BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2017-2018 Head Monster 98
Here are our measured specs and rocker pics for the Head Monster 98.
Major Trends in Climbing Shoes (Ep.3)
From the Outdoor Retailer Winter trade show, we talk to Black Diamond about all the decisions and details that went into their brand new line of rock shoes, and we also talk with Scarpa about all the new tech and details for their new shoes.
2019-2020 Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 110 W
We’ve been impressed by the men’s Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 130 and 120, and now we weigh in on the women’s version, the Hawx Ultra XTD 110 W.
Win a Blister Premier Membership
This week we’re giving away to two winners our equivalent of the Bat Phone. Blister Premier grants you access to all content on the site, and also lets you email or get on the phone with Blister reviewers to really dial in your next gear choice. Enter Now for your chance to win.
2019-2020 Blizzard Black Pearl 98
We’ve been very impressed by the Blizzard Black Pearl 98, and think it will suit a wide variety of skiers.
Greg Hill & Chris Rubens’ Electric Adventures (Ep.66)
We talk to Greg Hill and Chris Rubens about their latest “Electric Adventure,” their efforts to balance a love of the outdoors with the impacts we have on our environments, and their new film, The Curve of Time.
Salomon MTN Carbon S3 Pole
The Salomon MTN Carbon S3 poles have a few notable features that make them stand out, and are worth a look if you’re in the market for a lightweight, adjustable ski pole.
Jonathan Ellsworth: Founder / Editor in Chief
Age: 50 | Vitals: 5’10,” ~180 lbs. | Years skiing: 30+ | Crested Butte, Colorado (see my runner profile) Background: I grew up in the Chicago area, and my first loves were soccer, basketball, and football. In high school, I was a varsity athlete in
Eric Freson
Eric Freson, Crested Butte, CO. (photo by Andrew Buergin) Age: 36 | Vitals: 5’’10”, 165 lbs | Years skiing: 31 | Residence: Gunnison Valley, Colorado Background: I grew up in small-town Vermont, and was encouraged to get outside from a very young age. I learned
Dylan Wood
Age: 24 | Vitals: 5’10”, ~155 lbs | Years Skiing: 21 | Current Residence: Gunnison, Colorado (see my MTB profile) Skiing Background I grew up in Evergreen, Colorado. My dad took me skiing as soon as he could convince my mom it was a good
Outdoor Retailer / SIA Highlights (Ep.8)
From the Outdoor Retailer / SIA show in Denver, five Blister editors & reviewers discuss a bunch of the most notable new men’s and women’s gear we saw at the show.
Dakine Beretta Jacket and Mackenzie Bibs
We’ve been impressed by Dakine’s men’s ski / snowboard outerwear in the past, and now we weigh in on how their women’s Beretta Jacket and Mackenzie Bib compare.
Drew Kelly
Drew Kelly skiing in the backcountry near Crested Butte, CO. Age: 29 | Vitals: 5’11, 160 lbs | Years Skiing: 26 | Current Residence: Gunnison, Colorado Though I learned to ski on a school break when I was three, living in Alabama, I didn’t really
Ben Firth
Age: 25 | Vitals: 6’1”, 155 lbs. | Years Climbing: 8; Years Snowboarding: 13 | Current Residence: Golden, CO I grew up in the rainy world of the Pacific Northwest. Living in Olympia, WA throughout my grade school years, I didn’t actually start climbing until
Barbara Zangerl (Ep.2)
We talk to Barbara Zangerl about her recent send of Magic Mushroom on El Cap with Jacopo Larcher, which is the first repeat of the route since it was first freed by Tommy Caldwell and Justen Sjong. We also discuss how climbing culture is different in Europe, and how she found herself free climbing grade VI big walls after initially being focused exclusively on bouldering.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Strafe Wildcat Pant
Insulated ski / snowboard pants may seem unnecessary to those who have their layering systems dialed, but our reviewer was very surprised by the versatility of Strafe’s insulated Wildcat Pants. Check out her full review.
What We’re Watching — December, 2019
More ski videos! We’ve just updated our ski video roundup with 11 new videos, including Chris Benchetler’s visually stunning night-riding project, edits from FWT athletes, crazy FPV drone footage, and much more.
Ski Quiver Questions, Part 2 (Ep.78)
Last week on GEAR:30, Sam Shaheen, Luke Koppa, and I addressed some of the questions you have been asking us about ski quivers, and we also discussed the topic of the one-boot quiver. And now, we are running part 2 of this conversation with our reviewers Kristin Sinnott, Sascha Anastas, and Kara Williard.
Win a Helmet & Headphone Combo from Unit 1
Enter to win Unit 1’s helmet with integrated headphones!
2020-2021 Moment Wildcat 108
After spending 15 days on it, you can now check out our full review and Deep Dive comparisons of the 184 cm Wildcat 108.
Deep Dive: Moment Wildcat 108
We compare the 184 cm Wildcat 108 to the Moment Wildcat, Moment Meridian, Moment Deathwish, ON3P Woodsman 108, ON3P Jeffrey 108, Sego Big Horn 106, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Faction Prodigy 3.0, Line Sir Francis Bacon, Salomon QST 106, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Nordica Enforcer Free 104, Armada ARV 106Ti, Liberty Origin 106, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Line Sick Day 104, Elan Ripstick 106, 4FRNT MSP 107, Black Crows Corvus, J Skis Metal, Prior Husume, and Blizzard Cochise.
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Blister Brand Guide: Yeti Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020
Yeti has been making mountain bikes since 1985, but their lineup has changed a lot since then and now includes a pretty wide range of options. Check out our Brand Guide to quickly & easily figure out what sets each Yeti bike apart from the other and which one might be best for you.
Altra Timp 1.5
When we reviewed the original Altra Timp, we found it to be a unique shoe in the more heavily cushioned category. With all the updates made to the Timp 1.5, is that still the case? Check out our review.
Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2019 — In the Garage
Next up in our Holiday Gift Guide are the big-ticket items, whether those are actual items themselves, or new experiences. Check out our picks.
Winter Boot Roundup — 2019
If you like winter sports, that probably also means you spend a lot of time tromping around in the snow on your way to the mountains, or just the grocery store. We’ve been using several women’s and a couple men’s winter boots, and you can check out our roundup to see which ones might be best for you.
Winter Running: How to Do It (and Like It?) (Ep.29)
We talk to Blister reviewers, Maddie Hart and Gordon Gianniny, about how they handle running and training in the cold and on icy roads and trails; what gear works and doesn’t work for them; and more. Check it out, and let us know your own best tips, tricks, and practices.
Up & Coming: Tyler Curle (Ep.112)
We’re not sure that anyone loves skiing more than Tyler Curle, and Tyler also happens to be one very hard-charging and versatile skier who has appeared in Matchstick and TGR films. So we had Tyler come out to Crested Butte to talk about growing up skiing at Mt. Rose; starting to help out at Moment Skis at the ripe old age of twelve; his favorite skis, skiers, and ski movies of all time, and a whole lot more.