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WTF? That’s what you classify as “visionary”? Hahaha. Are you naive? Or related to JE?Quote:
Originally Posted by GoatRodeo
They’re selling insurance to make money.
Please delete this thread so we don’t have to read this any more and let’s get back to talking about skis. Like Blister should too.
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It’s pretty easy to ignore the ads and the book is fun to have with a lot of skis in it. I wish blister had a bigger reviewer on staff (6’+ 200lbs+) other than Paul Forward who doesn’t have to ski inbounds. I also wish had a Pnw based ski reviewer because what works in Colorado doesn’t always work here. That said they are still the best reviews available if they have been on a ski you’re interested in and the deep dives make it easy to relate to something you might have tried.
@Marshall should do a gear 30 and nerd out on HL skis so we all want to buy them more as well.
I have blister insurance because I have a $5000 deductible and it’s cheap enough to feel worth it. If you don’t like it don’t buy it, the only thing you can’t get without insurance is personalized gear recs.
https://blisterreview.com/podcasts/h...l-olson-ep-226Quote:
Originally Posted by carlh
Seconded.Quote:
Originally Posted by kc_7777
Denied.
(Though the idea of having blister talk more about skis, boots and bindings, less about bikes, bourbon and rye, is a good one).
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+1 for PNW-based reviewer.Quote:
Originally Posted by carlh
Especially when it’s WhistlePig. One of the most over priced ryes on the market.Quote:
Originally Posted by arild
Agree that whistle pig is overrated, but I support all bourbon talk
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Jonathan, I appreciate your candor. I feel badly that the insurance underwriter really pinned you into a corner on this one. I don't envy your challenge of trying to provide good content and not lose money.Quote:
Originally Posted by JFE24
FKNAQuote:
Originally Posted by jdadour
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Anyone else notice the overwhelming majority of ski reviews posted are now either first looks or flash reviews? By my napkin math, less than 10% of of reviews posted this season are actual full reviews. Many flash review skis from last season still don't have full reviews either. I wonder what's going on.
tbh I barely go to their site any more. Don’t listen to the podcasts any more either. The lack of owning up to the selling insurance for money issue pissed me off. So I canceled my subscription.
I did buy (and appreciate) the print version of the latest Blister Buyers Guide and flip through that every now and then. Cost about seventy CDN with shipping but I’m good with that. Cause I know what I’m getting and I can just flip past the insurance ad (vs listening to a podcast with scripted crashes and close calls which is unsubtle, fear mongering IMO).
I think the original business model must have maxed out its subscription revenue volume (and top line revenue), and then maybe their payroll went up and so they went looking for another revenue source (selling insurance pays very well) but then they lost a lot of the one key they had which was independence/objectivity. I’m harsh I know. It’s too bad.
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Yeah, there's been a number of times that I was excited to find a ski only to be let down by it being a "First Look" - which is not a value add.
Additionally, There's a number of skis that were flash reviews and despite saying a full review is coming, it's now been years.
I still visit the site, but it's been less and less. I no longer go to see what's new. I just search when I want to know something.
I'm disappointed that there hasn't been any update to their UI or functionality. E.g. a ski-comparison tool.
Same here. Looks like Luke is doing all the testing. More Ski reviews and less other stuff would be great. The website uses an outdated software. Canceled my subscription as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by eSock
Sorry, can't currently get the site to do a proper "Reply with Quote," but to eSock's comment: "Looks like Luke is doing all the testing. More Ski reviews and less other stuff would be great."
It’s pretty wild, the amount of misinformation and wildly-off base speculation on this forum. I just hope that most people skimming these threads understand this.
(Just yesterday, we published a GEAR:30 podcast where Luke and I talked about the new skis we’ve been reviewing, including the ON3P Billy Goat, new QST Blank, new QST 106 , new HEAD Kore 118 & 112, etc.)
So to clear up the latest question... no, Luke isn’t doing all of the testing. If we’re just talking about the ski side of Blister (and not the snowboard or bike sides of Blister), I’m on the mountain at least 4-5 days a week testing gear. Same with Dylan, Kara, Paul Forward, Mark, and a few other new people who we are seeing how they do.
For virtually every ski review we publish, at least 2-3 of us are spending time on the ski, and it’s often more than that. Then those of us who have been on it discuss the ski, and one of us will take the lead on the review. Luke, Dylan, and I are now often so much on the same page about a given ski that we won’t take the time for each of us to write out in full a review where we just reiterate what one of us has already said. If there is an area where we have a disagreement about a product, that is where we will definitely each weigh in.
Also, as the demand and expectations have grown for us to cover (1) more and more skis, and (2) get that information out faster and faster -- both of which are totally understandable requests - we have prioritized getting our First Looks and Flash Reviews. Why?
