powder skis | Blister

On GEAR:30, Luke Koppa, Paul Forward, Kristin Sinnott, Sascha Anastas, and Dylan Wood discuss a bunch of the latest gear they’ve been testing, including multiple powder-touring setups; new skis from Heritage Lab; women’s all-mountain skis; apparel for skiing and lounging; some very interesting new big-mountain models from Dynastar, Rossignol, & Head; and more.

Reviewer Reports: Big-Mountain Ski Showdowns, Powder-Touring Setups, & Much More (Ep.339)

March 21, 2025 by Luke Koppa

Luke Koppa, Paul Forward, Kristin Sinnott, Sascha Anastas, and Dylan Wood discuss a bunch of the latest gear they’ve been testing, including multiple powder-touring setups; new skis from Heritage Lab; women’s all-mountain skis; apparel for skiing and lounging; some very interesting new big-mountain models from Dynastar, Rossignol, & Head; and more.

On GEAR:30, Jonathan and Luke discuss the new pow skis they tested during Crested Butte’s big storm cycle, including the Head Kore 118Ti and Kore 112Ti; the latest iteration of the ON3P Billy Goat; Tyrolia’s Attack Hybrid binding; Salomon’s revised QST Blank and QST 106, and more.

Reviewer Reports: Pow Skis, New Bindings, & Our 40” Storm (Ep.336)

February 21, 2025 by Luke Koppa

Crested Butte Mountain Resort recently got 40+ inches of new snow in just a few days, so Jonathan and Luke sat down to discuss several of the new pow skis they’ve been testing from Head, ON3P, Salomon, Rossignol, and more.

Powder Ski Comparisons: Old vs New vs What Should Be Next? (Ep.320)

November 1, 2024November 1, 2024 by Jonathan Ellsworth

The snow’s been falling, and we’re already fantasizing about those really deep days. So today, Paul Forward and Jonathan Ellsworth make the case for wide pow skis, then they talk about a bunch of current pow skis, old pow skis, and some design specifics they think are good ideas.

Kristin Sinnott & Sascha Anastas review the RMU Valhalla 107 for Blister

2023-2024 RMU Valhalla 107

March 13, 2024 by Kristin Sinnott

RMU says their women-specific Valhalla 107 is “a skier's dream once you enter fresh snow,” but at a narrower width than most powder-specific models, can the Valhalla 107 really compete when things get deep? And what about its all-mountain versatility? Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for our take.

Reviewer Reports: Storm Cycles, All-Mountain Skis, 3D-Printed Goggles, & More (Ep.282)

January 26, 2024 by Kara Williard

Kara, Luke, Dylan, and Eric discuss some of the powder and all-mountain skis they’ve been testing, plus Dylan’s new favorite ski poles, a standout touring boot, 3D-printed custom goggles, and a bunch of Crashes & Close Calls.

On our latest GEAR:30 podcast, Folsom Custom Skis co-founder and principal design engineer, Mike McCabe talks with Jonathan about skis built for the deepest of days, the ones we all dream about — and the kind that Mike and Jonathan were fortunate enough to ski recently in Alaska. And if you’ve ever heard someone say, “All skis are great in pow,” well, they’re here to blow up that notion. So what design elements work best in deep snow? What about low-angle terrain vs. steeper terrain? How wide is too wide? Is a softer flex pattern better? They discuss all of this and more.

Powder Ski Design w/ Folsom’s Mike McCabe (Ep.243)

May 1, 2023April 28, 2023 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Today Mike McCabe and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about the design elements of skis built for the deepest of days, and their recent trip to Alaska.

Kara Williard reviews the Armada ARV 116 JJ UL for BLISTER.

2023-2024 Armada ARV 116 JJ UL

March 8, 2023 by Kara Williard

The Armada ARV 116 JJ UL is a lightweight, freestyle-friendly pow ski that we've been skiing in everything from Japanese pow to resort chop. Check out the Full Review and Deep Dive Comparisons to see what makes it stand out.

Kara Williard discusses the Coalition Snow Rafiki for BLISTER.

Flash Review: 22/23 Coalition Snow Rafiki

January 18, 2025February 27, 2023 by Kara Williard

We've been spending time on Coalition Snow's widest ski, the Rafiki. 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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Dylan Wood reviews the Head Kore 117 for BLISTER.

