BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2020-2021 Marker Alpinist 12
Several years ago, Marker created the best-skiing tech binding in the world. Now they’re introducing the much-lighter Alpinist binding — so is it just as groundbreaking?
Whitney Burton
Age: 25 | Vitals: 5’8”, 150 lbs | Ape index: +1 | Years climbing: 7 | Current residence: Golden, Colorado I grew up in Washington state exploring all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. I was introduced to climbing in 2011 just before moving
Mad Rock Drone HV
Precise, comfortable, sensitive, and affordable. That’s how we’d describe the Mad Rock Drone HV, and why boulderers and sport climbers looking for an aggressive, precise shoe should take a look.
2018-2019 Scott Scrapper 105
New for 18/19, the Scott Scrapper 105 is a ski that could be placed in either the all-mountain or touring-ski categories, though it really stands out from most of the skis in both. Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, initial impressions, and flash review.
18/19 Scott Scrapper 105
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the Scrapper 105, with comparisons to a few inbounds and touring skis like the Black Diamond Helio 105, Line Sick Day 104, and Armada Tracer 108.
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27.5” Trail Bikes — A Guide + Comparisons
“Trail Bikes” range from lightweight XC whips to burly enduro machines and it can be confusing to choose from all the options. So we’ve compared thirty-one 27.5” wheeled bikes and ordered them from most climbing-oriented to most downhill-oriented, with some new options for this year.
Silky Pocketboy and Ultra Accel Saws
If you don’t think you need to read a review about saws, think again. Check out our review of the Silky Pocketboy and Ultra Accel to learn more.
18/19 Folsom Skis Primary — “The Hammer” Edition
Here are a number of our initial on-snow impressions of The Hammer.
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2018-2019 Folsom Skis Primary — “The Hammer” Edition
Last year, we started talking to Folsom about creating an all-mountain charger named “The Hammer.” And after much back-and-forth, the ski’s been built, and we’re excited about how it turned out. Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions.
Win Camping & Backpacking Stoves from Primus
Win 2 stoves from Primus — one for your bigger meals at camp, and one for your fast-and-light backcountry missions.
Deep Dive: Fischer Ranger 102 FR
We compare the Ranger 102 FR to the Atomic Bent Chetler 100, Line Sick Day 104, J Skis Masterblaster, Nordica Enforcer 100, ON3P Kartel 108, Faction Candide 3.0, and more…
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 Atomic Vantage 97 Ti
The brand-new Atomic Vantage 97 Ti is one of the strongest, most powerful skis we’ve reviewed. But how versatile is it, and how well does it work when you don’t feel like skiing flat out? Check out our full review.
Salomon Skin Pro 15 Set Pack
We’ve now put over 40 days in the Salomon Skin Pro 15 Set Pack, and have continued to find it to be a surprisingly versatile pack that works well for a variety of activities.
John “Verm” Sherman (Ep.12)
John Sherman, one of the godfathers of modern bouldering, discusses the major ways in which the climbing scene has changed since his day; how and why he became a dedicated conservationist; making peace with the changing ethics and arrival of crowds; and much more.
Mammut Eisfeld Light SO Hoody and Pants
The Mammut Eisfeld Light Hoody and Pants’ new fabric technology makes them stand out from the competition, and when combined with the rest of their design, this makes the Eisfeld Light kit a solid soft shell option for alpine climbing.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 20/21 Blizzard Cochise 106
Update 3.2.20: we have a very exciting update on the new Cochise 106.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review: 20/21 Dynastar M-Pro 99
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new M-Pro 99.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Win any Insulated Jacket from Strafe
Enter for your chance to win any insulated jacket from Strafe!
2021-2022 Kye Shapes Metamorph
The Metamorph is the “all-mountain” ski in Kye Shapes lineup, and we think it could really appeal to the right skiers. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Voormi Merino Wool Layer Roundup
We’ve been using several of Voormi’s merino wool layers this year, for everything from winter running to ski touring to around town, and have come away impressed by their versatility and overall performance.
Ski Wax & Waxing Skis: What You Need to Know (Ep.89)
We talk with Graham Lonetto, the Alpine Director for the USA at Swix — the company that invented color-coded waxes, and one of the largest manufacturers of ski wax in the world — about different types of waxes and application methods; the most common mistake made when ski waxing; the FIS’s ban on fluorocarbons in waxes; and more.
Deep Dive: Kye Shapes Metamorph
We compare the Metamorph to the Prior CBC, Icelantic Nomad 105, Icelantic Nomad 115, Moment Deathwish, Moment Wildcat, Blizzard Rustler 11, Faction Prodigy 4.0, Nordica Enforcer 115 Free, Nordica Enforcer 110 Free, DPS Foundation Koala 119, Rossignol BLACKOPS Gamer, Dynastar M-Free 118, Volkl Revolt 121, Faction Candide 4.0.
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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2021-2022 Nordica Enforcer 94
As many companies seem to be doing for 20/21, Nordica is updating many of their popular skis. The new Enforcer 94 takes much of the old Enforcer 93’s design and adds a few interesting changes — check out our First Look and Flash Review for more.
Flash Review: 20/21 Nordica Enforcer 94
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new Enforcer 94.
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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Drilling for Oil under Moab’s Slickrock Trail? (Ep.16)
Recently, a preliminary proposal from the Bureau of Land Management was put forward to auction the right to drill for oil and natural gas under Moab’s Slickrock Trail, one of the most famous mountain bike trails in the world. How is this possible? And what should each of us be doing to protect our trails? For answers to these questions and to learn what exactly happened with Slickrock Trail, we talked to Ashley Korenblat, the founder of Public Land Solutions.
2020-2021 Venture Carbon Storm Splitboard
Venture designed their Carbon Storm splitboard to handle everything from tight tree lines to big, open faces. While we often hear things like that, we don’t think Venture’s claims are far off. The Carbon Storm is a very versatile, approachable splitboard for the masses — check out our full review.
Chasing John Colter & Recreating the Colter Route (Ep. 40)
Simply put, the exploits of the explorer, John Colter (who was a member of Lewis & Clarke’s famous expedition), are mind boggling. And in their short film, “Colter: A Legacy of Adventure,” Sawyer Thomas and Riis Wilbrecht set out to venture through the territory John Colter had explored two centuries ago, across some of the most remote terrain in the lower 48 states. So we talked to Sawyer and Riis about John Colter and why they chose this particular adventure; the (serious) difficulty of running, skiing, and trekking through this terrain; the logistics of shooting this film; and more.