First Looks: We’re pretty much the only ones out there who bother to get actual measured specs and more real info beyond the marketing speak of new products. As many people on this forum have said, they find real value in those measured specs. (FWIW, so do other ski companies, who frequently tell us they go to Blister to see what their competition has actually just unveiled.)
Flash Reviews: Again, as more people wanted info sooner on new products, we have moved to getting more Flash Reviews out. And as anybody who has read our Flash Reviews can attest, these Flash Reviews are getting increasingly detailed. And we also will often update those Flash Reviews as we get more time on the product and have new findings to report. Sometimes, even after we have spent a lot more time in a ski boot or on a ski, we’re finding that our Flash Review was quite on point, and further testing didn’t lead to new findings. In such cases, we are in less of a rush to get out the Full Review, because people can read the Flash, and they can always email us or leave a comment on the site if they have a question.
That then allows us to continue to get First Looks and Flash Reviews published, answer all of the Blister member questions, and do all of the other stuff we do - podcasts, Blister Summit events, etc.
I listed stats earlier in this thread that show that we are doing more ski reviews than ever before, not fewer. But there are a couple people on this forum that apparently don't care about facts. So be it.
But to the rest of you, I’d ask yourself: does the person on this forum who is telling you how we operate - or why we’re doing what we’re doing - know anybody at Blister? Talked to anybody at Blister? Or are they just making shit up?
Anyway, going to wrap up some prep stuff for the Summit that kicks off tomorrow, then get back on the mountain. I hope most of you are getting out too.
"I just hope that most people skimming these threads understand this."
I don't, but I do now so thanks for the entertaining clap-back.
Blister guy, maybe I’m the outlier here but I like blister and your reviews. However, I’m a cheap bastard and will probably never pay for a subscription. If you’re just going to do flash reviews and not many full reviews can you put out the flash reviews for free when you would normally put out a full review.
Isn’t it obvious? Less time for reviews when you’re a full time insurance salesman. [emoji6]
More flash reviews = more reviews behind the paywall.
"I won't pay for your content, so could you be sport and give me and everyone else more of your content for free?"Quote:
Originally Posted by MCskid
No, just asking bluster guy if they are going to give up on full reviews if they would publish the flash reviews for free after a few weeks of it being behind the paywall. Like they used to do with the free full reviews. If they are switching business models by just having the first look and then paywalled reviews they should be upfront and state that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danno
I get people needed to vent about the insurance thing and the changes with membership this past year, but now it is just on repeat.
I gave my thoughts then, I won't repeat myself now.
It seems like this thread keeps coming around and kicking Blister in the shins. Good people, trying to make a living in a town where that isn't super easy, agree or disagree with their business decisions.
Meanwhile, they are pumping out hours of free ski podcasts, all of which I consume, and other content. The one full bell to bell day I had at CB this year was rock hard snow and ten below zero, and the Blister crew was out testing skis afai could tell from a safe distance.
I dunno. Don't fuck with a decent man's job. They are doing a thing, get over it, we can all make our choices.
I wish I'd open this thread to something new. The thread title deserves better.
It also seems like they've toned down the insurance pitch on podcasts recently.
Absolutely true, and a very good thing, too.
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Agree with you completely uglymoney (I'd quote, but the forum sucks)
Agree. I pay for the basic membership. They provide good info and content.
Blister is the shit. Thank you for existing.
I could quibble but man — you guys remember Powder mag as having a “good” gear guide?? Ha!
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Kinda apples and oranges, don't you think? I mean, Powder Mag's gear guide existed decades ago.
So in the intervening decades, who else has provided anything close to the quality of testing/reviews that Blister does?Quote:
Originally Posted by gaijin
^^^ this.
I wish they handed out Deep Dives (and blowjobs...) for free, but what other publication / source comes anywhere close?
Blister announced some things: They're doing a 25/26 Winter Buyers Guide this year.
"350+ skis" this year. Like Michelle Parker once said in the "In Deep" movie: No matter how much we skiers get, "we all just want more." But you gotta admit that 350+ skis and ~300 pages is already WAY beyond insane, so it would be a bit silly to ask for more than that.
New this year: They said if you have the Digital Access Pass tier, then you get the Digital version of the Guide for free this year. (Or just buy a 12-month digital pass for $60.)
Same as last year, for cheapest shipping for the print version, you can pre-order early at https://blisterreview.com/industry-n...guide-homepage
I think that's a misinterpretation. Ellsworth's post did NOT say Blister is switching business models or giving up on full reviews. I can count that the number of full reviews for men's skis each year has fluctuated within a range of only about +/- 25% for the past 5-6 years. It doesn't really matter that a one-year increase in first looks and flash reviews diluted the percentage of full reviews --- we still got the full reviews this year (with a little bit of fluctuation each year).Quote:
Originally Posted by MCskid