BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Contra MC
The steel-framed, high-virtual-pivot Contra MC doesn’t look like much else out there, and its on-trail performance stands out, too. Check out our full review.
Deep Dive: Contra MC
We compare the Contra MC to the Trek Slash, Norco Range, Kavenz VHP 16, Cannondale Jekyll, Forbidden Dreadnought, Cotic RocketMAX, Yeti SB160, Pivot Firebird, & Nicolai G1.
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Flash Review: 23/24 Kästle K130P LV
We’ve been testing the stiffest boot in Kästle’s line of “performance” ski boots — here are our initial impressions.
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Flash Review: 24/25 Nordica Enforcer 99
Nordica is updating all their Enforcer skis for 24/25, and we’ve been skiing the replacement for the Enforcer 100, the new Enforcer 99. Check out our initial on-snow impressions.
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Flash Review: 24/25 Nordica Santa Ana 92
Nordica is updating all their Santa Ana skis for 24/25, and we’ve been skiing the replacement for the Santa Ana 93, the new Santa Ana 92. Check out our initial on-snow impressions.
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WNDR Alpine founder, Matt Sterbenz, on the Benefits, Culture, & Craft of Saunas (Ep.40)
WNDR Alpine founder, Matt Sterbenz, aka, the ‘Sauna Shaman’ talks about how Hoji kicked off his obsession with saunas; their numerous benefits; and he lays out what it takes (and costs) to build your own sauna.
2023-2024 DPS Kaizen 105
The recently launched DPS Kaizen skis feature a new construction, new shapes, and are the latest in a long line of the brand’s do-it-all, carbon-construction skis. The Kaizen 105 sits in the middle of the new collection, and we’ve had two reviewers testing two different lengths of it — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: DPS Kaizen 105
We compare the DPS Kaizen 105 to the DPS Pagoda 106 C2, DPS Koala 103, Peak 104 by Bode, Peak 104 by Dav, Salomon Stance 102, Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, Fischer Ranger 102, Armada Declivity 102 Ti, ZAG Slap 104, Salomon QST 106, RMU Apostle 106, K2 Mindbender 106C, Wagner Summit 106, Volkl Blaze 106, Volkl Mantra 102, WNDR Alpine Intention 108, HEAD Kore 105, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Elan Ripstick 106, J Skis Hotshot, Blizzard Rustler 10, Black Crows Atris, Line Blade Optic 104, & Nordica Santa Ana 104 Free.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2023-2024 J Skis Allplay
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the J Skis Allplay.
2023-2024 Moment Commander 102
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Moment Commander 102.
‘The New Radical’ with Connor Ryan & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.9)
Jonathan talks with Connor Ryan about his new video series, “The New Radical,” which kicks things off by asking the question, What is Radical?
The Key to Happiness?
In our latest Open Mic, Sander Hadley sets the astronomical and meteorological records straight, and has some thoughts on how to be happy.
How to Choose the Right Ski Length | BLISTER Video
How do you know what ski length is best for you? And why does it matter if your skis are too short or too long? Choosing the right ski length is tricky, but getting it right makes a huge difference. In this video, we’re here to help.
Flash Review: 23/24 Volkl Revolt 114
Update 1.15.24: We just spent a properly deep day on the brand-new Revolt 114 and have some new thoughts to share about its flotation, high-speed stability, maneuverability, and more.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2023-2024 Salomon Stance 90
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Salomon Stance 90.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Cane Creek on their “Air-Charged Coil” Tigon Shock (Ep.223)
Air- and coil-sprung rear shocks have been used on mountain bikes for decades, but Cane Creek’s “air-charged coil” Tigon shock is a novel concept. So we sat down with Will Hart from Cane Creek to hear all about it.
Flash Review: 24/25 Rossignol Arcade 88
This spring we got time on one of Rossignol’s brand-new piste-oriented skis — here are our thoughts on the Arcade 88 and where it falls in the frontside class.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review — Michelin Wild Enduro MH & Wild Enduro MS
Michelin’s new Wild Enduro tires look a lot more aggressive than the prior-generation versions that they replaced, but how do they perform on the trail? We’ve started spending time on the Wild Enduro MH and Wild Enduro MS, and are ready to weigh in with 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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Housing Solutions & Mountain Town Economics with Troy Russ (Ep.308)
If you love skiing, snowboarding, trail running, or mountain biking, then why the hell do you need to know about things like short-term rentals, zoning codes, and accessory dwelling units? Troy Russ explains.
Flash Review: 24/25 Salomon / Atomic Shift2 Binding
The original Shift binding was a big advancement in the touring binding category when it was first released, but it wasn’t without its flaws. The new Shift2 binding is meant to address those downsides while still letting you skin uphill in pins and get alpine-binding performance on the way down. We’ve been testing multiple pairs of the Shift2 to test those claims — here are our thoughts so far.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2024 Marin Alpine Trail E Bosch
Marin has dropped a new Alpine Trail E, featuring an all-new frame and suspension design and a move from a Shimano to a Bosch motor, all while hitting a very impressive price point. Let’s see what Marin brought to the table for the new Alpine Trail E.
Kona’s Back
After a turbulent couple of years, Kona’s founders are buying the brand back from Kent Outdoors.
Reviewer Reports: Travel Gear, Dinosaurs, & Camcorders (Ep.298)
Luke Koppa and Kristin Sinnott discuss some of the products they’ve found useful, surprising, or otherwise noteworthy while on the road or hurtling through the sky. They also get into extremely relevant things like camcorder storage solutions and dinosaur podcasts, the fact that Luke doesn’t actually like traveling, and more.
Win Tickets to Blister Summit 2025
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get 2 passes to our upcoming Blister Summit 2025! Enter for your chance to win — and either way, you can still save a lot of dough if you take advantage of our early-bird registration pricing, which is available till June 18th.
Deep Dive: Pivot Shuttle AM
We compare the Pivot Shuttle AM to the Pivot Shuttle LT, Orbea Wild, Specialized Turbo Levo, Devinci E-Troy and Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Reviewer Reports: World Cup DH Recap, Tons of Bikes, Suspension, Tires, & More (Ep.222)
We’ve been testing a huge spectrum of bikes — from Gravel to Enduro — plus a bunch of new tires, suspension, and more. Simon Stewart and David Golay sat down to talk about all of it, recap the World Cup DH season opener, and more.
Stuff We Like: May 2024
This edition of our Stuff We Like series includes everything from apps and tools designed for travel to duffel and ski boot bags, lightweight jackets, and more. Check it out to see all the latest products our reviewers have been digging.