BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Update: SRAM X01 DH Drivetrain
After a year on SRAM’s X01 DH drivetrain we’ve run into some durability issues, and found some solutions to them.
Loaded Precision X40 27.5 Hookless Carbon Wheelset
The Loaded Precision X40 27.5 Hookless Carbon Wheelset is an affordable option for riders looking for very stiff wheels.
Five Ten Kestrel Lace
The Five Ten Kestrel lace strikes an exceptional balance of pedaling efficiency and walkability.
Giro Ledge MIPS Helmet
Giro’s new Ledge MIPS delivers high-end safety in a sleek package that costs about the same as most non-MIPS entry-level helmets.
2018-2019 Amplid Milligram Splitboard
The Amplid Milligram is one of the lightest and most responsive splitboards we’ve ever been on
Deep Dive: Alpine Touring Bindings Shootout
We’ve detailed the performance of each of the bindings in our roundup, so in this final installment, we sum up the strengths and weaknesses of each binding.
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MIPS Trail Helmet Roundup
More and more MIPS equipped helmets are hitting the market, so we took a look at how MIPS works, and compared five trail helmets from Lazer, Scott, Smith, Giro, and Sweet Protection.
Race Face Khyber Glove, Charlie Tech Top, & Khyber Shorts
Here is our review of Race Face’s women’s trail kit.
Flash Review: Salomon MTN Explore 88
So far we’ve been impressed with Salomon’s narrower touring ski.
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Trip Report: Testing New Gear, Exploring New Zealand
We headed to Canterbury, NZ, to test new ski equipment and to explore this exquisite place.
First Look: 2016-2017 Tecnica Zero G Guide Pro Boot
Tecnica’s new Zero G Guide Pro boot is squarely aimed at dethroning our 2015 Product of the Year – the Salomon MTN lab – so how do they compare?
Race Face Chester Pedal
We’ve been putting Race Face’s new Chester composite pedal through the ringer, and so far we’ve been impressed.
Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hoody
The Patagonia Nano-Air jacket is one of our favorite mid-layers, so how does the new Nano-Air Light measure up?
New Ski Gear Report from Craigieburn Valley, New Zealand (Ep.25)
Our reviewers discuss the most surprising and the most impressive gear we just tested in New Zealand.
Flash Review: 4FRNT Raven
Brian Lindahl and Jonathan Ellsworth weigh in on the redesigned 4FRNT Raven.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Win an Avalanche Rescue Kit + a Pack from Ortovox
Spring touring season is here, and now’s your chance to get a full avalanche rescue kit + a backpack from Ortovox!
Avalanche Beacons & Backcountry Safety with BCA Co-Founder, Bruce Edgerly (Ep.43)
Avalanche beacons might not be sexy, but their proper use and design can be the difference between life and death. So we sat down with BCA’s co-founder, Bruce Edgerly, to talk about avalanche transceiver design, backcountry safety research, and the most important — yet often overlooked — aspects of a rescue.
Filmmaker, Sanjay Rawal, on the World’s Longest Race (Ep.2)
Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk with filmmaker, Sanjay Rawal, about a 3,100 mile-long race that takes place on a sidewalk in Queens, NY; the attempt to save the traditional ways of life of the San Bushmen of Botswana; the long-distance (and extremely consequential) rituals of a Buddhist monastic community in Japan, and a whole lot more.
Deep Dive: Folsom Spar 88
We compare the Spar 88 to the Blizzard Brahma, Head Monster 88 Ti, Nordica Enforcer 93, J Skis Masterblaster, Renoun Z-Line 90, Atomic Vantage 90 Ti, Armada Invictus 89Ti, K2 Ikonic 84Ti, and Black Crows Orb.
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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2021-2022 Folsom Spar 88
Building a narrower “all-mountain” ski that actually works well all around the mountain is trickier (or, at least rarer) than you might think. But the Folsom Spar 88 does, and you can now check out our full review.
Holden M-51 Fishtail 3 Layer Jacket
Look good, ski good. The Holden M-51 Fishtail Jacket definitely brings a lot of style to the table, and it doesn’t skimp out on technical features, either. Check out our review.
Benshi Creative — “Before Tomorrow”
We watch a lot of ski edits, but the one series that has clearly stood out this year is Benshi Creative’s “Before Tomorrow.” Check out all three episodes here.
19/20 DPS Foundation Koala 119
Here’s our updated Flash Review of DPS’s new pow ski, where Jonathan Ellsworth shares his thoughts on the Koala F119.
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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Blister Speaker Series 1.3: Dan Abrams, Flylow (Ep.84)
Our 3rd Blister Speaker Series at Western Colorado University was with Dan Abrams, president and co-founder of Flylow. Dan gets into the details of running an outerwear company, and in doing so, offers insight into maintaining perspective while under pressure, how he approaches risky decisions, making the most of bad situations, and more.
Smith 4D Mag Goggle
Ski & snowboard goggles have undergone a lot of changes recently, but one thing that’s remained relatively unchanged is their lenses. For 19/20, Smith is changing that with their 4D Mag goggle, which features a unique extended lens to offer increased field of view. So is it just a gimmick, or a notable advancement? Check out our review.
Amundsen Peak Anorak
Anoraks and technical fabrics don’t often get packaged together. But Norwegian brand, Amundsen, combined the two in their Peak Anorak, and the resulting jacket certainly stands out compared to the rest of the ski jackets on the market.
New Gear + Sam’s Review of Tinder (Ep.42)
Sam Shaheen, Kristin Sinnott, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about some of their favorite new skis, then — in what might be our most anticipated review ever — Sam Shaheen gives us his honest, in-depth, pretty hilarious, and surprisingly insightful take on the dating app, Tinder.