BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Runner Profile: Jaden Anderson
Vitals: 5’10”, 155 lbs Running Background, Style, and General Preference. I stepped into the running world during my Sophomore year of high school. By chance. I joined the cross country team at my small high school late in the season simply because the team needed
Pearl Izumi X-Alp Launch SPD
When it comes to bike shoes, there are plenty of burly skate-style shoes that sacrifice pedaling performance, and a lot of pedal-oriented shoes that look out of place anywhere except on the bike. In between those two categories sits the Pearl Izumi X-Alp Launch SPD, and it’s definitely worth a look for riders looking for some of the best of both worlds.
Luke Koppa
Luke Koppa at the Crested Butte Mountain Resort bike park. (photo by Andrew Arnold) Age: 25 | Vitals: 5’8,” ~155 lbs | Years Biking: 4 | Current Residence: Crested Butte, Colorado Mountain Biking Background Compared to our other reviewers, I’m pretty new to mountain biking.
Women’s Patagonia R1 TechFace Hoody
We called the men’s version of the Patagonia R1 TechFace Hoody, “just about perfect.” Now we weigh in on the women’s R1 Tech Face Hoody — how well it works across a broad range of activities, and how it compares to the original R1 Hoody.
Alpenglow Mtn Festival + Stuff We Learned during Spring Ski Testing (Ep.20)
We talk with Blister editors, Luke Koppa and Sam Shaheen, about the recent Alpenglow Mountain Festival and running with our hero, Courtney Dauwalter. Then we discuss some of the key takeaways from our spring ski testing, including Domino’s thin-crust pizza, dumb gear, and some great gear.
18/19 Folsom Skis Spar 88
The Folsom Skis Spar 88 reminds us a lot of a ski we really like — the Blizzard Brahma. Check out our initial on-snow impressions to see how they compare.
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Win an Ultralight Sleep System from Sea to Summit
This one is pretty awesome — win a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, liner, and pillow from Sea to Summit.
Deep Dive: Moment Meridian 107
We compare the Meridian 107 to the ON3P Kartel 108, Faction Candide 3.0 & Prodigy 3.0, 4FRNT Devastator, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Nordica Enforcer 110, and more…
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 Nordica Promachine 130
Nordica is entering the lighter weight alpine boot category for 18/19, and they claim their new Promachine line combines “race-boot performance” with “all-mountain comfort and versatility.” (Yeah, right. Right?) Check out our measured specs, fit notes, and initial impressions of the new Promachine 130.
First Look: 2019 Devinci Troy
Today Devinci announced that they’re changing up one of our favorite Trail bikes, the Troy. So how similar or different is the new bike? Check out our initial impressions.
Alpenglow Sports Summer Mountain Festival 2018
Last week we attended Alpenglow Sports’ Summer Mountain Festival, which is one of the coolest events happening in the outdoor sports world. Check out our trip report to learn more about it — and when to attend their Winter Mountain Festival next year.
Julian Carr on Big Mtn Running & Massive Cliff Jumping (Ep.73)
We talk to Julian Carr about his series of big-mountain “adventure” races, the Cirque Series; on the preparation and state of mind required to send massive cliffs; and how his company, Discrete, has evolved over the past 10 years.
2020-2021 Dynafit TLT Speed
The Dynafit TLT Speed is the newest lightweight touring binding from Dynafit. But with all the new competition in the tech-binding category, how does the TLT Speed compare to the other options out there? Check out our full review.
Nik Berry (Ep.13)
Nik Berry is pushing the boundaries of his sport in a direction that many climbers aren’t even looking: his skill and composure on hard and scary trad routes fuel an obsession with freeing big aid lines and seeking out adventurous climbing. In this episode, we talk about his recent stellar season in Yosemite and how he balances a career with all that hard climbing.
18/19 Liberty Origin 96
Here are our initial on-snow impressions of the 18/19 Origin 96, with comparisons to the 17/18 version, as well as a few other skis in this class.
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, Podcasts, & Articles:
Up & Coming: Tyler Curle (Ep.112)
We’re not sure that anyone loves skiing more than Tyler Curle, and Tyler also happens to be one very hard-charging and versatile skier who has appeared in Matchstick and TGR films. So we had Tyler come out to Crested Butte to talk about growing up skiing at Mt. Rose; starting to help out at Moment Skis at the ripe old age of twelve; his favorite skis, skiers, and ski movies of all time, and a whole lot more.
Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2019 — Under The Tree
Next up in our Holiday Gift Guide are the gifts that would be great under the tree, from loungewear to MTB gear to books and much, much more.
2019-2020 Moment PB&J
This year Moment tweaked their long-standing all-mountain-freestyle ski, the PB&J, and we’ll be spending more time on the new version this season. For now, check out our First Look video & writeup for our initial impressions.
Win a Helmet & Goggles from Giro
Enter to win Giro’s new Method goggle and pick from 5 of their new helmets!
Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2019 — Stocking Stuffers
‘Tis the season to do some nice things, say some nice things, and maybe give one or two nice things to the people you care about, so this week we’re sharing a few of our own favorite gift ideas, starting with our top picks for stocking stuffers.
Ski Quiver Questions, Part 1 (Ep.77)
We’ve been thinking and talking a lot recently about ski quivers, and posted our reviewers’ personal selections for their 5-ski, 4-ski, 3-ski, 2-ski, and 1-ski quivers. And now on our latest episodes of GEAR:30 we discuss some of your related questions; what our biggest takeaways are; the dreaded 1-boot quiver; and more.
Blister Brand Guide: Inov-8 Running Shoe Lineup, 2019
Inov-8 got their start by making ultra-aggressive fell-running shoes, but they now make almost 30 trail and road shoes that cover a huge range. Check out our Brand Guide to see which Inov-8 shoes might be right for you.
Runner & Chef: Kelly Newlon of RAD (“Real Athlete Diets”) (Ep.28)
By the time she was 5 years old, Kelly Newlon had already identified two of her biggest passions: running and cooking. Those passions led her to running longer and longer races and becoming a classically trained chef who now is — quite literally — feeding and fueling the ultrarunning community, including a high number of its elite performers.
Eric Pollard on Skiing, Creating, & Evolving (Ep.111)
When it comes to skiing, product design, filmmaking, and art, few people have exhibited a more distinctive style than Eric Pollard. But for someone who has been working at the forefront of these mediums for about 20 years, we know a relatively small amount about the person behind all of it. So in this conversation, we talk to Eric about skiing and art and creating and evolving, and we discuss his soon-to-be-released film and book that share the same title, ‘Drawn From Here.’
Casual Shoe & Boot Roundup — 2019
While we love to talk about the newest and most technical footwear, we spend most of our time in much more casual shoes and boots. The good news is that we’re continuing to see casual-looking shoes that are more comfortable, more versatile, and / or more environmentally sustainable, and you can check out our roundup for several of our favorite men’s and women’s options.
2021-2022 Salomon S/Max 130 and S/Max 130 Carbon
Blister reviewer, Eric Freson, spent most of last season skiing the Salomon S/Max 130 & S/Max 130 Carbon, and he offers his take on the two boots, how they differ, and where he thinks they excel.
Win Goggles, Poles, & a Backpack from Zipline
Enter to win some new gear from Zipline!