BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2020-2021 Black Diamond Boundary Pro 115
The Black Diamond Boundary Pro 115 looks like a strong contender in the versatile ~115mm powder ski category. Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions.
Testing in Telluride
We’re heading to Telluride to test out a *bunch* of new 18/19 gear, and you should meet up with us. Check out this article for more info on what we’ll be testing and when you should join us.
Testing Pow Skis in Alaska & Japan + Shop Talk (Ep.9)
We talk to Blister reviewer, Paul Forward, about the Faction Prime 4.0, Black Diamond Helio 116, and DPS Spoon, then talk to Jeremy Cole, owner of Alpine Sports, about new gear, some of his favorite “bang for the buck” boots and skis, and real-world issues of boots, bindings, and bench test results.
Giro Axis Goggle
We’ve been impressed by the Giro Axis Goggle’s combination of quality optics, easy lens swapping, and value.
2017 Sram GX Eagle Drivetrain
The new Sram GX Eagle drivetrain is certainly competitive on price, but what about performance? We’ve been putting time on the GX Eagle, and you can now check out our in-depth review.
17/18 Faction Prime 4.0
After skiing Faction’s new pow touring ski in deep snow in both Japan and Alaska, you can now check out our initial performance impressions.
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2019-2020 Line Blend
The Line Blend might just be the most playful / surfy park ski we’ve ever reviewed, and you can now check out our full review for more details.
18/19 Atomic Bent Chetler 120
We’ve now spent a few days skiing in Japan on the all-new Bent Chetler 120, and you can check out here our initial on-snow performance notes.
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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2017-2018 Atomic Backland FR 109
We’ve now had two reviewers on the Atomic Backland FR 109 in two different lengths — and they’ve both toured on it and skied it inbounds. Check out our review to see how this playful “50/50” ski has performed.
2020-2021 K2 Ender Snowboard Boot
We’ve been very impressed by K2’s Ender snowboard boot, and would recommend it to a wide variety of riders.
Patagonia Connects Customers with Grassroots Activists
Today, Patagonia announced its latest environmental initiative, Action Works, that’s intended to connect people with grassroot activist groups near them.
8th Annual Blister Awards — OR / SIA
In part 2 of our OR / SIA awards, we reveal our famed Swagger Award, Most Intriguing Outerwear & Women’s Ski Gear, and more.
2018 Sterling Evolution Helix Rope
Sterling recently updated one of our favorite all-around ropes, the Helix, with their new DryXP treatment, and we weigh in on how the new version performs.
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.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Deep Dive: Icelantic Nomad 105
We compare the Nomad 105 to the Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Moment Deathwish, Moment Wildcat 108, Salomon Qst 106, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, 4FRNT MSP 107, Liberty Origin 106, Blizzard Rustler 10, ON3P Woodsman 108, Nordica Enforcer Free 104, Armada ARV 106Ti, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Line Sick Day 104, & J Skis Metal.
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.
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Blister Brand Guide: Giant / Liv Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020
Giant is the largest bike manufacturer in the world, so it makes sense that Giant and its sister brand, Liv, make a wide range of mountain bikes. Check out our Brand Guide to quickly figure out how each Giant & Liv bike differs, and which one might work best for you.
Loungewear Roundup
Sometimes, all you want is to be comfortable. It’s great to have soft, cozy clothing for those days when the main activity is doing no activity at all, and we’ve rounded up several of our favorite, comfy tops, bottoms, & slippers for men & women.
Norrona Tamok Gore-Tex Pro Jacket
According to Norrona, the Tamok Gore-Tex Pro Jacket is their “most durable jacket for the backcountry freeriders, blending a unique look with uncompromising freeride functionality.” It’s quickly become one of our favorite resort shells, and you can check out our full review to see how this high-end jacket compares to the competition.
Diets & Nutrition with Kylee Van Horn (Ep.32)
What’s the best way to eat to feel good and perform well? Nutrition and Diet are massive topics, as are all of the related issues surrounding them. So on our latest Off The Couch podcast, we talk with Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Kylee Van Horn, about the various diets out there; whether certain diets are prone to help or hurt training recovery; athletes & eating disorders, and more.
19/20 Kastle MX99
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the Kastle MX99.
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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La Sportiva Kaptiva
La Sportiva says their Kaptiva is designed for racing, and we think this lightweight, fairly minimal trail shoe definitely excels there. But we’ve also been surprised by how well it works outside of a race course — check out our review.
Our 2020 New Year’s Resolutions (Ep.114)
We’ve been thinking and talking about New Year’s resolutions, so in this episode, we ask a number of BLISTER reviewers what they’re pursuing in this new year and new decade.
Patagonia Women’s SnowDrifter Jacket
This season Patagonia launched a new outerwear line, the SnowDrifter, and we’ve come away very impressed by the comfort and versatility of the women’s SnowDrifter Jacket.
Win Custom Skis from Wagner
Enter for your chance to win a pair of fully custom Wagner skis!
New Skis, Ski Boots, & Bindings with Paul Forward (Ep.80)
We catch up with reviewer, Paul Forward, about some of the skis, AT boots, and an AT binding that Paul has been spending time on in Girdwood, Alaska. Paul and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss the Volkl Mantra 102; the DPS Koala 119; the new Atomic Backland Carbon AT boot; the Fritschi Xenic lightweight touring binding; and more.
2021-2022 Kye Shapes Numinous
Last week we talked about the Metamorph, a new ski from Kye Petersen & Foon Skis’ new brand, Kye Shapes. Now it’s time to talk about the big gun in the Kye Shapes lineup, the Numinous. And for many people, we think there is a lot to like about this big-mountain ski. Check out our video First Look & writeup.