BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Salsa Spearfish
XC bikes have seen a renaissance in the past few years, melding more confident Trail-inspired geometry with super-efficient pedaling performance. Salsa has made their entry into this brave new world of XC bikes with the Spearfish, and it looks rather promising. Our First Look digs into what they’ve cooked up.
Flash Review: 25/26 Salomon QST 106
We’re rounding out our Flash Reviews of the updated Salomon QST series with the longest-standing model, the QST 106 — check out our initial thoughts on how it compares to the prior-gen version and other QST models.
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2025-2026 Salomon QST 106
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for Salomon’s updated QST 106.
Blister Book Club: ‘Everest, Inc.’ w/ author, Will Cockrell (Ep.360)
Jonathan talks with Will Cockrell about his excellent book, Everest, Inc. They discuss the fascinating history of guiding on Everest, the evolution of that industry, and the broader topic of the ethics, principles, and parameters of guiding in general, anywhere.
TRP Evo Pro Brakes
TRP’s Evo Pro brakes take over from the popular DH-R Evo as their flagship gravity offering, and TRP says the new stoppers offer better ergonomics, more power, and greater adjustability. We’ve spent the last seven months putting those claims to the test. See how the Evo Pro brakes stack up.
Ski vs Bike Industry, Part 2: State of Shops; Gear Wins & Fails; & the Future of Each (Ep.350)
Today, we take a look at the state of ski shops vs bike shops; what each industry is doing to grow participation and engagement in their sport; gear wins and fails; and our reviewers weigh in on which industry has the brighter future.
Ibis Oso 1.1
The Ibis Oso 1.1 got a few construction tweaks and a smaller price tag, but it’s still a very unique-looking offering on the eMTB market. It comes with a unique ride, too, but one that should appeal quite a bit to the right buyer. Read on to find out who the Oso might be for.
Win Apparel From SPC/LST
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Sapien Quilted Crew, Omega E-Waist Active 5.5” Short, and Range Beanie from SPC/LST!
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, May 2025 (Ep. 277)
Mike and Simon discuss the exciting start to mountain bike World Cup DH racing, the fantastic Giro d’Italia, Christopher Blevins’ domination, Mathieu van der Poel’s rough day on a mountain bike, some good industry news, and a whole lot more.
2026 Orbea Occam SL & Occam LT
Orbea has updated the Occam SL and Occam LT Trail bikes, and while the changes aren’t massive, there are a couple of nice tweaks — including the option to forgo headset cable routing.
Salsa Blackthorn 125 C & Blackthorn 145 C
Salsa’s new Blackthorn siblings bring some interesting design details — and a ton of on-bike storage — to a new Trail / All Mountain platform with two different travel options on the same frame. Check out what they’ve cooked up, and our early impressions of the Blackthorn 145 C.
America’s Founding Spirit & the Most Important Distillery You’ve Never Heard Of (Ep.72)
Brandy doesn’t get the love that it deserves, given that it was America’s founding spirit, and no category has a bigger folk hero tied to it (Johnny Appleseed, anyone?). Today, we’re talking about all things brandy with Clear Creek Distillery.
Shimano XTR M9200 & M9220 Brakes
Alongside their new XTR Di2 drivetrain, Shimano also updated their longstanding and very popular XTR brakes, and we’ve been testing the Trail / Enduro version for the past few months. Here’s the design rundown on both of the new XTR stoppers, and our take on how the four-piston option has performed.
Shimano XTR M9200 Di2 Wireless Drivetrain & Wheels
Shimano’s long-awaited wireless XTR group is here. Here are all the details — and our long-term Full Review after spending several months with the new shifter, derailleur, cassette, cranks, and wheels.
Flash Review: Yeti MTe
We’ve been spending time on Yeti’s brand-new MTe, a mid-travel, light-assist eMTB that includes TQ’s new HPR60 drive system. 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.
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Fox Podium Inverted Fork
In a big change for the brand, Fox has been developing an inverted fork, and there’s been plenty of speculation about what the production model would actually entail. Get all the answers here, and check out our early on-trail impressions of the new upside-down Fox Podium.
Shimano GRX Di2 1 x 12-speed Drivetrain
Shimano’s new wireless derailleur design has been adapted to the 1 x 12 Gravel use case with the new GRX RX827 rear derailleur. Our First Look digs into their first true wireless Gravel setup.
Flash Review: Formula Selva V
The new Formula Selva V stands out from the market for being lightweight and highly tunable via Formula’s CTS valve system, but how does its performance stack up next to other long-travel single-crown forks? We’ve got some early 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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Hoji, Marcus Caston, Nick Russell, & Chris Davenport: Life Updates, Mtn-Town Advice, Trip Reports, & More (Ep.362)
We brought together some legends of snowsports — Hoji, Marcus, Nick, & Dav — and asked them to share some life updates; their best mountain-town (and relationship) advice; trip reports & travel stories; & more.
Thule T2 Pro XTR
Thule’s T2 Pro XTR hitch-mounted bicycle rack is one of the more popular options on the market. And after testing it ourselves, we understand why. Check out our Full Review to find out how this rack performs, including direct comparisons to the Yakima StageTwo.
Southern Hemisphere Skiing, Sustainability, & Shop Strategies w/ Outside Sports (Ep.352)
Today, we head south to the snow, and back behind the counter at Outside Sports in New Zealand. We talk about the gear and innovations they’re stoked on; what it takes to keep a mountain town business thriving; sustainability from a local shop’s perspective, and more.
Flash Review: Esker Woodsy
We’ve started testing Esker’s Woodsy Trail / All Mountain bike, and its combination of a compliant ride, efficient suspension, and all-day comfort has it looking like an interesting option in a crowded category.
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.)
Esker Woodsy
Esker’s new all-metal All Mountain bike can be had in either aluminum or titanium and features 145 mm of DW-developed Orion Dynamics suspension. Check out what they’ve come up with, and our early impressions of the aluminum Woodsy.
Win MTB Protection From 7iDP
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a $200 gift card from 7iDP!
Reviewer Reports: New Bikes, Shimano Di2, & More (Ep.279)
We’ve been testing a massive amount of new gear, including Shimano’s first wireless MTB drivetrain, a ton of new bikes, and a whole lot more. So we got the gang together to talk about a bunch of it.
The Madness of Nile Zacherle, Mad Fritz Brewing (Ep.74)
Madness. That’s what you call it when a former sponsored skateboarder gets a Ph.D. in fermentation, then starts brewing super-premium beer in Napa Valley.
Shimano Deore M6200 & XT M8200 Di2 Wireless Drivetrain and Wheels
Just two weeks after launching their first wireless MTB drivetrain at the flagship XTR tier, Shimano now has Deore and XT versions for folks who want wireless shifting at a more affordable price. Here are all the details.