BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
North Shore Billet Talon Cranks
North Shore Billet is back in the crank game, so how does their new Talon offering stack up in against an ever-growing number of good options?
Gear of the Year, 2023 (Ep.278)
Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, Kara Williard, and Justin Bobb reflect on some of the standout products and notable trends that defined the past year in ski and snowboard gear.
Win a CARV Digital Ski Coach
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get CARV’s in-boot digital ski coach, plus a free yearlong membership to their coaching and training platform!
2023-2024 Peak 104 by Bode
What happens when Bode Miller, one of the most interesting and unconventional ski racers of all time, designs an all-mountain ski? Check out our full review and Deep Dive Comparisons of the Peak 104 by Bode.
Deep Dive: Peak 104 by Bode
We compare the Peak 104 by Bode to the Peak 98 by Bode, Peak 104 by Dav, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, Fischer Ranger 102, Atomic Maverick 100 Ti, Armada Declivity 102 Ti, Salomon QST 106, K2 Mindbender 106C, Volkl Mantra 102, HEAD Kore 105, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Elan Ripstick 106, J Skis Hotshot, Blizzard Rustler 10, Black Crows Atris, Line Blade Optic 104, Volkl Secret 102, Rossignol Rallybird 104 Ti, & 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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Ski Boots: How to EASILY Put On & Take Off | Video
In this Blister “How To” video, Blister editor & Masterfit-Certified Bootfttter, Kara Williard, demonstrates how to effortlessly put on and take off ski boots. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned skier, learning these simple steps can save you time, spare you frustration, and improve the performance and longevity of your boots.
Our Reviewers’ 2023 Craft Obsessions & 2024 Curiosities (Ep.39)
Today we are sharing the craft categories that most captivated our reviewers in 2023, and the categories they’re most curious about heading into 2024. This is a fun one, and it fills out the picture of the people behind our reviews, videos, articles, podcasts, & Blister Summit events.
Flash Review: 23/24 Armada Reliance 92 Ti
We’ve been spending time on Armada’s women-specific, metal-laminate ski, the Reliance 92 Ti — check out our initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Gear of the Year, 2023 (Ep.202)
David Golay, Simon Stewart, and Dylan Wood sat down to recap their favorite bikes and bike-related gear from 2023, argue about headset cable routing, and more.
Our Reviewers’ 2023 Highlights & 2024 Resolutions (Ep.292)
Once again, we are sharing some of our team’s highlights and new year’s resolutions. This is a fun one, and it certainly fills out the picture of the people behind all of our reviews, videos, articles, podcasts, and Blister Summit events. Happy New Year!
Flash Review Update: Blister Alpine Binding Shootout
We’ve been spending a lot of time A/B testing a whole bunch of different alpine bindings — all on the same model of ski. Check out our latest update, with new thoughts on bindings from Salomon, Marker, & Tyrolia.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2023-2024 Nitro Squash
Nitro recently updated the Squash, and say it offers “unparalleled float in the powder and a turn so nice it will make you never want to leave the groomers.” So just how well does it blend freeride inspiration with all-mountain versatility? Check out our full review.
2023-2024 Head Supershape e-Rally & Supershape e-Titan
The Supershape name is one of the most recognizable in the world of carving skis, and we’ve been testing the latest versions of the Supershape e-Rally & e-Titan to see how they compare to the current crop of piste-oriented models on the market. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Head Supershape e-Rally & Supershape e-Titan
We compare the Supershape e-Rally & Supershape e-Titan to the Supershape i.Rally, Supershape i.Titan, K2 Disruption 78Ti, K2 Disruption 82Ti, Fischer RC One 82 GT, K2 Disruption MTi, Fischer RC4 The Curv, Elan Wingman 86 CTi, Parlor Warbird, Renoun Atlas 80, Rossignol Forza 70D V-Ti, Blizzard Brahma 88, & Head Kore 87.
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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Blister Community Reviews Launch; How Much Info is Too Much or Too Little?; Defining Skier Ability Levels; & Other Contentious Topics (Ep.277)
We’ve launched our new Blister Community Reviews, so Luke and Jonathan discuss where it is today; how it will evolve; & some big questions like, how to best define the difference between an intermediate, advanced, & expert skier; rating scale debates; and more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 24/25 Nordica Santa Ana 102
Nordica is updating their longstanding Santa Ana series of skis for the 24/25 season, and we’ve been spending time on the widest model in the series, and the replacement to the Santa Ana 104 Free, the Santa Ana 102. Check out our initial on-snow impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2024-2025 Nordica Santa Ana 102
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Santa Ana 102.
Flash Review: 24/25 K2 Omen Team
The Omen Team replaces the longstanding Poacher in K2’s park lineup, and while we have been lapping the park on it, one of our reviewers was curious to see how it’d work as more of a do-everything all-mountain option. Here are our initial 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.
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Sex & Ski Boots: Hoji, Matt Manser, & Greg Klein on the Present & Future of Ski Boot Design (Ep.295)
At Blister Summit 2024, we talked about sex, ski boots, and more with Hoji, Matt Manser, and Greg Klein.
Flash Review: 24/25 Armada ARW 112
A few weeks ago, Kara Williard brought the 24/25 Armada ARW 112 on a trip to Alaska. Here are her initial on-snow 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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Win a MTB Kit From Outdoor Research
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a MTB jersey, shorts, and gloves from Outdoor Research!
Canyon Neuron:ONfly
The Bosch SX motor seems to have lit a fire in the lightweight eMTB category, and Canyon is the latest brand to release a bike featuring this popular new motor. Check out the new Neuron:ONfly.
Norco’s New DH Race Bike (Ep.219)
Norco hasn’t been shy about the fact that they’re working on a new DH race bike, and we sat down with Norco engineers Adrian Ward and Kirk McDowall to hear all about it.
Deep Dive: Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay
We compare the Instinct Powerplay to the Pivot Shuttle AM, Specialized Turbo Levo, Orbea Wild, and Norco Fluid VLT 130.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay
Lightweight, lower powered eMTBs are having a bit of a moment, but the Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay makes a strong case for a full-power motor, even on a mid-travel Trail bike. Check out our full review for our take.
Flash Review: 24/25 Romp Oso 105
We’ve been logging time on one of the newest — and most different — skis in Romp’s stock lineup. Here are our initial thoughts on the Oso 105.
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 Icelantic Maiden 102
Icelantic overhauled their longstanding Maiden and Nomad skis for 24/25, including longer lengths options for the women’s Maiden series, and we spent the season testing the new Maiden 102 against its competition to see where it falls in the all-mountain market. Read all about it in our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.