BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Hoka One One Clifton 5
Hoka’s Clifton has garnered a loyal following over the years due to its generous cushioning and plush ride. But the shoe has also evolved over the years, and the new Clifton 5 continues to push the shoe in new directions. Check out our review, with comparisons to the Hoka Stinson ATR 4, Altra Duo, and Altra Olympus 3.0.
Five Ten Hellcat Pro
The Five Ten Hellcat Pro is a burly, downhill-oriented clipless shoe that’s designed to offer lots of protection and comfort while maintaining pedaling efficiency. And for that use, it’s one of the best options we’ve tried.
Deep Dive: Rossignol Experience 94 Ti
We compare the Experience 94 Ti to the Nordica Enforcer 93, DPS Foundation Cassiar 94, Atomic Vantage 97 Ti, Blizzard Brahma & Bonafide, J Skis Masterblaster, Volkl Mantra M5, and more…
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Kenda Hellkat Pro Tire
The gravity / DH tire category has been dominated by a few specific options for years, but Kenda aims to change that with their Hellkat Pro. So we spent a few months riding on the Hellkat Pro to see how it compares to options like the Maxxis Minion DHF, Maxxis High Roller II, and WTB Convict.
Win Men’s & Women’s Sunglasses from Smith
Need new shades? Enter now for your chance to win a pair from Smith.
2018-2019 K2 Pinnacle 95 Ti
Light, but pretty stable. Surfy, but can hold an edge. Forgiving, but supportive. The newest iteration of the K2 Pinnacle 95 Ti feels like a bit of a contradiction, but the result is a pretty versatile ski that we think a lot of skiers may enjoy. Check out our full review.
Alex Honnold & Maury Birdwell on the Honnold Foundation and filming Free Solo (Ep.15)
Alex Honnold is arguably the best and certainly the boldest climber in a generation, with a mind-bending free solo ascent of El Cap, and an unbelievable speed record on The Nose in under two hours. In this episode, we sat down with Alex and Maury Birdwell to talk about what may be an even more impressive accomplishment: the Honnold Foundation. (And, of course, we sneak in some talk about climbing, too.)
Race Face Next R Cranks
The Next R sits in the middle of Race Face’s high-end crank lineup, slotted between their burly DH cranks and lighter XC options. So how does the Next R differentiate itself from the many other options out there? Short answer: a lot of ways. Check out our full review.
2019-2020 ON3P Wrenegade 96
The brand-new ON3P Wrenegade 96 is the narrowest directional ski in ON3P’s lineup, but it definitely doesn’t look like some corduroy cruiser. So how does it compare to the Wren 98 it replaced, as well as other skis in its class? Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, initial impressions, and Flash Review.
18/19 ON3P Wrenegade 96
We spent a couple days on the brand-new Wren 96, and here you can check out our initial on-snow impressions and comparisons to the old Wren 98, and the Nordica Enforcer 100.
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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Black Diamond Vector Helmet
Once upon a time, climbing helmets were pretty much all the same. Not anymore. There are ultralight helmets on one end, and durable but heavy options on the other. The Black Diamond Vector falls in between, making it a versatile option. Check out our full review, with comparisons to several helmets from Black Diamond, Petzl, and Mammut.
Suspension 101: Designs
Trying to figure out bike suspension designs – how they work and the pros & cons of each – can feel like you need an engineering degree. So we put together this article to clarify the differences between the various suspension designs on the market. Check it out.
Bikes vs. Skis, 1st Edition (2018): Part 2 (Ep.23)
We’re back with round 2 of Bikes vs. Skis, where we ask the question, “Which particular bike company is most like which particular ski company?”
Win Men’s & Women’s Shoes or Boots from Keen
The two winners of this week’s Giveaway will each win a pair of shoes or boots from Keen’s Targhee or Terradora lines. The revamped men’s Targhee and new women’s Terradora each come in a variety of styles and colors, from breathable low-cut shoes to waterproof boots. So whether you’re planning a short hike after work or a weekend backpacking trip, you can pick a model that’s right for you.
Altra Boston Escalante Racer
The Boston Escalante Racer is supposed to be a “faster, higher-performance” version of their original Escalante. Check out what they changed, what they didn’t, and our initial impressions.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2020-2021 Blizzard Brahma 88
Blizzard has updated one of our favorite skis for 20/21, the Brahma 88. And you can now check out our First Look & updated Flash Review for more on this new 88mm-wide all-mountain ski.
Flash Review: 20/21 Blizzard Brahma 88
Update 4.17.20: Jonathan Ellsworth & Luke Koppa have updated their thoughts on the new Brahma 88 and how it compares to the previous Brahma.
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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2020-2021 Elan Ripstick 102 W
Elan is updating their whole freeride line for 20/21, and we’ll be spending time on the updated women’s Ripstick 102 W. Check out our First Look & Flash Review to see how it compares to the crowded category of ~105mm-wide freeride skis.
Flash Review: 20/21 Elan Ripstick 102 W
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new Ripstick 102 W.
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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Hoka One One Rincon
The Hoka Rincon packs a lot of cushion into an exceptionally lightweight package, making it an appealing option for long days on the road. But is this some specialty shoe, or does it work well even if you’re not focused on low weight & max cushion? Check out our full review.
How Outdoor Companies are Helping to Fight COVID-19
There are now a lot of outdoor companies doing a wide range of things to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. So we’ve put together an article highlighting these efforts, and we invite you to share the companies you know of that are contributing to the cause.
Freerunner, Dom Di Tommaso (@domtomato) (Ep. 46)
Dom di Tommaso (@domtomato) is a freerunner, a certified mind blower, and the guy behind one of our favorite Instagram pages and YouTube channels in the world. So on our latest Off The Couch podcast, we talked to Dom about his uncommon upbringing; his training, his focus, his injury history, and how he avoids dying doing the stuff he does; and more.
2020-2021 Fritschi Xenic 10
The category of lightweight (~300 g) touring bindings has been expanding & improving over the last few years, and the Fritschi Xenic 10 is the most recent addition. Check out our full review to see how it compares to the competition.
SKI INC. 2020: The Current State & Future of the Ski Industry (Ep. 126)
The ski industry has undergone rapid changes in the past several years, and we are currently in another unprecedented moment with the COVID-19 pandemic. So to help us better understand the past, present, and future of the ski industry, we talked to industry veteran and author of SKI INC, and SKI INC. 2020, Chris Diamond, about the rise of the EPIC and IKON passes; this recent era of rampant ski resort acquisitions; the state (and fate) of independent ski areas; whether COVID-19 will likely have lasting impacts on the ski industry; and more.
2020 Guerrilla Gravity Smash
We’ve now had two reviewers convert Guerrilla Gravity’s 120mm-travel Trail Pistol to their 145mm-travel Smash (an option that’s noteworthy in itself) and they both think the Smash is one of the more versatile and easy-to-recommend bikes in the Trail category. Check out our full review of the Smash.
Flash Review: 20/21 Volkl Katana 108
Check out our initial impressions of the new Katana 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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Crash Course: Telemark Ski Gear, Part 1 (Ep.95)
Since we have to learn how to tele ski and shoot a tele video, we’re crowdsourcing a crash course in telemark technique (see Blister Podcast episode 125) and in telemark gear. So here in Tele Gear Part 1, we’re talking again with the artist, Geoff McFetridge; Flylow Gear co-founder and president, Dan Abrams; and Blister reviewers Paul Forward and Kristin Sinnott.