BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
POC Joint VPD Air Knee Pads
The POC Joint VPD Air Knee Pads are comfortable enough for longer, hot trail rides, while still providing a useful amount of protection.
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.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Kristin van der Kloot
Age: 29 | Vitals: 5’2”, ~100 lbs. | Years Climbing: 9 | Current Residence: Stamford, CT I’ve always had a passion for the outdoors. I grew up skiing, climbing, backpacking, surfing…you name it; as long as it was outside, I loved it. Last year I
Hoka One One Clifton 5
Hoka’s Clifton has garnered a loyal following over the years due to its generous cushioning and plush ride. But the shoe has also evolved over the years, and the new Clifton 5 continues to push the shoe in new directions. Check out our review, with comparisons to the Hoka Stinson ATR 4, Altra Duo, and Altra Olympus 3.0.
Five Ten Hellcat Pro
The Five Ten Hellcat Pro is a burly, downhill-oriented clipless shoe that’s designed to offer lots of protection and comfort while maintaining pedaling efficiency. And for that use, it’s one of the best options we’ve tried.
Deep Dive: Rossignol Experience 94 Ti
We compare the Experience 94 Ti to the Nordica Enforcer 93, DPS Foundation Cassiar 94, Atomic Vantage 97 Ti, Blizzard Brahma & Bonafide, J Skis Masterblaster, Volkl Mantra M5, and more…
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Kenda Hellkat Pro Tire
The gravity / DH tire category has been dominated by a few specific options for years, but Kenda aims to change that with their Hellkat Pro. So we spent a few months riding on the Hellkat Pro to see how it compares to options like the Maxxis Minion DHF, Maxxis High Roller II, and WTB Convict.
Win Men’s & Women’s Sunglasses from Smith
Need new shades? Enter now for your chance to win a pair from Smith.
2018-2019 K2 Pinnacle 95 Ti
Light, but pretty stable. Surfy, but can hold an edge. Forgiving, but supportive. The newest iteration of the K2 Pinnacle 95 Ti feels like a bit of a contradiction, but the result is a pretty versatile ski that we think a lot of skiers may enjoy. Check out our full review.
Alex Honnold & Maury Birdwell on the Honnold Foundation and filming Free Solo (Ep.15)
Alex Honnold is arguably the best and certainly the boldest climber in a generation, with a mind-bending free solo ascent of El Cap, and an unbelievable speed record on The Nose in under two hours. In this episode, we sat down with Alex and Maury Birdwell to talk about what may be an even more impressive accomplishment: the Honnold Foundation. (And, of course, we sneak in some talk about climbing, too.)
Race Face Next R Cranks
The Next R sits in the middle of Race Face’s high-end crank lineup, slotted between their burly DH cranks and lighter XC options. So how does the Next R differentiate itself from the many other options out there? Short answer: a lot of ways. Check out our full review.
2019-2020 ON3P Wrenegade 96
The brand-new ON3P Wrenegade 96 is the narrowest directional ski in ON3P’s lineup, but it definitely doesn’t look like some corduroy cruiser. So how does it compare to the Wren 98 it replaced, as well as other skis in its class? Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, initial impressions, and Flash Review.
18/19 ON3P Wrenegade 96
We spent a couple days on the brand-new Wren 96, and here you can check out our initial on-snow impressions and comparisons to the old Wren 98, and the Nordica Enforcer 100.
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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(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.)
Black Diamond Vector Helmet
Once upon a time, climbing helmets were pretty much all the same. Not anymore. There are ultralight helmets on one end, and durable but heavy options on the other. The Black Diamond Vector falls in between, making it a versatile option. Check out our full review, with comparisons to several helmets from Black Diamond, Petzl, and Mammut.