2021-2022 Head Kore 117

July 8, 2022June 25, 2022 by Dylan Wood

Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the Head Kore 117.

Dylan Wood and Luke Koppa review the Black Crows Anima for Blister

2022-2023 Black Crows Anima

March 22, 2022March 22, 2022 by Luke Koppa

After two seasons on it, the latest version of the Black Crows Anima has proven to be a pretty versatile, wider ski for a broad range of skiers. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for more info.

Blister Outdoor Gear review Crested Butte

WNDR Alpine Launches New Pow Ski: The Reason 120

July 12, 2021July 8, 2021 by Luke Koppa

Today WNDR Alpine released their third ski, the Reason 120, and we sat down with WNDR’s Matt Sterbenz to get the backstory on the new ski; why it was actually the first ski he wanted to make; how it compares to their Vital 100 & Intention 110; and more.

Paul Forward reviews a custom Folsom Rapture for Blister

Deep Dive: Folsom Rapture

May 8, 2021 by Paul Forward

We compare the Rapture to the Volkl Shiro, DPS Alchemist Lotus 124, 4FRNT Renegade, Kye Shapes Numinous, Praxis Protest, Moment Chipotle Banana, DPS Foundation Koala 119, Volkl Revolt 121, Faction La Machine, Blizzard Spur, Blizzard Rustler 11, & Whitedot Ragnarok ASYM.

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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2021-2022 Folsom Rapture

May 8, 2021May 7, 2021 by Paul Forward

"One of the most versatile powder skis I have ever used" — that's what reviewer and heli-ski guide Paul Forward said about the Folsom Rapture. Check out his full review & Deep Dive comparisons for more on how the ski has performed during a full season of heli skiing and during days at the resort.

On Blister's GEAR:30 podcast, Paul Forward and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about a bunch of the powder skis Paul’s been reviewing this season in Girdwood, Alaska, including the Folsom Rapture, Moment Chipotle Banana, Whitedot Ragnarok ASYM, Faction La Machine, Blizzard Spur, Kye Shapes Numinous, & More

Reviewer Reports: Powder Skis w/ Paul Forward (Ep.144)

April 23, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Paul Forward and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about a number of the fat skis Paul’s been reviewing this season in Girdwood, Alaska.

Paul Forward reviews the Moment Chipotle Banana for Blister

2021-2022 Moment Chipotle Banana

December 10, 2021April 16, 2021 by Paul Forward

Moment's 122mm-wide Chipotle Banana has proven to be a surprisingly versatile ski, given its girthy dimensions. Check out Paul Forward's full review & Deep Dive comparisons.

Blister reviews the Whitedot Ragnarok ASYM.

2021-2022 Whitedot Ragnarok ASYM

December 10, 2021January 14, 2020 by Luke Koppa

Asymmetrical, plenty of girth, lots of rocker, and a surprisingly low weight — the Whitedot Ragnarok ASYM is a unique-looking ski, and you can check out our First Look for more.

Luke Koppa reviews the Kye Shapes Numinous for Blister

2021-2022 Kye Shapes Numinous

December 10, 2021December 27, 2019 by Luke Koppa

Last week we talked about the Metamorph, a new ski from Kye Petersen & Foon Skis’ new brand, Kye Shapes. Now it’s time to talk about the big gun in the Kye Shapes lineup, the Numinous. And for many people, we think there is a lot to like about this big-mountain ski. Check out our video First Look & writeup.

Luke Koppa reviews the 4FRNT Inthayne for Blister

19/20 4FRNT Inthayne

April 27, 2020February 14, 2019 by Luke Koppa

We just finished a pow-filled day on the 4FRNT Inthayne, and here you can 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

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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Paul Forward reviews the Liberty Genome for Blister

Deep Dive: Liberty Genome

December 18, 2018 by Paul Forward

We compare the Genome to other big pow skis, including the Moment Comi, Volkl Bash 135 / Three, Volkl Kuro, DPS Spoon, DPS Lotus 138, and DPS Alchemist Lotus 124.

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 reviews the Rossignol Super 7 HD.

2019-2020 Rossignol Super 7 HD

February 10, 2020May 23, 2018 by Sam Shaheen

After getting a handful of reviewers on it, we think the Rossignol Super 7 HD is a powder ski that will work well for a wide range of skiers. Check out our full review.

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