BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Reviewer Reports: New Head Kores, Ski Boots, & One Age-Old Question (Ep.333)
Luke, Kara, & Jonathan discuss Head’s overhauled collection of Kore skis; Jonathan makes a confession after he took some carving skis off piste; Kara and Luke discuss a bunch of boots they’ve been testing; Jonathan poses an age-old question about boot flexes; Kara breaks down the setups she’s bringing to Japan; and much more.
Win Glory Ski Poles
The TWO winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will both get a pair of Glory Ski Poles!
Flash Review: 25/26 Head Kore 94 Ti
We’ve started logging time on Head’s revised Kore skis, and we’re kicking off our Flash Reviews with one of the narrower models in the lineup, the Kore 94 Ti.
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2025-2026 Head Kore 94 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Head Kore 94 Ti.
Flash Review: Outlier Void and Pendulum Pedals
Do Outlier’s Void and Pendulum pedals feel as wild as they look, or does their unconventional packaging wind up feeling more akin to other flat pedal designs than you might expect? We’ve got some early thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Reviewer Reports: Bikes, Shocks, Wheels, & More (Ep.259)
David Golay and Zack Henderson sat down to chat about a bunch of the gear they’ve been testing recently, including a couple of very different takes on a ~150mm-travel Trail bike, the Vorsprung Telum, and a bunch more.
Flash Review: 24/25 Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 115 BOA W
One of our reviewers is prepping for multiple trips with plenty of both lift-accessed and human-powered skiing, and she’s been testing a handful of boots to figure out which to bring with. Here are her initial thoughts on one of them, Atomic’s latest Hawx Ultra XTD 115 BOA W.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Tyrolia’s New Attack Hybrid Ski-Touring Bindings
Tyrolia has entered the “hybrid” category of touring bindings — here’s the rundown on their new Attack Hybrid platform.
Head Overhauls Kore Skis for 25/26 + Launches Dual-BOA Kaliber Boots
Head is making big changes to their lineup for 25/26, including a complete overhaul of their longstanding Kore skis, the new dual-BOA Kaliber boot collection, and more. Here are all the details.
Amateur Hour: Kara Williard on Garlic, Growing Garlic, & Vampires (Ep.58)
Jonathan talks with Kara Williard and Eli Brown about one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world. We discuss hardneck garlic vs softneck garlic; how to grow garlic; its medicinal properties; black garlic; garlic honey; and … vampires.
2024-2025 Ferreol Surfeur 112
Based in Quebec, Ferreol is doing things a bit differently, namely via their unique ski constructions. Check out our Full Review of the Surfeur 112 to find out how that translates to the performance of this powder-oriented 50/50 ski.
Deep Dive: Ferreol Surfeur 112
We compare the Surfeur 112 to the Ferreol Pionnier 104, Atomic Bent 110, J Skis Slacker, Line Vision 114, 4FRNT Hoji, Armada ARV 112, WNDR Alpine Intention 108, Renoun Citadel 107, RMU Professor 111, Majesty Havoc 110 Carbon, HEAD Kore 111, Dynafit Tigard 114, Völkl Blaze 114, Salomon QST X, Moment Wildcat Tour 108, Moment Deathwish Tour, Faction La Machine 3, Atomic Backland 109, Armada Locator 112, Armada ARV 116 JJ UL, and Moment Wildcat Tour.
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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Stuff We Like: January 2025
This edition of our Stuff We Like series is packed with cold-weather gear — from stylish sweaters to ultra-warm jackets and boots. We’ve also got magnetic ski poles, unique headwear, gear-storage solutions, and more.
‘Weak Layers’ with Amie Engerbretson & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.34)
We break down Katie Burrell’s ski comedy, Weak Layers, a hilarious, not-very-suitable-for-work movie that features many of your favorite skiers and an incredible number of great lines, but please, just remember to “Shhhhhhh!”
