BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

2016 Canfield Crampon Mountain Pedals
Canfield’s new Crampon Mountain pedals offer some exciting upgrades over our old favorites, the Crampon Ultimate.

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.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

Michael “Bird” Shaffer on Old & New Ways of Experiencing the Mountains (Ep.83)
To be sure, a guy named Bird is going to see the world a bit differently. So we talked to Bird about growing up on a commune in Washington; falling in love with skiing; finding a home away from home in Chamonix; his passion for speed riding, better (and worse) ways of experiencing the mountains, and more.

2019-2020 Jones Ultra Mountain Twin
The Jones Ultra Mountain Twin takes a freestyle shape and combines it with their stiff, carbon-laden “Ultra” construction. The result? One of the better freestyle boards we’ve used for aggressive, hard-charging riders. Check out our full review.

Deep Dive: Line Sir Francis Bacon
We compare the new Sir Francis Bacon to the ON3P Kartel 108, Faction Candide 3.0, Sego Big Horn 106, Line Sick Day 104, Moment Meridian 107, J Skis Metal, Armada ARV 106Ti, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Faction Prodigy 3.0 & 4.0, and Renoun Citadel 106.
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2021-2022 Line Sir Francis Bacon
Line completely redesigned the iconic Sir Francis Bacon for 19/20, and you might say that our managing editor is flipping out about the new ski. Check out our full review.

Mammut Trion Spine 50 Backpack
Mammut just released a new line of packs with a unique suspension system designed to move with you, rather than against you. So how does the Trion Spine compare to packs with similar designs, and where does this all-purpose alpine pack excel? Check out our full review.

2019-2020 Amplid Time Machine 90
The new Amplid Time Machine 90 combines a very traditional shape with a very non-traditional construction. Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, and initial impressions.

Flannel Shirt Roundup — 2019
Looking for that perfect flannel shirt that you can use all year? We’ve rounded up a bunch of men’s and women’s options to make your search easier. Check them out here.

Deep Dive: Nordica Enforcer 104 Free
We compare the Enforcer 104 Free to the Nordica Enforcer 100 & 110, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Line Sick Day 104, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Salomon QST 106, 4FRNT MSP 107 & 99, Blizzard Rustler 10, ON3P Wrenegade 108, J Skis Metal, Black Crows Corvus, and Moment Commander 108.
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.
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2021-2022 Nordica Enforcer 104 Free
The new Nordica Enforcer 104 Free has a lot to live up to given how good the Enforcer 100 and Enforcer 110 are. So does it? Check out our full review of the Enforcer 104 Free.

Win Insulated Bottles & Mugs from Hydro Flask
Enter to win some insulated bottles and mugs from Hydro Flask!

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.
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.)