BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Forge+Bond 30 EM Wheels
CSS Composites has been making thermoplastic carbon fiber wheels for a number of other brands for a while now, but their own brand, Forge+Bond, claims to do some things differently. Having spent a ton of time on their 30 EM wheels, we’re ready to weigh in.
GEAR THERAPY: A Ski Patroller’s Most-Pressing Gear Questions (Ep.259)
When it comes to gear, we’ve all been there: loads of questions, crippling confusion, severe analysis paralysis. You need some help! Welcome to our 2nd episode of Gear Therapy, with Spokane-based ski patroller, Kam Smith.
Win Shoes from La Sportiva
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a pair of Jackal II shoes from La Sportiva!
Lone Pine Gear Exchange
Lone Pine Gear Exchange is far from your average ski shop – In addition to their extensive collection of new gear, they have a large consignment program, a gear repair program, a commitment to sustainability, plus a knowledgeable staff and full-service ski and snowboard shop.
Reviewer Reports: Chromag Darco, Pivot Shuttle AM, Commencal Supreme, & More (Ep.183)
The gang is back together to give a rundown on a bunch of the bikes we’ve been testing, from short-travel steel full-suspension ones to a bunch of mid-travel eMTBs and full-on DH race bikes.
2024 RockShox Vivid
The RockShox Vivid had taken a hiatus from the market but now it’s back as RockShox’s biggest, most gravity-oriented air shock — with a bunch of interesting new features.
Michele Graglia on the Tahoe 200, Walking Away from Racing, & Next Steps (Ep.179)
At the Tahoe 200, Michele Graglia found himself in first place with an hour lead. Then he decided to stop running. So today we discuss why the former winner of the Moab 240 and Badwater 135 decided to do that; why, shortly thereafter, he announced he would be walking away from racing; and what’s next.
Deep Dives with Angel, August 2023 (Ep.273)
Angel Collinson and Jonathan discuss jealousy; imposter syndrome; her Open Mic piece on “steeping”; and more of your ‘Ask Angel’ questions.
Flash Review — Chromag Darco
Update: after making some tweaks to Chromag’s aggressive short-travel Trail bike, the Darco, it’s shaping up to be one of the more interesting bikes we’ve spent time on this year. Check out what changes we’ve made and what makes the Darco stand out.
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.)
Outside Sports
Outside Sports is a premier ski, bike, and outdoor retailer with multiple locations in the Southern Lakes region in the South Island of New Zealand, and they have all your outdoor gear needs covered no matter the season.
Win a Summer Stash Prize Pack from BCA
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a Stash 20L or 30L backpack and BC Link 1.0 radio from BCA — plus tons of gear to put in them!
G3’s Recyclable R3 Skis & Boards with G3 Founder, Oliver Steffen (Ep.258)
We talk with Oliver Steffen, founder and president of G3, about their new line of “R3” ski and snowboards, which G3 says are 100% recyclable. We discuss how they accomplished this; the recycling process; how it can be more widely applied to the outdoor industry; why Oliver’s passion for innovation and problem-solving led him down this path, and more.
Knee Pad Roundup — 2023
We’ve been testing a ton of mountain bike knee pads, and our updated 2023 roundup includes 19 different options — from super lightweight, breathable options to burly, DH-ready ones.
Story Time With Ryan “R-Dog” Howard (Ep.182)
Ryan “R-Dog” Howard is one of the most stylish mountain bikers of all time, and it turns out he’s quite the storyteller, too. We sat down with Ryan to chat about everything from his four appearances at Red Bull Rampage; his absurd new “company vehicle;” and what Ryan describes as “the best trip of his life — even though it ended with a broken leg; and a whole lot more.
Flash Review — Commencal Supreme V5
We’ve started spending time on Commencal’s latest iteration of the Supreme DH race bike. Check out our 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:
Flash Review: 24/25 Fischer Nightstick 97
We’ve been spending time on Fischer’s new Nightstick 97 — here are our initial thoughts on this all-mountain freestyle ski, including some comparisons to Fischer’s Ranger skis.
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.)
Fischer Announces 2025 Nightstick Freeski Collection
Fischer has officially announced their 24/25 Nightstick collection, which includes four brand-new freestyle skis — here are the details.
Win Apparel from Minus33 & Melin
The two winners of this week’s Gear Giveaway will get a head-to-toe merino wool kit from Minus33 and a thermal hat from Melin!
2023-2024 Volkl Blaze 114
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Volkl Blaze 114.
2024-2025 Majesty Havoc 100 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Majesty Havoc 100 Ti.
Dynafit & Hoji Release New Ridge AT Boots
Dynafit and master-gear-tinkerer, Eric “Hoji” Hjorleifson, have been toiling away on another new ski-touring boot design, and the Dynafit Ridge series is the result. Here’s the rundown on these new lightweight AT boots.
Reviewing the News w/ Ryan Palmer, January 2024 (Ep.207)
We’re expanding our Reviewing the News podcast series to Bikes & Big Ideas, and in this inaugural episode, hosts Simon Stewart and Ryan Palmer kick things off by discussing Greg Minnaar leaving Santa Cruz, Mondraker’s US expansion and new ultra-talented World Cup DH team, the state of the bike industry at large, and a whole lot more.
Knolly Chilcotin 6.0
Knolly teased an extensive overhaul of their bike lineup when they launched the new Endorphin last fall, and now the next model has broken cover. Check out our First Look for the rundown on the new Chilcotin.
Flash Review: 24/25 Dynafit Ridge Binding
Dynafit’s new Ridge AT binding is not only impressive when it comes to ease of use, but also its performance. Check out our initial 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.)
Flash Review: 23/24 Stöckli Stormrider 95
We just got our first day on the Stöckli Stormrider 95, and so far, it’s shaping up to be a very intriguing option in the directional all-mountain class. Check out our intiial on-snow 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.)
Cast-Iron Cookware w/ Blister reviewer, Simon Stewart (Ep.41)
Jonathan is joined by Blister senior bike editor, Simon Stewart, who is on a quest to see if the fancier, more expensive cast-iron products coming out today are ‘better’ than their cheaper counterparts.
Head & Tyrolia Announce New 24/25 Touring Skis, Boots, Bindings, & More
In a big announcement, Head & Tyrolia have revealed their expansive 24/25 line of touring-specific gear, including brand-new collections of skis, boots, bindings, & more. Here are the details for Head’s new Crux product lineup and Tyrolia’s new Almonte bindings.