BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2017 Santa Cruz Hightower
We’ve put about 1000 miles on one of the most popular trail bikes on the planet. So we weigh in on its durability, and also which configuration of the bike we liked best.
Marker Kingpin Update
After months of speculation and concern, we’ve just confirmed that the Marker Kingpin will indeed be available for the 17/18 season. Check out our update for more info, as well as a look at our reviews of the Kingpin.
Wagner Custom Skis founder, Pete Wagner (Ep.57)
We talk to Pete Wagner about why the “indie” ski scene is so confusing; the Wagner factory and the unique connection with Telluride; what about their ski-building process that Pete is most proud of, and more.
Win Any Fischer Ranger Ski You Want
Very cool – this week’s winner gets to pick which Fischer Ranger he or she wants most…
The Faction Collective: This is Home
The latest from The Faction Collective: strong skiing, good song, and … some pretty philosophical aspirations?
2018 Patrol 672
The Patrol 672 is a new budget-oriented Trail bike, so how how much “bang” do you actually get for your buck?
17/18 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide
This is the best — and biggest — Buyer’s Guide you’ve ever seen. Learn what makes ours different, and how to get your copy.
Win the Salomon S/Lab MTN
We’re re-launching our Gear Giveaways, and to kick things off, we’re giving you the chance to win a pair of one of our favorite AT boots of all time.
Evolv Supra
The Evolv Supra is a compelling option as a workhorse sport-climbing shoe, and offers an effective blend of performance and comfort.
Smith Rover Helmet
The Smith Rover is a very breathable Trail helmet, but that breathability seems to come at the cost of durability.
Deep Dive: Faction Dictator 3.0
We put the Faction Dictator 3.0 up against the HEAD Kore 105, Line Sick Day 104, Faction Candide 3.0, Black Crows Corvus Freebird, Moment Belafonte, ON3P Wrenegade 108, and Blizzard Cochise.
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2018-2019 Faction Dictator 3.0
Faction claims their “Dictator” series is designed for hard-charging “lunatics” and “maniacs.” Here’s our full review of the (pretty unusual) 105mm-wide Dictator 3.0.
10 Notable Things We Saw at Interbike
There’s lots of talk *about* Interbike these days, but what were the most noteworthy things we saw at Interbike? Here’s our Top 10.
Camo is the New Black: Interbike 2017 (Ep.56)
On location in Las Vegas, we talk to Blister bike editor, Noah Bodman, about the current state of Interbike; the most intriguing bikes we rode; the most interesting products we’ve seen; and the most bizarre stuff on the trade show floor.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Luke Nelson on Testing Limits (Ep.18)
Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Luke Nelson about being a professional runner, physician assistant, race director (of the Scout Mountain Ultras), climate activist, husband, father of three, and … someone who doesn’t get a lot of sleep.
Video: Verb Cabin — “Another Way”
Ian Compton has taken a very different approach to skiing. Once one of the best park / urban skiers out there, Ian decided to leave skiing and move to, as he calls it, the “middle of nowhere,” Vermont. Verb Cabin’s short film, “Another Way,” documents Ian’s rise in the sport, the reasoning behind and the outcome of his decision to leave it, and now his return to skiing, in the form of a tiny undisclosed rope-tow near his new home. We think the video is incredibly well done, and you can watch it here.
J Skis founder, Jason Levinthal (Ep.102)
J Skis founder, Jason Levinthal, is back on the show, and this time, our conversation is made up almost entirely of your questions. And in his trademark style, Jason answers each of them with extreme candor. Check out the full video and conversation here.
2020 Ibis Mojo HD5
Ibis is releasing today the 5th generation of their longer-travel 27.5″ bike, the Mojo HD5. We came away impressed with the prior-generation HD4, so how similar is the HD5 to the HD4? Is this new bike an entirely different beast? Check out our First Look.
Support Robb Gaffney
Robb Gaffney is a historic figure in the ski world, and he & his family need our help. Robb (who wrote the book Squallywood, created the Game of GNAR, and produced GNAR The Movie) was diagnosed with a rare form of bone-marrow cancer that he’s fighting hard against. But that has left him unable to work for the foreseeable future, and this has created a very significant financial burden for his family. A GoFundMe page has been started for Robb, and we would ask you to please make a donation.
Strafe Sickbird Suit
One-piece snowsuits have had an interesting history. They were once very common, then they became a bit of a joke, and now some brands are making high-end one-pieces with modern materials and features. The Strafe Sickbird Suit falls into that last category, and we’ve come away both surprised and impressed by it. Check out our review.
2020-2021 Liberty Genome
Summer in the Northern Hemisphere officially ends tomorrow, and just in case that’s got you down, we thought we’d get you dreaming of skiing deep pow on super-fat skis. So check out our full review of the 140mm-wide Liberty Genome.
Folsom Skis & the New Blister Pro 104 (Ep.66)
We’ve been working on a special project with Folsom Skis, and it’s finally time to discuss the details with Folsom’s Mike McCabe. We also talk about Folsom’s (insane?) new plan to build and deliver custom skis in 2-3 days; go over a few highlights from the 19/20 Folsom lineup; and we ask Mike how much of a nightmare it was to work with us on this project.
Win a Backpack from Mystery Ranch
Enter now to win Mystery Ranch’s brand-new alpine pack, the Scepter 35.
Blister Brand Guide: Santa Cruz / Juliana Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020
Santa Cruz and its sister brand, Juliana, have garnered a strong following over the years, and they make a wide range of mountain bikes. Check out our Brand Guide for an overview of their entire lineups.
Blister Brand Guide: Salomon Running Shoe Lineup, 2019
From shoes designed to help Kilian Jornet dance up technical terrain, to studded winter spikes and everyday road and trail shoes, Salomon makes a really wide variety of running shoes. Check out our Salomon Brand Guide to quickly get clear on their whole lineup and figure out which shoes might work best for you.
Why We Built a Running-Shoe Brand Guide (Ep.17)
Finding the right running shoe can be extremely complicated and confusing. So reviewers Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, Maddie Hart, and Gordon Gianniny discuss our new BLISTER Brand Guide to Running Shoes; why we saw a need for it; what we hope it accomplishes for runners everywhere; and the trends and takeaways we’ve seen in the process of building it.