BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Flash Review: 24/25 Black Crows Octo
Update 12.2.24: Luke Koppa adds his thoughts on the new Black Crows Octo after spending some of his first days of the season aboard it.
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.)
2-Board Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
Following their 3-board quivers, our reviewers chime in with which snowboards and splitboards they’d select for their personal 2-board quivers.
Reviewer Reports + a Shop Talk First (Ep.324)
Luke and Jonathan offer their early-season reviewer reports, then Jonathan talks to Bangtail Bike & Ski’s new owner about why he did something that no other shop in the world has done — but why others might want to.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, November 2024 (Ep.335)
Cody and Jonathan are back to review some of the news of November; rate your takes; offer some mountain town advice; share what we’re reading & watching; and more.
2024-2025 K2 Omen 90
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the K2 Omen 90 freestyle ski.
Flash Review: 24/25 Ferreol Explo 86
Ski season is officially underway at our home base, and the Explo 86 is one of the first skis we got back on this winter. Here, Luke Koppa shares his initial take.
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.)
Forbidden Druid V2
There are more high-pivot Trail bikes than ever before, but the Forbidden Druid V2 is still one of the shortest-travel options. So, has Forbidden come up with a coherent short(ish) travel bike with a suspension layout more typically of Enduro and DH sleds, or does it feel caught between those categories? What we’ve found is pretty interesting.
Deep Dive: Forbidden Druid V2
We compare the Forbidden Druid V2 to the Transition Smuggler, Chromag Darco, Norco Optic, Norco Sight, Deviate Highlander II, and Orbea Rallon.
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.)
Win Baselayers from Arms of Andes
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the men’s or women’s Alpaca Wool Long Sleeve Shirt and Leggings from Arms of Andes!
Reviewer Reports: Lightweight eMTBs, Ultra-Adjustable Enduro Bikes, Electronic Suspension Battle & More (Ep.250)
Simon Stewart and David Golay give the rundown on a ton of bikes and other gear we’ve been testing, from a wide range of Trail bikes to a couple of lightweight eMTBs, the ultra-adjustable Geometron G1, and more — including a head-to-head comparison of Fox Live Valve Neo and RockShox Flight Attendant.
No, Thank YOU
In our latest Open Mic piece, Brendan Leonard tells us how to deal with a world full of F@!% Yous.
Flash Review: 24/25 Peak 104 by Dav
We recently spent a day touring on the lighter version of Peak’s 104 mm-wide ski, the Peak 104 by Dav. 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.
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.)
James Bond, ‘The World Is Not Enough’ w/ Jonathan Ellsworth & Simon Stewart (Ep.29)
James Bond films have probably put skiing and snowboarding in front of more people than any other film series. So we discuss this, then, in honor of the 25th anniversary of ‘The World is Not Enough,’ we break down that film and its absolutely-all-time ski scene.
BCA Float E2-35 Avalanche Airbag Backpack
Avalanche airbag backpacks have come a long way, and one of our reviewers has tested most of them over the past decade. BCA’s newest option, the Float E2-35, is his current favorite — check out our Full Review to see why.
Maxxis High Roller
Maxxis says that the newest iteration of their High Roller is a gravity tire for conditions that are somewhat soft and loose, but not to the point of demanding a full-on mud spike. That’s a big departure from earlier iterations of the High Roller, but it would fill a real gap in Maxxis’ lineup (and the MTB tire market as a whole). So, is their description on point? We’ve ridden the High Roller in a wide range of conditions and are ready to weigh in.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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
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.)
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
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.)
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.
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.)
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.