BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Win a pair of the DryGuy Travel Dry DX
Seriously, we think everyone should have a pair of DryGuy portable boot dryers. They’re simple, convenient, compact, and work great. So, for this week’s giveaway, we’re teaming up with DryGuy to give away 3 sets of their portable boot dryers. Enter Now for your chance to win.
Blister at Outdoor Retailer / SIA 2018
Hey, everybody — greetings from downtown Denver. We just wrapped up 4 long days at the Outdoor Retailer / SIA Snow Show, where we had a chance to check out all the new gear for the 2018-2019 season. We put a bunch of coverage on our
New York Times sportswriter, Karen Crouse (Ep.65)
We talk to Karen Crouse about her new book on the history and principles of the Olympian incubator town of Norwich, Vermont; the current state of the Olympics; and how all-time achievers like Michael Phelps and Tiger Woods have informed her thoughts on the price of greatness.
2021-2022 K2 Recon 130
K2’s new Recon and Luv series of alpine ski boots are really light — the lightest we’ve ever reviewed, actually. Check out the specs plus our initial thoughts and fit notes.
Black Diamond VaporLock Magnetron Carabiner
Black Diamond’s Magnetron carabiners are certainly unique, but are they better than traditional lockers? We spent the past season using the VaporLock Magnetron on everything from single-pitch climbs in Indian Creek to multi-pitch ice in Montana to see just how effective this innovation really is.
2018-2019 Faction Prime 2.0
Faction says their touring ski, the Prime 2.0, “excels at high speeds, but keeps it surprisingly nimble when things get technical.” So how stable and nimble is this ski, and how does it compare to the competition? Check out our full review.
Black Crows Skis 18/19 Lineup (Ep.7)
We talk with Black Crows co-founder, Camille Jaccoux, and head ski designer, Julien Regnier, about women-specific skis, then go over what’s new in the Black Crows 18/19 lineup.
Ibis 742 Carbon Logo Wheels
After 5 months of hard use, we’ve come away very impressed by the Ibis 742 Carbon Logo wheels’ overall performance, durability, and value.
Black Crows Skis – Camille Jaccoux & Julien Regnier (Ep.64)
We talk to the co-founder and the head ski designer of one of the hottest brands skiing, Black Crows about the origins and design principles of the brand, a few of the important skis in the history of the company, and what’s next.
Win The Ultimate Backcountry Adventure
This week, we’re teaming up with one of our recommended shops to give away an all-expenses-paid ski trip to Alpenglow’s Mountain Festival in Lake Tahoe. Enter Now for your chance to win.
2017-2018 Prior Brandywine Split XTC
The Prior Brandywine Split XTC provides an impressive blend of low weight, playfulness, and strong downhill performance across a wide range of conditions.
Kelsey Opstad
Age: 27 | Vitals: 5’3’’, 130lbs | Years snowboarding: 14 | Current Residence: Girdwood AK Background Born and raised in Alaska, I have been lucky to live much of my life far from the hustle of our modern world. I was introduced to skiing at
Hazel Findlay (Ep.1)
In our inaugural episode of All Things Climbing, we talk to Hazel Findlay about her recent send of the Salathe Wall on El Cap; the current direction of climbing culture; and conflicts within climbing sponsorships.
Deep Dive: Volkl Confession
We compare the Volkl Confession to other directional pow skis, including the Nordica Enforcer Pro, Moment Blister Pro, Head Kore 117, Blizzard Bodacious, and ON3P Billy Goat.
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2018-2019 G3 FINDr 102
We’ve now had more time and more reviewers on the FINDr 102 (and had it in more terrain), so here is our updated review of this lightweight touring ski from G3.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2019 — Under The Tree
Next up in our Holiday Gift Guide are the gifts that would be great under the tree, from loungewear to MTB gear to books and much, much more.
2019-2020 Moment PB&J
This year Moment tweaked their long-standing all-mountain-freestyle ski, the PB&J, and we’ll be spending more time on the new version this season. For now, check out our First Look video & writeup for our initial impressions.
Win a Helmet & Goggles from Giro
Enter to win Giro’s new Method goggle and pick from 5 of their new helmets!
Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2019 — Stocking Stuffers
‘Tis the season to do some nice things, say some nice things, and maybe give one or two nice things to the people you care about, so this week we’re sharing a few of our own favorite gift ideas, starting with our top picks for stocking stuffers.
Ski Quiver Questions, Part 1 (Ep.77)
We’ve been thinking and talking a lot recently about ski quivers, and posted our reviewers’ personal selections for their 5-ski, 4-ski, 3-ski, 2-ski, and 1-ski quivers. And now on our latest episodes of GEAR:30 we discuss some of your related questions; what our biggest takeaways are; the dreaded 1-boot quiver; and more.
Blister Brand Guide: Inov-8 Running Shoe Lineup, 2019
Inov-8 got their start by making ultra-aggressive fell-running shoes, but they now make almost 30 trail and road shoes that cover a huge range. Check out our Brand Guide to see which Inov-8 shoes might be right for you.
Runner & Chef: Kelly Newlon of RAD (“Real Athlete Diets”) (Ep.28)
By the time she was 5 years old, Kelly Newlon had already identified two of her biggest passions: running and cooking. Those passions led her to running longer and longer races and becoming a classically trained chef who now is — quite literally — feeding and fueling the ultrarunning community, including a high number of its elite performers.
Eric Pollard on Skiing, Creating, & Evolving (Ep.111)
When it comes to skiing, product design, filmmaking, and art, few people have exhibited a more distinctive style than Eric Pollard. But for someone who has been working at the forefront of these mediums for about 20 years, we know a relatively small amount about the person behind all of it. So in this conversation, we talk to Eric about skiing and art and creating and evolving, and we discuss his soon-to-be-released film and book that share the same title, ‘Drawn From Here.’
Casual Shoe & Boot Roundup — 2019
While we love to talk about the newest and most technical footwear, we spend most of our time in much more casual shoes and boots. The good news is that we’re continuing to see casual-looking shoes that are more comfortable, more versatile, and / or more environmentally sustainable, and you can check out our roundup for several of our favorite men’s and women’s options.
2021-2022 Salomon S/Max 130 and S/Max 130 Carbon
Blister reviewer, Eric Freson, spent most of last season skiing the Salomon S/Max 130 & S/Max 130 Carbon, and he offers his take on the two boots, how they differ, and where he thinks they excel.
Win Goggles, Poles, & a Backpack from Zipline
Enter to win some new gear from Zipline!
Nikwax & the Future of DWRs (Ep.76)
DWRs — or “Durable Water Repellent” coatings — play an enormous role in the performance of your outdoor gear, and are used on nearly every waterproof garment on the market. But most DWRs are made with chemicals called PFCs, which can be harmful to you and the environment. Nikwax, however, has never made any of their specialized cleaning, conditioning, or waterproofing products with PFCs. So we talked with Heidi Allen from Nikwax about how DWRs work; the dangers of PFCs; how the industry is attempting to shift away from PFCs; garment care; and more.