BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Strafe Recon Jacket and Pants
The Recon Jacket and Pants are Strafe’s first foray into 4-season softshells, and we’ve been impressed by their performance.
Mammut Zephir Altitude Harness
The Mammut Zephir Altitude Harness is a very light and packable harness that’s great on glaciers or easy alpine climbs.
2018-2019 HEAD Kore 93
The HEAD Kore 93 is the lightest inbounds ski we’ve ever seen, and it punches well above its weight class in terms of stability. Check out our full review.
2019-2020 Salomon S/Lab X-Alp Boot
The new Salomon S/Lab X-Alp builds on the success of the Arc’teryx Procline with a more ski-focused design.
Rockshox Reverb 1x Remote
The Rockshox Reverb is one of the most ubiquitous dropper posts on the market, but it’s always had one major shortcoming: the remote. The new 1x Remote sets out to fix that.
17/18 Faction Prodigy 2.0
Here are our initial impressions after a couple days on snow with the Faction Prodigy 2.0.
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2019-2020 G3 SENDr 112
The G3 SENDr 112 is supposed to be a hard-charging, backcountry ski. So how serious of a ski is it, and where does it truly excel?
A Nearly Fatal Birthday in the Backcountry (Ep.47)
On July 9, Blister founder, Jonathan Ellsworth, was involved in a near-fatal fall while ski touring on Independence Pass. This is the account of what happened; what can be learned from the incident and our decision-making; and what’s next for him.
2017 Yeti SB5
If you’re looking for a mellow cruiser, the Yeti SB5 wouldn’t be our first recommendation. But if you want a versatile bike that can be rallied hard, it should be on your short list.
2017 Fox 36 RC2 Float Fork
The Fox 36 RC2 Float might be the stiffest 27.5″ single crown fork we’ve ridden, but how does it stack up to forks like the RockShox Pike?
Fox Transfer Dropper Post
Fox’s Transfer dropper post works well, and has some design features that should help it avoid the durability issues that plague many droppers.
Sram ROAM 60 29” Wheels
Sram just released a 29er version of their burly Roam 60 wheelset.
2016 Devinci Django Carbon 29 GX
While there are better purpose-built bikes out there, for an all-around, one bike quiver, it’s pretty tough to top the Devinci Django 29.
Kelty TN2 Tent
The Kelty TN2 is a pretty packable, affordable option for anyone looking for a roomy two-person tent.
2018-2019 Dynafit TLT7 Performance
The Dynafit TLT7 is the latest AT boot in one of the most distinguished product lines in ski touring, and it’s a radical departure from its predecessors. Check out our review.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
T-Shirt Roundup — 2019
A t-shirt can be a lot of things: burly bike jersey, ultralight running top, or the coziest loungewear best reserved for your couch. We’ve rounded up a ton of options that cover that whole spectrum — check them out here.
2021-2022 Salomon QST Stella 106
The overhauled Salomon QST Stella 106 now looks like it stands out a lot more in the women’s ski market. Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions to see why.
A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 3: Racers & Race Boots (Ep.60)
How do elite ski racers like Marcel Hirsher, Mikaela Shiffrin, Bode Miller, and Daron Rahlves “feel” their gear, and their ski boots in particular? We talk to Matt Manser about this; forward lean; ‘static’ power straps vs. ‘elastic’ Booster Straps; whether WC skiers or WC DH mtn bikers are pickier about their equipment; and more.
Win a Bike Rack from Kuat
Win Kuat’s flagship bike rack, the NV 2.0 — a hitch-mounted bike rack with capacity for two bikes.
Promising or Pointless? 5 Weird New Bike Products (Ep.6)
Sometimes “different” is better. Other times, it’s just dumb. So we discuss a number of very unconventional new products: the Trust Message linkage fork; Structure Cycleworks’ SCW1 linkage fork / frame system; high-pivot trail bikes and the Forbidden Druid; Starling Cycles’ ‘Jack Drive’ bikes; and Tannus Armour tire inserts.
La Sportiva Cobra Eco
La Sportiva recently released a new, more environmentally friendly version of their classic Cobra shoe, and we’ve now spent a year in the new Cobra Eco to see how it compares.
Meghan Hicks, managing editor, iRunFar (Ep.11)
Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Meghan Hicks — who is one hell of a trail runner in her own right — about her background; covering the “puke fests and the transcendental moments” of trail running; how iRunFar.com came to be; what motivates her to run; what she thinks is the most misunderstood thing about ultra races; and more.
2021-2022 Moment Deathwish Tour 112
Moment just released a new version of their Deathwish — the Deathwish Tour. And after spending time on it this past season, we think the new ski stands out in the touring market. Check out our full review.
Up & Coming: Skier AND Mtn Biker, Dylan Siggers (Ep.96)
Today we’re launching our new Up & Coming series, where we’ll be highlighting some athletes who, if they aren’t already on your radar, they should be. And first up is Dylan Siggers, because few people out there are this good on skis and on a bike. Plus, Dylan is also involved in filmmaking and music, so we talk to him about skiing, biking, filming, music, and more.
19/20 Atomic Backland 107
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of Atomic’s wider touring ski.
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.
(If you’re already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)
Win a Blanket from Rumpl
Get Rumpl’s new, recycled, and very versatile NanoLoft blanket.
New Ski & Climbing Gear + Random Reviews (Ep.59)
Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, & Sam Shaheen argue about the new Volkl Mantra 102 and how it compares to the M5 Mantra; discuss with more civility the Line Vision 98; Dalbello Lupo Pro HD ski boot; Camp Nano 22 vs. Orbit Wire carabiners; and close with several extremely random reviews.