2024-2025 Cardiff Goat Pro Carbon Splitboard
The Cardiff Goat Pro Carbon is the first board we’ve had a chance to try out of their splitboard lineup, and it has some interesting design elements that we were eager to put to the test. How did it fare over a full season of riding? Our Full Review is ready to answer just that.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Deep Dive: Moment Wildcat
We compare the Moment Wildcat to the previous Wildcat, Moment Bibby, Moment Wildcat Tour, Black Crows Anima, Rossignol Sender Free 118, Line Optic 114, K2 Reckoner 124, Volkl Revolt 121, Völkl Revolt 114, 4FRNT Renegade, 4FRNT Inthayne, Atomic Maverick 115 CTI, Atomic Bent Chetler 120, Nordica Unleashed 114, Line Bacon 115, Dynastar M-Free 112, Icelantic Nomad 112, Blizzard Rustler 11, Salomon QST X, Head Oblivion 116, Line Vision 114, Head Kore 117, Head Kore 118 Ti, Prior Northwest 116, DPS Foundation Koala 118, Salomon QST Blank, Dynastar M-Free 118, J Skis Friend, Line Vision 118, Season Forma, Line Outline, K2 Reckoner 112, Icelantic Nomad 115, Nordica Enforcer 115 Free, and Elan Ripstick 116.
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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Win a Kitworks Gear Management System
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a Gear Box, a Gear Tote 35L or 55L, and a $100 gift card from Kitworks!
House of Looptail on Remaking Vintage Mountain Bike and BMX Tires (Ep. 266)
House of Looptail’s Wakeman Massie joins us to chat about remaking vintage mountain bike and BMX tires; designing the first Surly singlespeed frame; why old mountain bikes deserve to be ridden; and a whole lot more.
Fox 34 SL
XC race courses are more technical than ever and race bikes are getting beefed up to match. Fox’s new 34 SL replaces the 34 Step Cast and promises a stiffer chassis, optional longer travel, and more. Check out what they’ve come up with.
Hi-Fi Audio: Capturing the Heart & Soul of Music with Heaven 11’s Itai Azerad (Ep.62)
Music — and how you listen to it — matters. In this CRAFTED conversation, Simon is joined by Heaven 11 Audio’s Itai Azerad to discuss building amplifiers that capture the heart and soul of music.
Flash Review: 24/25 Line Vision 114
Line replaced their Vision 118 with the new Vision 114 for 24/25, and we’ve been spending time on the new model this season. Check out our initial impressions.
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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2024-2025 Line Vision 114
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the LINE Vision 114.
2025-2026 Elan Ripstick 96
Elan recently overhauled their longstanding Ripstick collection, so how different are the new skis, and what makes the Ripstick 96 stand out in today’s market? Here’s our Full Review.
Deep Dive: Elan Ripstick 96
We compare the Ripstick 96 to the Ripstick 102 Black Edition, Salomon QST 94, Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti, Renoun Endurance 98, Line Optic 96, Salomon QST 92, Line Pandora 99, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, K2 Mindbender 96C, RMU Apostle 96 Ti, Black Crows Camox, Blizzard Rustler 9, ZAG Slap 98, Stockli Stormrider 95, and Head Kore 94 Ti.
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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Flash Review: 25/26 Salomon QST 94
Salomon’s new QST 94 is the narrowest addition to their new QST lineup of skis, replacing the popular QST 92. Here are our initial impressions on the QST 94, including how it compares to the outgoing model.
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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Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, February 2025 (Ep.350)
Cody and Jonathan are back to review the news, including the passing of ZipFit’s Sven Coomer; threats to public lands; JD Vance’s ski trip; and more. We also rate your takes, discuss the most Canadian news, and share what we’ve been reading and watching.
Arbor Carter Camber, 158 cm
Mark Carter is a badass, but what about his signature board? We’ve been riding the Arbor Carter for a full season and have found it to be a surprisingly versatile example of a modern volume-shifted shape. Here’s our Full Review.