BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

Trip Report: Rocklands, South Africa
Rocklands, South Africa is every boulderer’s dream – it’s like Hueco Tanks, Joe’s Valley, and Bishop all mixed together, and fall is the time to visit. Here’s our trip report and guide to climbing in Rocklands.

Giro Insulated Shirt
The Giro Insulated Shirt is a warm, casual jacket that works best on cold days or easy commutes on the bike.

Reader Review: Peter Hutchinson Designs Hispar 800
Blister reader Sam Feuerborn spent over 90 nights in the PHD Hispar 800 sleeping bag this winter, and it exceeded all of his expectations.

THE Industries Arcus Helmet
The THE Industries Arcus is an inexpensive trail helmet that rivals far more expensive competitors.

Cy Whitling
Age: 26 | Height: 6’0” | Weight: 180 lbs | Years Skiing: 8 | Years Biking: 11 | Current Residence: Driggs, Idaho I got into riding bikes back in junior high, when I discovered a large jump on a local trail. It took me a

Five Ten Impact VXi
Update: After a year of riding, the Five Ten Impact VXi is still going strong, and has proven to be far more durable than its predecessors.

2015-2016 G3 Zenoxide Carbon Fusion 105
The G3 Zenoxide Carbon Fusion 105 is a very stiff and stable backcountry ski that inspires a ton of confidence in sketchy conditions and technical terrain.

Suspension 201: Basic Setup
Want to maximize performance and comfort on your bike? Here’s how.

Random Review: F’real Smoothies
In celebration of the 4th, we present a very American gas station product: the F’real Smoothie.

Video: 2015 Canfield Brothers 27.5 Jedi Preview
Noah Bodman has been riding the new 27.5″ Canfield Jedi in a variety of terrain, take a look. (Review coming soon.)

Osprey Raven 10 Hydration Pack
The Osprey Raven 10 Hydration Pack offers a great female-specific fit and some well thought out features.

Giro CA Ride Overshort 2.0 Shorts
The Giro CA Ride Overshort 2.0 is a slimmer fitting, good-looking short intended for commuters and road riders, but we’ve used them mountain biking, hiking, and camping, too.

UltrAspire Impulse Hydration Belt
If you’re not a slave to fashion, the UltrAspire Impulse Hydration Belt offers a level of comfort and convenience that’s hard to match with a traditional hydration pack or ‘enduro’ fanny pack.

Race Report: Fears, Tears and Beers Enduro
The 10th Annual Fears, Tears, and Beers Enduro was a great time, and if you like fun, beer, or biking through casinos, you should know about this race.

Kali Avatar X Helmet
The Kali Avatar X full face helmet offers some valuable safety features in a light weight package at a good price.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

Win Men’s & Women’s Shoes or Boots from Keen
The two winners of this week’s Giveaway will each win a pair of shoes or boots from Keen’s Targhee or Terradora lines. The revamped men’s Targhee and new women’s Terradora each come in a variety of styles and colors, from breathable low-cut shoes to waterproof boots. So whether you’re planning a short hike after work or a weekend backpacking trip, you can pick a model that’s right for you.

Altra Boston Escalante Racer
The Boston Escalante Racer is supposed to be a “faster, higher-performance” version of their original Escalante. Check out what they changed, what they didn’t, and our initial impressions.

Evolv Agro
While many high-performance bouldering and sport-climbing climbing shoes have been moving in the “soft and sensitive” direction, the Evolv Agro takes a different approach. Check out our review, with comparisons to the La Sportiva Solution, Five Ten Hiangle, and Evolv Shaman.

Matchstick Productions — Hoji
Matchstick Productions just dropped the full trailer for the new Hoji movie, and to say we’re excited would be a pretty serious understatement. Check out the trailer

Deep Dive: Elan Ripstick 106
We compare the Ripstick 106 to the Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Line Sick Day 104, Salomon QST 106, Atomic Bent Chetler 100, Blizzard Rustler 10, Renoun Citadel 106, and Liberty Origin 106.
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2019-2020 Elan Ripstick 106
We got two reviewers on two lengths of the Elan Ripstick 106 this past season, and now it’s time for us to weigh in on this lightweight all-mountain ski. Check out our full review and Deep Dive comparisons.

7 Generations Film — Kickstarter Campaign
The management of public lands has been a very hot topic lately, and in northern Minnesota, two proposed sulfide-ore copper mines have people questioning their impact on the massive nearby wilderness areas. Now, two filmmakers are hoping to shed more light on the issue. Learn more here.

Mountain Equipment Tupilak 37+ Pack
The new Mountain Equipment Tupilak 37+ is one of the best climbing packs we’ve used. Check out our review, including comparisons to the Patagonia Ascensionist and Osprey Variant 37.

Bolt Restrictions, Hardware Committees, and Threatened Access (Ep.14)
Climbing is growing — really fast. At some crags around the country, that means that our impact has also been growing, which has forced the critical question of how best to manage the increased traffic on public lands. So today we’re talking about best practices, controversial approaches, and how climbing culture could be affected if oversight from outside of the climbing community becomes the new norm.

Hoka One One Torrent
Hoka is known for their max-cushioned shoes, but their brand-new Torrent is different. So how does this more moderately-cushioned trail shoe perform, and how does it compare to Hoka’s other trail shoes like the Speedgoat 2 and Evo Mafate? Check out our review.

Mountain Biking 101: DIY Tubeless Tire Sealant
Tubeless tire sealant can get expensive, especially when you’re swapping out tires often, so our bike editor gives the rundown on mixing up your own sealant at home.
