BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Deep Dive: Santa Cruz Bullit 4
We compare the Santa Cruz Bullit to the Cannondale Moterra SL, Trek Slash+, Mondraker Dune XR, Devinci E-Troy, and Orbea Wild.
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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BTR’s Paul ‘Burf’ Burford on Rat Bikes & Making Affordable UK-Built Frames (Ep.282)
Building frames by hand in the UK is expensive. But Paul ‘Burf’ Burford, the man behind BTR Fabrications, has an ambitious plan to make solid, simple ones at very affordable prices. So we sat down with Burf to hear all about Rat Bikes, how and why he wants to do it, and much more.
Santa Cruz Bullit 4
Did the Santa Cruz Bullit dethrone its stablemate, the Santa Cruz Vala, as Simon’s favorite eMTB so far this year? Check out our Full Review to find out, and why we think full-power eMTBs with a small battery and a range extender offer the most versatility for a lot of folks.
Knives & Knifemaking w/ Jamison Chopp of Acre Forge (Ep.77)
Jonathan talks about the ancient craft of knifemaking with Jamison Chopp, a bladesmith who works with a group of individual knife makers at Acre Forge, in Portland, Oregon.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, June 2025 (Ep.364)
Cody and Jonathan are back to review the news, rate your takes, and share what we’ve been reading & watching.
Devinci E-Spartan Lite
Devinci’s made-in-Canada eMTB family just got bigger. With the release of the new E-Spartan Lite, Devinci has also pushed further into the more aggressive Enduro side of the eMTB spectrum. Let’s dig into what this new bike is all about.
‘180° South: Conquerors of the Useless’ w/ Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.44)
What film has had the greatest impact on Blister’s managing editor, Luke Koppa? This one. It details the adventures, friendship, & philosophies of Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tomkins; it documents Jeff Johnson’s attempt to retrace their 1968 trip to Patagonia; & more.
Specialized Stumpjumper 15
The Specialized Stumpjumper might be the most recognizable mountain bike of all time, and it’s long been known for being especially versatile and adaptable. However, what that actually means has changed a lot over the decades, and Specialized made some interesting changes to the latest Stumpjumper 15. So, is it still worthy of its popularity? Check out our Full Review for our take.
Deep Dive: Specialized Stumpjumper 15
We compare the Specialized Stumpjumper 15 to the previous Stumpjumper EVO, Santa Cruz Hightower 4, Ibis Ripmo V3, Santa Cruz Bronson 5, Yeti SB140, Cannondale Habit, Spot Mayhem 140, Transition Sentinel V3, Kona Process 153, and Norco Sight.
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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(If you’re already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)
OneUp Components Clip Pedals
OneUp’s flat pedals have been extremely popular for quite some time now, so does their first clipless offering — the creatively named Clip Pedal — deserve similar acclaim? Here’s our take.
Public Lands Update, More Peak Skis News, & New Gear We’re Reviewing (Ep.354)
Luke and Jonathan discuss the latest with respect to public lands and the revisions to the reconciliation bill; share more news about Peak Skis; and preview some new gear they’re going to be talking about and testing in the very near future.
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, June 2025 (Ep. 281)
Mike and Simon discuss the GOP’s withdrawal of the proposal to sell millions of acres of public lands, the merger of Industry Nine and We Are One Composites, lots of bike racing news, some Tour de France predictions, and more.
High Above Supernatural Vest Pack
High Above is primarily known for their US-made hip packs, so does their first vest pack, the Supernatural, hit the mark for folks who want more carry capacity? Our Full Review has our thoughts after a few months of heavy use.
Fermentation, the Key to Most of the Things You Love w/ Nile Zacherle, Eli Brown, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.76)
Many of us love (and love talking about) coffee, wine, or beer, but few of us go around professing our love of fermentation. But after this conversation with Nile Zacherle, Eli Brown, and Jonathan Ellsworth, you’ll see why you should.
Flash Review: Salsa Blackthorn 145 C
Update 7.2.25: We have another reviewer spending time on the new Salsa Blackthorn 145 C, so check out our updated Flash Review for some more early 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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(If you’re already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Deep Dive: Santa Cruz Bullit 4
We compare the Santa Cruz Bullit to the Cannondale Moterra SL, Trek Slash+, Mondraker Dune XR, Devinci E-Troy, and Orbea Wild.
BTR’s Paul ‘Burf’ Burford on Rat Bikes & Making Affordable UK-Built Frames (Ep.282)
Building frames by hand in the UK is expensive. But Paul ‘Burf’ Burford, the man behind BTR Fabrications, has an ambitious plan to make solid, simple ones at very affordable prices. So we sat down with Burf to hear all about Rat Bikes, how and why he wants to do it, and much more.
Santa Cruz Bullit 4
Did the Santa Cruz Bullit dethrone its stablemate, the Santa Cruz Vala, as Simon’s favorite eMTB so far this year? Check out our Full Review to find out, and why we think full-power eMTBs with a small battery and a range extender offer the most versatility for a lot of folks.
Knives & Knifemaking w/ Jamison Chopp of Acre Forge (Ep.77)
Jonathan talks about the ancient craft of knifemaking with Jamison Chopp, a bladesmith who works with a group of individual knife makers at Acre Forge, in Portland, Oregon.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, June 2025 (Ep.364)
Cody and Jonathan are back to review the news, rate your takes, and share what we’ve been reading & watching.
Devinci E-Spartan Lite
Devinci’s made-in-Canada eMTB family just got bigger. With the release of the new E-Spartan Lite, Devinci has also pushed further into the more aggressive Enduro side of the eMTB spectrum. Let’s dig into what this new bike is all about.
‘180° South: Conquerors of the Useless’ w/ Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.44)
What film has had the greatest impact on Blister’s managing editor, Luke Koppa? This one. It details the adventures, friendship, & philosophies of Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tomkins; it documents Jeff Johnson’s attempt to retrace their 1968 trip to Patagonia; & more.
Specialized Stumpjumper 15
The Specialized Stumpjumper might be the most recognizable mountain bike of all time, and it’s long been known for being especially versatile and adaptable. However, what that actually means has changed a lot over the decades, and Specialized made some interesting changes to the latest Stumpjumper 15. So, is it still worthy of its popularity? Check out our Full Review for our take.
Deep Dive: Specialized Stumpjumper 15
We compare the Specialized Stumpjumper 15 to the previous Stumpjumper EVO, Santa Cruz Hightower 4, Ibis Ripmo V3, Santa Cruz Bronson 5, Yeti SB140, Cannondale Habit, Spot Mayhem 140, Transition Sentinel V3, Kona Process 153, and Norco Sight.
OneUp Components Clip Pedals
OneUp’s flat pedals have been extremely popular for quite some time now, so does their first clipless offering — the creatively named Clip Pedal — deserve similar acclaim? Here’s our take.
Public Lands Update, More Peak Skis News, & New Gear We’re Reviewing (Ep.354)
Luke and Jonathan discuss the latest with respect to public lands and the revisions to the reconciliation bill; share more news about Peak Skis; and preview some new gear they’re going to be talking about and testing in the very near future.
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, June 2025 (Ep. 281)
Mike and Simon discuss the GOP’s withdrawal of the proposal to sell millions of acres of public lands, the merger of Industry Nine and We Are One Composites, lots of bike racing news, some Tour de France predictions, and more.