BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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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
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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.
Evolv Agro
While many high-performance bouldering and sport-climbing climbing shoes have been moving in the “soft and sensitive” direction, the Evolv Agro takes a different approach. Check out our review, with comparisons to the La Sportiva Solution, Five Ten Hiangle, and Evolv Shaman.
Matchstick Productions — Hoji
Matchstick Productions just dropped the full trailer for the new Hoji movie, and to say we’re excited would be a pretty serious understatement. Check out the trailer
Deep Dive: Elan Ripstick 106
We compare the Ripstick 106 to the Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Line Sick Day 104, Salomon QST 106, Atomic Bent Chetler 100, Blizzard Rustler 10, Renoun Citadel 106, and 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.
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2019-2020 Elan Ripstick 106
We got two reviewers on two lengths of the Elan Ripstick 106 this past season, and now it’s time for us to weigh in on this lightweight all-mountain ski. Check out our full review and Deep Dive comparisons.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2021-2022 Line Blade
In these uncertain times, we figured it’d be a good time to look back on one of the most odd, yet very fun skis we got on this year, the Line Blade. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons of this super-tight-radius, metal-laminate, all-mountain ski.
Deep Dive: Line Blade
We compare the Line Blade to the Line Sakana, Fischer Ranger 94 FR, Blizzard Rustler 9, Nordica Enforcer 94, J Skis Masterblaster, Moment Commander 98, Fischer Ranger 99 Ti, Salomon QST 99, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, 4FRNT MSP 99, Volkl Mantra M5, Blizzard Bonafide, Liberty Origin 96, & ON3P Wrenegade 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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Reviewing the Reviewer: Eric Freson (Ep.98)
On our latest “Reviewing the Reviewer” episode of GEAR:30, we talk to mountain bike and ski reviewer, Eric Freson, about his gear preferences; how many times he’s broken his neck; co-founding the freeride team at Western Colorado University; and Fresonisms like “torksmash” and “smokin rocks.”
Win Men’s or Women’s MTB Kits from Flylow
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2020-2021 Movement Alp Tracks 106
We’re reviewing a few new skis from Movement, starting with one of the lightest skis we’ve weighed, the Alp Tracks 106. Check out our First Look for more on this ultralight “free touring” ski.
Why & How Chris King Became a B Corp (Ep.23)
What, exactly, does it mean for a company to be a Certified B Corporation business, and why should anyone care? To learn more, we reached out to Chris King Precision Components — which just completed the process of becoming one of the very few B Corp manufacturing companies in the bike industry — and asked about what the process of becoming a B Corp entails, why they decided to do it, and we also discuss Chris King’s approach to manufacturing out of their homebase of Portland, Oregon.
Flash Review: 20/21 J Skis Slacker
Update 4.30.20: we’ve spent a bit more time on J Skis’ touring ski and have updated our on-snow 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.
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Women’s Hiking / Outdoor Pants Roundup
Need a new pair of hiking pants for your next excursion … or trip around the block? Check out our women’s pant roundup, with options from light and breathable pants for summer hikes to comfy leggings that feel equally at home on the trail, rock, or bike (plus one for the little ones).
Black Diamond Mission Ski Shell & Mission Pants
We’ve put in more than 100 days between the Black Diamond Mission Ski Shell & Mission Pants, and they quickly became some of our favorite outerwear pieces for inbounds skiing. Check out our full review.
Random Review: Beastie Boys Story
The Beastie Boys just dropped a “live documentary,” and we explain why everyone needs to see it.
Rickey Gates on Running across America (Ep.48)
In 2017, Rickey Gates set out on an odyssey to run across America — 3,700 miles from South Carolina to San Francisco. We talked to Rickey about this cross-country adventure and what he learned along the way, and how it fits in with his other projects, like his “Every Single Street” initiative; “Hut Run Hut” and “Bus Run Bus”; and “50 Classic Trails.”
Flash Review: 20/21 Sego Condor 108
Update 4.28.20: Jonathan Ellsworth adds some of his thoughts on the Condor 108 and how it compares to the 4FRNT Raven & Salomon 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.
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.)