BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

Park IB-3, MT-40, & MTB-7 Multi-Tools
Multi-tools are a basic necessity in any riding pack, so we took a look at 3 different ones from Park Tool to help you determine which you should carry.

Terrene Wazia Tire
If you’re looking for a tire to extend your fat biking season into the snowier months, the Terrene Wazia is worth a look.

The Making of Our Winter Buyer’s Guide (Ep.2)
In this conversation, we discuss the making of — and our takeaways from — our 17/18 Winter Buyer’s Guide, including our “Best Of” awards, our Blister Spectrums, our ski quiver selections, and some of the strangest claims we saw in some of the other buyer’s guides out there.

1-Ski Quiver: Reviewers’ Choices (17/18)
We’ve posted our reviewers’ 3-ski and 2-ski quiver selections, so it’s time now to take a look at the holy grail of the ski world: the every-single-day, any-and-all conditions, 1-Ski Quiver.

2018-2019 Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 120
With fifteen more days in the Hawx Ultra XTD 120, here is our update, with liner comparisons and comparisons to the Hawx Ultra 130.

2017-2018 Line Sir Francis Bacon, 190 cm
Many of you have asked us about it, so here are our initial impressions of the 190 cm Line Sir Francis Bacon.

2-Ski Quiver: Reviewers’ Choices (17/18)
Last week we presented our three-ski quiver selections. Time now to look at the two-ski quiver selections of some of our reviewers.

Men’s Everyday Casual / Tech Pants
Pants are pants, right? But now there are a bunch of options that blend functional performance with better styling, and we’ve rounded up some of our favorites for handling everything from bike commuting to afternoon climbing sessions (and they won’t make you look like a dork).

Win Your Choice of Pret Helmets
This week, we’re giving away a helmet to 1 guy and 1 girl, so enter now for a chance to win the Pret helmet of your choice.

2020-2021 Rossignol XV Sushi LF
While it’s not the hard charger you’d expect from Xavier De La Rue, the new XV Sushi LF is a very fun board that could change the way you approach the mountain.

Danny Davis on Peace Park, the Olympics, and More (Ep.61)
We talk to Danny Davis about the upcoming Peace Park 6; why Peace Park should become a new discipline; “technical” tricks vs. “stylish” tricks; the Olympics; and the need for a unified snowboarding tour; and Danny’s growing passion for splitboarding.

East-Coast vs West-Coast Skis?
In our latest Topic of the Week, we dive into the question of how important “location” is for selecting the right ski.

Patagonia Black Hole 32L Backpack
With a water resistant, durable fabric and an easy-access design, Patagonia’s Black Hole 32L Backpack is a great option for an everyday daypack.

Pearl Izumi Launch Shorts and Summit Gloves
From the trail to the bike park, we’ve been impressed by the versatility of Pearl Izumi’s recently updated Launch Shorts and Summit Gloves.

17/18 Line Sick Day 114
We’ve now spent some time on both lengths of the Line Sick Day 114 – and done so both in and out of the resort – so here our initial performance notes and comments.
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

DPS Skis founder, Stephan Drake, no longer with DPS
UPDATE: We now have a statement from Stephan Drake regarding his departure from the company he founded.

Is Cappuccino Cowboys Ruining Ultrarunning? (Ep.25)
What is Cappuccino Cowboys, and who is the person behind it? Is he an evil genius hell-bent on ruining ultrarunning? A provocateur shaking up the stodgy state of running media? Or is he just a giant pain in the ass of Jim Walmsley, Eric Senseman, Jared Hazen, Cody Reed, Tommy Rivs and a few other unfortunate souls? We spoke to Mr. Cappuccino himself to find out.

Blister Speaker Series 2.3: Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson (Ep.108)
In our latest BLISTER Speaker Series at Western Colorado University, Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, talks about managing the significant growth of this indie brand; manufacturing in Sparks, Nevada; crucial decisions he’s had to make; how he would assess those decisions in hindsight; and more.

2019-2020 Renoun Citadel 114
Renoun is currently working on adding a wider ski to their lineup, and we recently received a prototype of their new Citadel 114. Check out our First Look for our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions of this lightweight, uniquely constructed ski.

Reviewing the Reviewer: David Golay (Ep.73)
On our latest “Reviewing the Reviewer” episode of GEAR:30, Jonathan Ellsworth talks to our mountain bike reviewer, David Golay, about how he went from playing sports in upstate New York, to researching metal alloys in Australia, to reviewing for BLISTER, and he shares a great story starring Jed Yeiser (of previous Blister podcast episodes fame).

Casual Jacket Roundup — Fall 2019
It’s that time of year when you really never know what the weather is going to throw at you. A foot of snow? Maybe. 70°F and sunny? Also totally possible. We’ve been using a bunch of casual jackets for women and men that can keep you comfortable in a variety of temps, and do so in style.

Win any Moment Skis You Want
Pick any pair of skis you want from Moment’s 19/20 lineup!

Boycott Backcountry.com?
For some time now, backcountry.com has been involved in business practices that the outdoor community needs to stand against. So we explain why; we offer a detailed response to the statement put out by their CEO; and we lay out what we think needs to happen next.

High Above Lookout Hip Pack
Fanny / hip packs have been making a resurgence, and are no longer limited to 90’s throwback parties or dads on vacation. We’ve been using the High Above Lookout pack, made with modern, technical materials in Bellingham, Washington, and you can check out our full review for more.

ON3P — “ON3P 5”
ON3P just dropped their fifth team movie, and this time around they traded urban rails and thrift-store clothes for Gore-Tex, cliffs, and pillow lines around British Columbia. Watch it here.

Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra Winner, Maggie Guterl (Ep.24)
Maggie Guterl just became the first woman ever to win Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra, a multi-day race that does not have a fixed-distance finish line. So we talked to Maggie about how this extraordinary race works, and Maggie does a brilliant job of detailing what it was like to overcome the unique physical and mental challenges of Big’s; the significance of being the race’s first female champion; the next insane race she has her sights set on, and more.

Flannel & Casual Shirt Roundup — 2019
Flannels are the unofficial uniform of the outdoors, and for good reason. Check out our roundup for a bunch of options for women, men, and even for kids.