BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Sweet Protection Delirious Jacket
A good shell is essential for cold and / or wet bike rides, and the Sweet Protection Delirious Jacket is one of the best cycling shells we’ve ever used.
The North Face Ventrix Hoodie
The North Face Ventrix Hoodie is a very good breathable mid layer that, the more we use it, the more often we’re grabbing it for skiing, climbing, or heading to town.
2019-2020 K2 Ikonic 84 Ti
We figured we’d end 2017 talking about one of the new skis that’s impressed us the most, and why it earned a Blister “Best Of” award — the K2 Ikonic 84 Ti.
Black Sheep Sports, Sebastian Steinbach (Ep.6)
Back in 2010, Sebastian Steinbach had the crazy idea to defy traditional European ski culture and open a freeride-specific ski shop in Munich, Germany. We talk to Sebastian about what he was thinking (???), differences between European & North American ski culture, and some of his current favorite products for skiing in the Alps.
Norrona Lyngen Hybrid Jacket and Pants
Norrona’s soft shell / hard shell Lyngen Hybrid Jacket and Pants are excellent options for those looking for a touring kit that effectively blends weather protection and breathability.
On the Fritschi Tecton & Vipec Evo (Ep.5)
We talk to blister reviewers Brian Lindahl and Cy Whitling about their experiences testing the Fritschi Tecton & Vipec Evo alpine touring bindings, and how they would rank them among some other popular AT bindings.
Winter Outerwear & Apparel: Reviewers’ Choices (17/18)
We’re wrapping up our series on layering for different winter activities and locations. Check out our reviewers’ selections for everything from ice climbing to heli skiing.
2020-2021 Fritschi Tecton 12
We’ve got another update on the Tecton 12 with a lot of new information, including our on-snow comparisons of the Tecton vs. an alpine binding.
Hoody Roundup, 2017
We love hoodies, and here are some of our favorite more casual options (though you’ll still find us running, skiing, biking, etc. in some of them too).
2020-2021 Fritschi Vipec Evo 12
We weigh in on the new Fritschi Vipec Evo 12, and discuss why we think it is such a good option for a wide range of skiers.
2018-2019 HEAD Wild Joy
The HEAD Wild Joy is a stiff, powerful, and precise all-mountain ski that’s looking for a pilot who knows how to work a ski from edge to edge and has a thing for laying down train tracks.
Introducing: All Things Climbing
Check out our new weekly climbing podcast, All Things Climbing.
Patagonia Pluma Jacket
If you’re looking for a single jacket to use for everything you do outside, Patagonia’s new Pluma is a great option.
The New Volkl Mantra M5 (Ep.4)
Today, Volkl is announcing their new Mantra M5 and Secret, and last month, we headed to Germany to talk to Volkl’s lead designers of the new skis and to also get some initial time on snow.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flannel & Casual Shirt Roundup — 2019
Flannels are the unofficial uniform of the outdoors, and for good reason. Check out our roundup for a bunch of options for women, men, and even for kids.
Rachael Burks on Skiing & Shakespeare & Sweatpants & More (Ep.107)
Rachael Burks is known for skiing burly lines and her signature backflip, but she is also known for her boundless enthusiasm, which is on full display in our conversation about skiing and Shakespeare; her spot-on impression of Julian Carr; podiuming in a comp on rental skis; her best ski season ever; her abiding love of sweatpants, Star Wars, fantasy novels, Red Bull Rampage; and more.
New Marker Duke PT; Backcountry.com; New Apparel & Skis (Ep.72)
Today, Marker unveiled their brand-new Duke PT binding, so we discuss the new binding and where it fits with respect to the Shift MNC and CAST Freetour System; some big new changes at GORE; the new GORE-TEX Pro vs. The North Face Futurelight; the appalling behavior of backcountry.com; several new skis from Moment, Blizzard, and Prior; and more.
Blister Brand Guide: Columbia Montrail Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2019
Montrail is one of the longer-standing trail running brands out there, and now under the “Columbia Montrail” moniker, they offer a pretty wide range of trail shoes. Check out our Brand Guide to quickly figure out which one might be best for you.
Paul Basagoitia on His Spinal Cord Injury, Road to Recovery, & New Film (Ep.12)
Paul Basagoitia was the first back-to-back winner of Crankworx Slopestyle, participated in Red Bull Rampage numerous times, and was one of the top riders in the game. But one tiny mishap led to a crash that left him paralyzed, and Paul’s life was changed in an instant. So we talk to Paul about his ascension in the sport, the events surrounding his accident, his road to recovery, how he views Rampage today, and his new Red Bull / HBO film, Any One of Us that chronicles it all — and provides an unfiltered look at life after a spinal cord injury.
Casual Pants Roundup — 2019
If you’re looking for some “casual” everyday pants that you can also use for climbing, hiking, biking, etc., you now have lots of great options. We’ve rounded up several of our favorites for both women & men — check them out here.
19/20 Moment Wildcat 108
Check out our initial impressions of the Moment Wildcat 108, including comparisons to the standard Wildcat, Moment Deathwish, and ON3P Woodsman 108.
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Triple Crown of 200s Winner, Mike McKnight (Ep.23)
Simply put, Mike McKnight is amazing. He won the Bigfoot 200 in August, the Tahoe 200 in September, and he just won the Moab 240. And in covering those ~640 miles of racing, he smashed his own cumulative-time record for the 3 races by … 43 hours. That’s not what you’d expect from a chubby kid who grew up on a dairy farm and didn’t participate in sports til he tried 1 season of highschool football, nor from a person who broke his back in a ski accident 8 years ago and had 2 rods and 9 screws placed in his spine, along with part of his hip bone. So we talk to Mike about all of this and more.
What We’re Watching — October, 2019
A bunch of really good and entirely free ski films dropped over the past week. Check out this post for films from the likes of Tanner Hall, Sammy Carlson, Blank Collective, Phil Casabon, and many more.
Saving Weight in Your Backcountry Ski Setup
Next up in our ‘Saving Weight in Your Backcountry Ski Setup’ series, reviewer Paul Forward discusses where he chooses to cut weight in his backcountry gear, and where he opts to keep a bit of weight for better downhill performance.
How You Can Help Brands Go Climate Neutral (Ep.11)
These days, a lot of brands — and especially a lot of outdoor brands — like to talk about sustainability. But what concrete steps are companies actually taking to measure, reduce, and offset their carbon emissions? We talk to Climate Neutral CEO, Austin Whitman, about how Climate Neutral is enlisting brands to reduce and pay for their emissions and helping consumers to identify which brands are taking real action; the problem of “greenwashing”; the cost of reducing carbon emissions; the legitimacy of carbon offsets; and what individuals & companies can do right now.