BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Blister Speaker Series: Mark Abma (Ep.281)
Last Thursday, Mark Abma came to Western Colorado University for our Blister Speaker Series. He broke down his segment from the MSP film, ALL IN; discussed his part in the new MSP film, Land of Giants; and talked about his preparation for ski season; confidence; staying calm; and more.
Deuter’s 2024 Ski & Snowboard Backpacks | Blister Summit Brand Lineup Video
We sat down with Deuter’s Alexander Cernichiari to discuss their integration of the supercapacitor-based Alpride E2 avalanche airbag system; the evolution of their longstanding Freerider series; the new Updays & Freescape series, and more.
GEAR THERAPY: An Italian Skier in Switzerland (Ep.266)
Luke and Jonathan talk with Blister Member, Giovanni Saccarola (an Italian living in Switzerland), about his ski quiver, ski boots, and ski boot liner options.
Win Skis from Majesty
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get Majesty’s Vestal all-mountain freestyle ski!
Shimano GE900 Shoes
As part of their recent MTB shoe overhaul, Shimano replaced the longstanding and ultra-popular ME7 and AM9 models with a single new shoe: the GE900. But has that bold move paid off, or has Shimano messed with a good thing too much? We’ve been spending a lot of time in the new GE900 and are ready to weigh in.
Reviewer Reports: Contra MC vs. Trek Slash, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, REEB Steezl, & More (Ep.190)
This week on Bikes & Big Ideas we’re chatting about a bunch of the bikes we’re currently testing across the travel spectrum, including Santa Cruz’s new Heckler SL, a battle of high-pivot Enduro bikes, the Propain Tyee, and more.
Flash Review — 2024 Orbea Occam LT
Orbea is talking about the new Occam LT as being quite different from the bike it replaces, and we’ve started spending time on it to find out how accurate that is. Check out our early 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.)
2024 Orbea Occam SL and Occam LT
Orbea is giving their Occam line of Trail bikes a big overhaul, and while the new Occam SL and Occam LT may look a lot like the bikes they’re replacing, they’ve changed substantially once you dig a little deeper.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, September 2023 (Ep.280)
This week, Cody and I pay tribute to Robb Gaffney, then discuss the growth in snowsports and who is more passionate: alpine skiers, cross country skiers, or snowboarders; the sale of Silverton Mountain; the Most Canadian News; Cody’s latest FIFTY film, ‘Split’; & more.
Vitus Escarpe
Vitus is making a return to the US mountain bike market, and their Escarpe looks like an especially good value for an all-rounder Trail bike. But is there a catch?
Phantom Glide: Rethinking Ski & Snowboard Bases | Blister Summit Brand Lineup Video
At Blister Summit 2023, we sat down with Phantom Glide’s Shaun Spacht to discuss the origins, evolution, and future of Phantom Glide’s permanent base treatment; how it differs from wax & permanently affects the performance of ski and snowboard base materials; the ways in which the folks at Phantom Glide have shifted how they think and talk about their base treatments, and more.
Nukeproof Megawatt Carbon
SRAM launched their new Eagle Powertrain last week, and the first bike to feature it is here. Meet the Nukeproof Megawatt Carbon.
Norrøna Owner & CEO, Jørgen Jørgensen, on Norrøna’s History & Design Philosophy (Ep.265)
Norrøna aspires to make the best outdoor recreation products on the market. So we talk with Jørgen Jørgense, the 4th-generation owner & CEO of Norrøna, about the brand’s approach to product design & testing, and the origins, evolution, and future of the brand.
Win Goggles from 100%
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get goggles from 100% Snow, with one winner receiving their flagship Norg Goggle and the other winner receiving their Snowcraft S Goggle!
Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro
The Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 is a women-specific Enduro bike that’s proven to be an adaptable partner for a huge range of trails over the last several months. It’s also the most expensive mountain bike we’ve ever reviewed.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Dynastar, Lange, & Look Announce 24/25 Skis, Ski Boots, & Bindings
For the 24/25 season, we’re getting a lot of new products from Dynastar, Lange, & Look — including several new skis, a whole new RS boot collection, and a new Look Pivot 2.0 binding. Check out the details.
Flash Review: 24/25 Dynastar M-Pro 98 W
Dynastar is overhauling their women-specific E-Pro 99 W for 24/25, and we spent time on the new version, the M-Pro 98 W. Here are 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.)
Privateer 141 and 161 Gen 2
Privateer has made a name for itself by building burly, no-nonsense bikes for aggressive riders, and while their new second-generation 141 and 161 don’t appear to waver from that goal, a lot of the design details have changed, and in very interesting ways. Check out our First Look for all the info.
Continental on Designing, Developing, & Testing Their Overhauled Tire Lineup (Ep.209)
Designing a new MTB tire from scratch is a lot of work. Doing 5 at once is a massive undertaking — but Continental did just that with their updated gravity tire lineup. We sat down with Continental product manager Alex Haenke and Atherton Racing’s Dan Brown to get the full story on the development and testing of the new tires.
We asked the Pros: What’s the 1st Ski You Loved? | Video
At Blister Summit 2024, we asked Cody Townsend, Elyse Saugstad, Eric “Hoji” Hjorleifson, Drew Petersen, & Sander Hadley to tell us about the first ski they truly loved — and their answers did not disappoint.
Sensus Crue Flat Pedals
Born from the mind of Cam Zink, the Sensus Crue flat pedals are visually striking and made from high-end materials. So, how do they actually feel on trail, and how do they compare to the competition? Check out our full review.
Rossignol Announces New 24/25 Skis, Ski Boots, & Snowboards
Rossignol has announced a ton of new ski & snowboard products for the 2024-2025 season — including multiple skis, ski boots, boards, & more. Here are the details.
Flash Review — Ibis HD6
We’ve started spending time on the HD6, Ibis’s first foray into making a true modern Enduro bike. So how have they done? Check out our early 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.)
LIVE: Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, Blister Summit Edition (Ep.296)
Last week at our Blister Summit, Cody and Jonathan recorded their first episode of Reviewing the News in front of a live audience, and it was great. Enjoy!
Blister Summit 2024: A Brief Recap of an Epic Event
Blister Summit 2024 was an absolute blast, and here’s a recap of some of the highlights — including lots of photos — from our favorite week of the winter.
Win Skis & More From Folsom, Bag Balm, & Rab
The winner of this week’s Gear Giveaway will win custom skis from Folsom, a skincare package from Bag Balm, and a jacket from Rab!
Consignment, Gear Repair, & Sustainability w/ Lone Pine Gear Exchange (Ep.284)
We talk with co-founder & CEO of Lone Pine Gear Exchange, Katy Jackson, about the importance of used gear, how to shop consignment, sustainability in outdoor retail, and a whole lot more.