world’s first commercial electric snowmobiles to the backcountry and ski areas. So we talked with Taiga Motors CEO & co-founder, Sam Bruneau, about taking the electric snowmobile from a college project to an actual business; and we get into the specifics of charging a Taiga, and how these electric sleds measure up against gas-powered ones in terms of power, torque, weight, range, and performance in harsh temperatures.
Wild Rye Freel Short, Marion Chammy, & Sandia Shirt
Wild Rye is a women’s-specific apparel company that’s designing pieces that stand out not only in terms of style, but also performance. Check out our review of their Freel Shorts, Marion Chammy, and Sandia Shirt.
2020-2021 Salomon QST 99
Salomon overhauled their QST 99 for 19/20, and we think the new ski ought to be very appealing to a whole lot of skiers. Check out our full review.
Deep Dive: Salomon QST 99
We compare the new QST 99 to the K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Volkl Mantra M5, Volkl Mantra 102, Blizzard Bonafide, 4FRNT MSP 99, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Fischer Ranger 99Ti, Nordica Enforcer 100, J Skis Masterblaster, Blizzard Rustler 9, Renoun Endurance 98, Moment Commander 98, ON3P Wrenegade 96, Rossignol Experience 94 Ti, Atomic Vantage 97 Ti, Dynastar Legend X96, and Liberty Origin 96.
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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How & Why We Do What We Do
If you’re curious about Blister’s history, how the review world generally works, and how and why we do things differently, check out the recent Channel Mastery podcast, where Jonathan Ellsworth was asked to discuss Blister’s background and mission.
19/20 Faction Candide 5.0
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of Candide Thovex’s signature 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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
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A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 2: Flex Patterns (Ep.55)
We’re talking again with Atomic Ski Boots product manager, Matt Manser, about the messy world of ski boot flex ratings; the actual differences between some brands’ 120 and 130 rated boot; how Atomic arrives at their own flex ratings; the next areas of innovation that Atomic is focused on, and more.
Guerrilla Gravity’s New Bikes & Big Ideas (Ep.3)
When a small indie bike company with a heavy-metal vibe makes extremely big claims about the cutting-edge materials they are using to manufacture bikes right here in the USA, and doing all of this at a pretty modest price point … are they full of crap, or are they truly onto something here? And if so, how big of a deal is this? Jonathan Ellsworth headed to Guerrilla Gravity HQ in Denver to sit down with their co-founders and their director of composites to find out.
Video: Riding in Gunnison – Crested Butte
Want to know why we *really* like the riding around here? This short video from Dakine will give you a taste of the rocky and desert-like riding around Gunnison, and the aspen forests and high-alpine terrain around Crested Butte.
Jennifer Pharr Davis on ‘Hiking’ vs ‘Trail Running’ Culture (Ep.7)
Scott Jurek called his attempt to break Jennifer Pharr Davis’ FKT record for hiking the Appalachian Trail the hardest thing he’d ever done. And yet, hiking and thru-hiking often isn’t given proper credit either as a monumental test of endurance, or as a more accessible / less intimidating activity to get more people outdoors. So we talk to Jennifer about the divides between hiking culture & trail running culture; lessons from her book, The Pursuit of Endurance, and more.
2021-2022 K2 Mindbender 116C
Apart from the name, the new K2 Mindbender 116C doesn’t share a lot in common with the Mindbender 99Ti and Mindbender 108Ti. And that’s no accident. Check out our full review for more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2021-2022 Sego Big Horn 106
With the updates made for 20/21, Sego turned their Big Horn 106 into an even more versatile and stable, yet still very playful all-mountain ski. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Sego Big Horn 106
We compare the Big Horn 106 to the Moment Wildcat 108, Whitedot Altum 104, J Skis Hotshot, Sego Cleaver Comp, Dynastar M-Free 108, K2 Reckoner 102, Black Crows Atris, Moment Deathwish, Line Sir Francis Bacon, ON3P Woodsman 108, Volkl Revolt 104, 4FRNT Devastator, Season Nexus, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Nordica Enforcer 104, Salomon QST 106, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Sego Condor 108, Elan Ripstick 106, Icelantic Nomad 105, Blizzard Rustler 10, 4FRNT MSP 107, & Liberty Origin 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.)
Privateer Bikes: Origins, Philosophy, & Trajectory (Ep.51)
We talk to Sam Meegan of Privateer Bikes, which is a company that has been pushing forward certain aspects of bike design that have been gaining broader acceptance in the bike industry. So come to learn more about Privateer, but stick around to hear Sam’s big idea about how to revolutionize a whole other product category.
Flash Review: Season Forma Ski
We just wrapped up a day on the 118mm-wide, fishtailed ski in Season’s lineup. Check out our initial impressions.
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.
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Flash Review: 20/21 Tecnica Mach1 130 MV
We’ve now spent about 40 days in Tecnica’s recently revised 130-flex, medium-volume alpine boot. Check out our 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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
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Win a Trip to the Blister Summit @ Mt. Crested Butte
This is a very special giveaway — the winner will get 2 spots at the Blister Summit ski demo event + lodging + lift tickets. Enter before Friday, February 5th for your chance to win!
2021-2022 Faction Dictator 3.0
Faction’s original Dictator 3.0 was a radical ski when it was first released. It was stiff, had two layers of metal, and it was also very light. But the ski market has changed since then, and so has the Dictator 3.0. Check out our First Look & Flash Review of the latest Dictator 3.0.
Flash Review: 21/22 Faction Dictator 3.0
Check out our initial thoughts on the latest iteration of Faction’s mid-fat, metal-laminate, directional 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.
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.)
Cosmo Langsfeld
Cosmo Langsfeld in the La Sportiva Jackal GTX, Crested Butte, Colorado Vitals: 6’2″, 160 lbs / 188 cm, 70 kg Running Background, Style, and General Preferences I grew up in the Gunnison Valley, Colorado. My family lived on 38 acres that bordered National Forest land
Backcountry Travel, Snow Science, & the Art of Avalanche Forecasting (Ep.161)
We talk to Zach Guy, the lead forecaster for the Crested Butte Avalanche Center, about the science of snow, the art of avalanche forecasting, and what every backcountry traveler can be sending in to their local avy center to help them produce more accurate forecasts.
Altra Olympus 4.0
The Olympus has been a reference point in the maximalist trail shoe category for many years now, but the latest iteration includes some significant changes from previous versions. Check out our review of the Olympus 4.0, including how it compares to the Olympus 3.5 and Hoka Speedgoat 4.
Blister Summit: What, When, & How to Join
Here’s an update on our upcoming Blister Summit — check it out to learn more about this first-of-its-kind ski demo event and how to join us.