BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Deep Dive: Faction Prodigy 3.0
We compare the Prodigy 3.0 to the Faction Candide 3.0, Atomic Bent Chetler 100, Blizzard Rustler 10, ON3P Kartel 108, Moment Meridian 107, Line Sick Day 104, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, and more…
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2019-2020 Faction Prodigy 3.0
Faction has overhauled their Prodigy 3.0, and we’re big fans of the new ski. And we think that both directional skiers and more freestyle-oriented skiers could be fans of it, too. Check out our full review and Deep Dive comparisons.
La Sportiva Genius
The La Sportiva Genius is one of the most aggressive climbing shoes on the market, but it lacks one noteworthy thing: an edge. So how does it compare to other aggressive shoes like the La Sportiva Solution & Futura, Evolv Shaman, and Five Ten Hiangle? Check out our review.
Running Shorts Roundup — 2018
There are too many running shorts in the world, so we’ve rounded up seven of our favorites (for everything from quick jogs to long trail runs) and laid out which ones might work best for you.
Skier Survey from LINE
(Update: SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED.) Line conducted this skier survey, and we think you should check it out. Because (1) you can win some skis, and (2) you can let them know which review publications and buyer’s guides you trust most for info on ski gear.
Hoka One One Stinson ATR 4
Hoka One One built a name for themselves making highly cushioned running shoes, and the all-new Stinson ATR 4 is the most highly cushioned trail shoe in their lineup. But it’s not exactly what you’d expect from a shoe that has this much cushioning. Check out our review and comparisons to other shoes like the Altra Olympus 3.0 & Timp and Hoka Speedgoat 2.
Sweet Protection Hunter Shorts and Hunter Mid Gloves
While Sweet Protection is well-known for producing hiqh-quality helmets, they’ve also been making a name for themselves in MTB apparel. This year, they revamped their Trail-oriented apparel line, and some of the new products have quickly become some of our favorites. Check out our review.
Win a Men’s or Women’s Jacket from Arc’teryx
This new jacket from Arc’teryx hasn’t even come out yet, but this week you have a chance to win one.
2018-2019 Head Nexo LYT 130
The brand-new Head Nexo LYT 130 is the lightest alpine boot we’ve ever reviewed (and it’s lighter than a lot of touring boots we’ve reviewed). But that’s not the only thing that sets this boot apart from the competition. Check out our measured specs, fit notes, and initial impressions.
Bikes vs. Skis, 1st Edition (2018): Part 1 (Ep.21)
Which ski company is most like which bike company? Who is the Moment Skis of the bike world? And which ski brand shares the most family resemblance with Yeti or Transition? Jonathan Ellsworth has been having this discussion for years with Blister’s bike editor, Noah Bodman, and we’re now taking it public. So give it a listen, then let us know where you agree, where you disagree, and where you’ve got the better analogies.
Deep Dive: Atomic Bent Chetler 100
Update: We compare the Bent Chetler 100 to the Line Sick Day 104, Nordica Enforcer 100, Black Crows Daemon, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Faction Prodigy 3.0, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Blizzard Rustler 10, 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.
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.)
2018 Cannondale Trigger
The Cannondale Trigger has a few unique features that make climbing and mellow trails more enjoyable, and it’s still a lot of fun on the way down.
2021-2022 Atomic Bent Chetler 100
Since it’s named after Chris Benchetler — one of the most creative and playful skiers in the world — you might think you know exactly what sort of ski the new Bent Chetler 100 is. Think again. Check out our full review.
18/19 Liberty Origin 90
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new Origin 90, including comparisons to the old Origin 90, the Blizzard Brahma, and the 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.
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.)
2018-2019 Liberty Origin 90
For the 18/19 season, Liberty has revised the Origin 90. Take a look at our measured specs, rocker pics, initial impressions, and Flash Review, to see how different it is from the 17/18 Origin 90, and how much family resemblance there is to the Origin 96, 106, and 112.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
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.)
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.
Win Sunglasses from SPY
This week TWO people will each get a pair of sunglasses from SPY — enter for your chance to win!
2021-2022 Dynafit Hoji Free
This year we spent time in the Dynafit Hoji Free, the stiffest boot in the Hoji series, and think its blend of uphill mobility and downhill power may be unrivaled. But there’s more to it than that — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: 130-Flex Touring Boots
We directly compare several 130-flex alpine touring boots, including the Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130, Atomic Hawx Prime XTD 130, Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro, Dynafit Hoji Free, Scarpa Maestrale XT, Lange XT3 130, K2 Mindbender 130, Fischer Ranger Free 130, Dalbello Lupo Factory, & Dalbello Lupo Pro HD.
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.)
What We’re Watching — April, 2020
Looking for more isolation entertainment? We just updated our video roundup with 13 more of our favorite MTB and snowsports videos, from goofy to gnarly.
2021-2022 J Skis Slacker
J Skis has set out to make the “least nerdy touring ski on the market,” and the result is their brand-new Slacker. Check out our First Look & Flash Review to find out how their non-nerdy touring ski design compares to the rest of the market.
Altra King MT 2
Altra recently revised their most minimal trail shoe, the King MT, and after running a couple hundred miles in it, we think the new King MT 2 is a very nice upgrade from previous versions.
Topo Athletic Founder, Tony Post (Ep.45)
We talk to Topo Athletic founder, Tony Post, about serving as the CEO of Vibram USA; founding Topo Athletic; minimalist and maximalist shoes; Topo’s design philosophy and process; and more.