BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2018-2019 Fitwell Backcountry Snowboard Boot
The Fitwell Backcountry is a snowboard mountaineering boot that’s optimized for steep climbs and descents.
Mystery Ranch Pitch 40 Backpack
The Mystery Ranch Pitch 40 is one of the most durable, comfortable climbing packs we’ve used, but that comes with a sacrifice in versatility.
2018-2019 Salomon QST 118
For 16/17, Salomon has replaced the much-loved Rocker2 122 with the new QST 118. We’ve already put the 118 through a broad range of conditions, so here’s our take on Salomon’s widest ski.
We’re Heading South — What Should We Review?
Next month, we’re heading to the southern hemisphere for our annual review trip, and we want you to help us decide what to bring.
Luke Jacobson – Moment Skis (Ep.22)
We talk to Moment’s head ski designer and new CEO re: the 16/17 lineup; break exclusive news about 2 other new skis; discuss how the “Deathwish” got its name, and much more…
Buero Newen Sunglasses
Buero’s Newen Sunglasses are high-quality shades that also eliminate some of the waste that pollutes our oceans. See how.
Race Face Agent Jacket
Race Face’s Agent Jacket is a versatile, packable jacket that’s well suited to most riding situations.
Maxxis Aggressor Tire
Maxxis’ new Aggressor has proven to be a great all-around tire, and we compare it to the High Roller II, the Minion family, and more.
Stone Glacier Cirque 6200 Internal Frame Pack
The Stone Glacier Cirque 6200 is the best lightweight, big-load-hauling backpack we’ve used.
Catahoula Ergonomics Saddle
Catahoula is a small, semi-custom saddle company in Montana that makes every part of the saddle in shop. They are gearing up for their first broader production run, and we’ve been spending time on one of their seats.
Pearl Izumi Women’s Elevate Short, Liner Short, & Launch Jersey
Pearl Izumi’s new women’s trail kit is well-designed and has a great fit.
Xavier de le Rue, Snowboarder (Ep.21)
We talk to one of the all-time greats about riding and risk, why faster = safer, the current state of snowboarding, and much more.
2021-2022 Nordica Soul Rider 87
Nordica has made a skinnier Soul Rider, one of our favorite skis. So how similar or different is the new Soul Rider 87 to the original Soul Rider, and who should consider the 87? Scott Nelson weighs in.
Thule Versant 60L Backpack
The Thule Versant 60L is a mid-sized pack with a simple pocket layout and some useful features, though we’d love to see a couple of minor changes.
2016 Trek Session 9.9
The Trek Session 9.9 is a very light, very fast downhill bike, but see our notes regarding sizing.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
19/20 Apparel — Sustainability, New Tech, & the Death of Full-Zip Jackets?? (Ep.40)
We’ve been inundated at HQ with new apparel from Patagonia, Mammut, Flylow, Sole, and much more in the past few weeks. Sam Shaheen and Luke Koppa recently sat down to do their favorite thing — geek out on new apparel.
19/20 Dynastar Menace 98
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of Dynastar’s all-mountain-freestyle ski, with comparisons to the Rossignol Black Ops 98.
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The North Face Ceptor Jacket
The North Face Ceptor Jacket brings a lot of what you’d expect from a technical 3L shell (great weather resistance, plenty of features, and decent breathability) but does so without an exuberant price tag. Check out our full review.
2021-2022 Roxa R3 130 T.I.
The Roxa R3 130 was a pretty good AT boot, but we think the updated 19/20 version is a great one. If you’re looking for a boot that you can use inbounds and in the backcountry, the new R3 130 is worth a look.
Zoetica: Solutions to the Global Recycling & Trash Crisis (Ep.82)
Trash is a growing global crisis, and currently, the majority of “recycled” products are still ending up in landfills or being burned. So we discuss the crisis, the myths, and the solutions to these problems with the founders of Zoetica, who are working to help us rethink these issues and take concrete actions to address them.
19/20 Rossignol Black Ops 98
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of Rossignol’s all-mountain-freestyle 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.
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Mammut Alvier Armor Hardshell Jacket
Jackets with reinforced fabrics used to bulky and often uncomfortable. But a few companies have come up with new ways to seamlessly reinforce their garments, and the Mammut Alvier Armor Jacket takes this technology and packages it into a versatile ski shell. Check out our full review.
Prior Snowboards & Skis, with Dominic Morin (Ep.39)
We talk to Prior’s head snowboard and ski shaper, Dominic Morin, about the origins of Prior, their philosophy of ski and snowboard shaping, their craziest designs, their new shapes for 19/20, and the legacy of Chris Prior.
Warm Winter Coat Roundup
For those bitterly cold days, it’s nice to have just one ultra-warm coat that you can toss on no matter what the weather’s doing. So we’ve rounded up a bunch of women’s and men’s coats for frigid days in town and in the backcountry.
2021-2022 K2 Mindbender 108Ti
We’ve now spent a lot of time on K2’s new Mindbender 108Ti, and you can now check out our full review.
Deep Dive: K2 Mindbender 108Ti
We compare the Mindbender 108Ti to the Blizzard Cochise, ON3P Wrenegade 108, Prior Husume, Folsom Hammer, 4FRNT MSP 107, Black Crows Corvus, Faction Dictator 3.0, Head Kore 105, Moment Commander 108, Nordica Enforcer 110, and J Skis Metal.
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.)
Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth on Their Running Backgrounds & What Makes Someone a “Runner”? (Ep.1)
In our inaugural episode of Blister’s new running podcast, Off The Couch, Brendan Leonard (semi-rad.com) and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about their running backgrounds; their love / hate relationships with running; and Strava as a modern-day spiritual exercise??