Esker Woodsy
We put a ton of miles on Esker’s Aluminum Woodsy to find out how it lives up to Esker's claim of being “Built for the Backcountry”.
Reviews
Stuff We Like: October 2025
In this edition of ‘Stuff We Like,’ our reviewers discuss a wide variety of products that have stood out to them, from budget sunglasses to electric air pumps, gear-organization solutions, boot / glove dryers, running vests, breathable midlayers, and more.
SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission
SRAM’s T-Type groups have been extremely popular, but until recently were limited to expensive electronically-shifted versions. Is the new Eagle 90 mechanical version a worthy option? Here’s our take.
Flash Review: Öhlins TTX2 Air m.2
Öhlins has given their TTX Air shocks an overhaul, and here's our early take on the updated TTX2 Air m.2.
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Öhlins TTX Air m.2 Shocks
Öhlins has made a range of updates to their lineup this year, and we’ve started spending time on the new TTX2 Air m.2 shock. Check out what’s new, what isn’t, and get our early take on how the new TTX2 Air performs.
Trickstuff Maxima Brakes
Trickstuff’s brakes have long been the stuff of legend — and legendarily hard to come by, even if you’re willing to throw down their steep asking price. But now they’re becoming more widely distributed and more readily available under DT Swiss’ ownership, and we’ve put a massive amount of vert on their flagship Maxima gravity brake to see how it stacks up.
Pivot Firebird V5
The latest 5th-generation version of the Pivot Firebird is still an impressive take on a go-fast Enduro race bike, but pigeonholing it into that one role would sell it short. Here’s our take on what makes the new Firebird a compelling option for a surprisingly wide array of riders.
5 Years of Prototypes: AlpenFlow Ski Bindings Origins & Overview
In the first of our videos from Blister Summit 2025, we sit down with AlpenFlow Designs to get the whole story on how and why they decided to make a ski-touring binding; how their prototypes of the AlpenFlow 89 have evolved over the first 5 years of development; what they believe sets it apart from the rest of the market; how it actually works; and more.
Propain Sresh SL
Propain’s lightweight Sresh SL eMTB has proven to be an option that’s hard to define, but easy to get along with in a wide variety of settings. Check out our Full Review for our takeaways after 3 months aboard this mid-travel eMTB.
Deep Dive: Propain Sresh SL
We compare the Propain Sresh SL to the Yeti MTe, Pivot Shuttle SL/AM, Pivot Shuttle SL, Norco Fluid VLT 130, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Trek Fuel EXe, and Mondraker Dune XR.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Giro Chamber III Shoes
Giro’s new Chamber III went on a bit of a diet, but remains a fairly aggressive, gravity-focused clip shoe. We’re ready with a Full Review after five months of trail time.
EXT Vecta
The EXT Vecta brings most of the features of their flagship Storia V4 coil shock to a much more affordable package, but how does its performance stack up? We’ve spent the summer finding out. Here’s what we found.
Reform Tantalus Heat Moldable Saddle
Heat molding is ubiquitous for snowsports boots, but bike saddles? Not so much. The Reform Tantalus makes a strong case for its value in customizing your saddle fit.
Wolf Tooth CTRL, ALT, and DEL Clip Pedals
Wolf Tooth just dropped their first clip pedals — three of them — and there are some clever features to talk about. Our First Look runs through the new CTRL, ALT, and DEL pedals.
SRAM Motive Brakes
The SRAM Motive is squarely aimed at the XC and Trail market, promising near-Code power at a Level-like weight. Did SRAM succeed in hitting both marks?
Flash Review: Hope EVO GR4 Brakes
Hope’s new GR4 brakes look more like an evolution of the Tech 4 V4 that they replace than a ground-up redesign, but there are a lot of changes lurking below the surface. Here’s our take on how they’ve added up after a handful of rides.
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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Madrone Jab Derailleur
Madrone got its start offering replacement parts for SRAM derailleurs, and now they’ve made a full standalone derailleur of their own, with a design that’s focused on being fully rebuildable and adaptable to a wide array of drivetrain options. Check out the new Jab, and our early impressions of how it performs.
Flash Review: Madrone Jab Derailleur
The Madrone Jab derailleur sounds very promising on paper (and looks great), but how does it perform compared to the big-name options on the market? Here are our initial thoughts.
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 Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide: XC / Trail Bikes
The third chapter of our new Mountain Bike Buyer's Guide is here, featuring bikes from hardcore XC Race machines to efficient, sharp-handling Trail rigs, and everything in between.
Stuff We Like: September 2025
In this edition of ‘Stuff We Like,’ our reviewers discuss all the latest gear they’ve been testing, from fly fishing packs to GPS watches, sleeping pads, hiking boots, ultralight carbon handlebars, and more.