BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Peter Bauer on the Past, Present, & Future of Snowboarding (Ep.55)
We talk to Peter Bauer (4-time world champ, freeriding pioneer, and co-founder of Amplid) about the history and culture of snowboarding, its inextricable ties to skiing, and the current health of the sport.
2017 YT Capra AL Comp
The Capra is a very downhill-oriented bike that offers a huge margin for error when things go awry. While it’s not a do-everything Trail bike, YT succeeded in making the Capra a bike that does exactly what a lot of riders want out of their long-travel rigs. And compared to just about every brand out there, the bang for the buck that YT offers is unbeatable.
Big vs. Small Ski Companies — Who’s Building Better Skis?
When it comes to building the best skis, do the big brands have the edge, or is there an advantage to being the little guy?
Numinous (featuring Kye Petersen)
The latest from Dendrite Studios features rowdy lines and their signature stunning visuals.
2017 SRAM Code RSC Brakes
Our Mountain Bike editor calls the SRAM Code brakes the best he’s ever ridden. Check out his review to see why.
2018-2019 Fischer Pro Mtn 95 Ti
The Fischer Pro Mtn 95 Ti has a combination of construction elements that we’ve never seen in a ski we’ve tested. So what’s the end result? Check out our full review.
Seagull Commuter Sling
After over a year and a half of daily use, the Seagull Commuter Sling has proven to be one of our favorite messenger bags.
Adam Ondra’s New Grade + DH World Championships (Ep.54)
This week, we discuss the hardest sport route in the world and Adam Ondra’s proposed new grade, then debate (and bet on) this weekend’s World Championships Downhill races in Cairns, Australia.
Evolv Zender Shoe
The Evolv Zender effectively blends comfort, lightweight construction, scrambling performance, and low cost, making it a great option as an all-around approach shoe.
Sweet Protection Badlands Merino LS Jersey
The Sweet Protection Badlands Jersey is one of the best wool riding jersey’s we’ve used.
Flylow Co-Founder, Dan Abrams (Ep.53)
We talk to Flylow co-founder, Dan Abrams, about the early days of Flylow; how the outerwear industry has changed, and Dan breaks news about a new technology that Flylow has been developing and will be rolling out soon.
Patagonia Refugio 28L Backpack
The newly redesigned Patagonia Refugio is a well-built daypack with plenty of features that make it great for daily use, yet it isn’t out of place on the trail, either.
Construction Changes in Longer (and Shorter) Skis?
We put this question to a number of ski designers and asked them to weigh in. See what the designers from ON3P, Renoun, K2, and Moment had to say.
Evolv Cruzer Psyche Shoe
The Evolv Cruzer Psyche offers an appealing blend of hiking and scrambling performance in a lightweight package — and its low price makes it one of the best values on the market.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Blister Brand Guide: Nike Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2019
Nike makes hundreds of shoes, and they currently offer several trail-specific running shoes. So what sets each of their trail shoes apart? Check out our latest Brand Guide.
19/20 BLISTER Winter Buyer’s Guide, Part 1 (Ep.68)
We just released our new 19/20 BLISTER Winter Buyer’s Guide, and given that it’s over 200 pages long, there’s a lot to talk about. So we’re going to have a 2-part conversation about the Guide, and here in part 1, we’re going to discuss some of our Blister “Best Of” selections; and some of the products that just missed the cut; some general trends and takeaways from putting this big book together, and we find out the real reason why Luke prefers mittens to gloves.
Blister Brand Guide: Pivot Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020
When it comes to high-end tech, Pivot is one of the leaders in the industry, and they offer a wide range of mountain bikes. Check out our Brand Guide to help you quickly get a handle on the Pivot MTB lineup.
Why We Built a MTB Brand Guide (Ep.10)
Reviewers Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, Dylan Wood, and David Golay discuss our new BLISTER Brand Guide to Mountain Bikes; why we saw a need for it; the trends and takeaways we’ve seen in the process of building it; and … the revolutionary new Badonkadonk bike.
Kyle Robidoux on Running, Skiing, & Being Legally Blind (Ep.19)
Kyle Robidoux is passionate about running and skiing and beer. He has run 25 marathons and ultra marathons, including three 100-mile races, and the Boston Marathon six times. Kyle also happens to be legally blind. So Kyle and I talk about his background, his anger about his receding vision and what he did about it; how he got into running and trail running; his efforts to create more inclusive trail races; his advice about how to deal with loss of any kind; and what specific things we all can do to be more supportive of everyone dealing with disabilities. (And we talk about beer.)
Adventure Photographer, Corey Rich (Ep.103)
Adventure photographer, Corey Rich, has spent a lot of time documenting some of the most interesting and amazing athletes in the world. So we talk to Corey about his time with the likes of Fred Beckey, Chris Sharma, Tommy Caldwell, Ashima Shiraishi; why making mistakes and being vulnerable makes for great storytelling; his excellent new book; what his dream assignment would be; and much, much more.
19/20 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide
Here it is — check out the entire 19/20 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide, and you can still order your limited-edition print copy of the Buyer’s Guide.
Reviewing the Reviewer: Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.67)
Luke Koppa and Sam Shaheen pose questions & rate the answers of Blister founder, Jonathan Ellsworth, about being charged by a bear; nearly burning his house down; teaching philosophy; his favorite gear in the world; and (of course) the things he’s better at than Sam Shaheen.
Win an Outerwear Kit from FW
FW is a new apparel brand and the winner of this week’s Gear Giveaway will get their flagship outerwear kit, the 3L Manifest Jacket & Pants. Many of us at Blister were really excited when we saw FW’s collection at Outdoor Retailer last year, and the Manifest kit looks like a solid choice for those who want reliable weather protection and tons of features, all in a modern, clean style. Enter now for your chance to win.
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.