Reviews

Simon Stewart reviews the Propain Ekano 2 for Blister

Propain Ekano 2 AL

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Propain’s Ekano eMTB stood out from the rest of their line, with a different suspension layout and geometry that was starting to look a bit dated. That all changes today, with the new Ekano 2 getting a major overhaul. Propain is talking a big game about the Ekano 2 being an especially nimble, “fun” bike, despite its big travel numbers and modern geometry.
Dylan Wood reviews the Trek Fuel EXe Aluminum for Blister

Flash Review — Trek Fuel EXe Aluminum

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We've started spending time on Trek's new aluminum Fuel EXe, testing its claims of a quieter motor and more "natural" feel on the trail — check out our initial impressions.

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Kara Williard reviews the Five Ten Freerider Pro Canvas Mountain Bike Shoes for BLISTER.

Stuff We Like: July 2023

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What gear have our reviewers been liking lately? In the July edition of our Stuff We Like series, we’ve got everything from car-camping setups to outdoor-bathroom solutions, bike components, and lots of summer apparel.
David Golay reviews the 2024 RockShox SID Family for Blister

2024 RockShox SID, SID SL, and SIDLuxe

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With the RockShox BoXXer DH fork getting an update last week, the SID and SID SL were seemingly due for one of their own, and now those new versions are here, along with an updated SIDLuxe rear shock. Check out RockShox’s latest XC suspension offerings.
Dylan Wood reviews the Yakima StageTwo for Blister

Yakima StageTwo

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Yakima is no stranger to the vehicle rack business, and their StageTwo is a well-executed, easy-to-use premium tray hitch bike rack. We’ve been using it for a few months and have been really happy with how it functions — check out our Full Review for the whole story.
Dylan Wood reviews the Norco Fluid FS Carbon for Blister

2024 Norco Fluid FS Carbon

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Norco released their updated all-rounder Trail bike, the Fluid FS Aluminum, last season, which was an immediate success due to its combination of performance and value for riders of all kinds. They’ve now introduced a carbon version with a few new build kits, too — check out all the details.
David Golay reviews the Race Face Era cranks for Blister

Race Face Era Cranks

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Race Face calls the Era the “strongest, stiffest, and most durable” carbon crank they’ve ever made, and we’ve spent nearly a full year on a pair to find out how those claims hold up on the trail.
Drew Kelly reviews the Zag Harfang 106 for Blister

Flash Review: 23/24 ZAG Harfang 106

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The Harfang 106 is ZAG's widest directional freeride model — check out our initial thoughts on how it's been comparing to the competition.

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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Kara Williard reviews the Endura MT500 MIPS for BLISTER.

Endura MT500 MIPS Helmet

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We have been spending the last several months in Endura’s updated MT500 MIPS helmet and have been impressed by its comfort and versatility. Check out our full review to learn more about this high-end Trail helmet.
Eric Freson reviews the Five Ten Kestrel Boa for Blister

Five Ten Kestrel Boa

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Five Ten cut its teeth in the bike world by making gravity-oriented shoes, and they’re still best known for those offerings. But the new Kestrel Boa is a much more XC-oriented shoe than we’ve seen from Five Ten before, and it’s meant to add a little bit of their gravity shoe know-how to an XC shoe form factor.
David Golay reviews the SRAM GX Transmission for Blister

SRAM GX Transmission & Bronze Stealth Brakes

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SRAM’s new T-Type groupsets launched just a few months ago with high-end XX SL, XX, and X0 tiers, and now there’s a new, more affordable GX version. While the high-level details closely mirror those of the higher-end variants, SRAM has done a lot more than just make a less-expensive, heavier version of the Transmission. Check out our First Look for all the details.
At Blister Summit 2023, we sat down with WNDR Alpine founder, Matt Sterbenz, to get a state of the union on the brand and discuss their 2023-2024 ski and snowboard lineup. We cover the brand-new Nocturne 88 skis; Shepherd snowboard and splitboards; revised Vital 98; the evolution of their “Algal Tech” and “Spiral Made” construction techniques; the Phase Series, which is WNDR Alpine’s first line of technical apparel; and more.

23/24 WNDR Alpine Skis & Snowboards | Blister Summit 2023 Brand Lineup Video

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At Blister Summit 2023, we sat down with WNDR Alpine founder, Matt Sterbenz, to get a state of the union on the brand and discuss their 2023-2024 ski and snowboard lineup. We cover the brand-new Nocturne 88 skis; Shepherd snowboard and splitboard; revised Vital 98; the evolution of their “Algal Tech” and “Spiral Made” construction techniques; and much more.
David Golay reviews the 2023 Specialized P.Series for Blister

2023 Specialized P.Series

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Specialized has overhauled its longstanding P.Series line of Dirt-Jump bikes, and the lineup now includes versions for the whole family, with wheel sizes ranging from 20’’ to 27.5’’.
Kara Williard reviews the Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 for BLISTER.

Flash Review – Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0

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The Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 is an ultra high-end women-specific Enduro bike that we've been spending time on — Blister Members can now read our initial on-trail 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.

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David Golay reviews the Yeti SB160 for Blister

Yeti SB160

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The Yeti SB150’s geometry was notably radical when it launched back in 2018. Since then, the mountain bike landscape has changed a lot, and the SB150’s successor, the SB160, no longer stands out as much on paper. On trail, though, it’s still an especially game-on Enduro race bike — and a damn good one for folks with the right approach and preferences.
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