BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
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.)
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.
Stinius & Hoji on Developing the New 4FRNT Sinister (Ep.363)
Today we’re talking with Hoji and Stinius Skjøtskift about the creation of Stinius’ new pro model, the 4FRNT Sinister. There are lots of great stories in this one, plus you’ll find out why a number of us at BLISTER are extremely intrigued by this ski.
Win a Jacket From Strafe
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the men’s or women’s Highlands Shirt Jacket from Strafe!
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.
Reviewing the News w/ Dylan Wood & Simon Stewart (Ep.294)
Dylan and Simon break down all the amazing bike racing from September, some industry news, the looming new mountain bike wheel size, a few cool new products they’re testing, and a whole lot more.
We’re Headed to Snowbound Expo 2025
Hey, East Coast: Join us at the Snowbound Expo this November 14-16 for some great conversations and much, much more.
Flash Review: Cannondale Moterra
We’ve been piling up the miles on Cannondale’s new Moterra. Check out our first impressions of Cannondale’s more mainstream take on the full-power eMTB 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.)
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.
Flash Review: 2026 Norco Revolver 120
Norco’s Revolver 120, featuring the lightest full-suspension frame the Canadian company has ever produced, is shaping up to be an option deserving — but not conforming to — the “World Cup XC Bike” moniker. 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.)
20 Years of Flylow w/ Dan Abrams, Flylow President & Co-Founder (Ep.376)
Flylow turns 20 this year, so we talk with Flylow co-founder, Dan Abrams, about the big victories, scary setbacks, and endless challenges he’s seen. Then, have you ever wondered why some jackets cost $700 and others only $200? They walk through the Flylow lineup as an exercise to lay out exactly what you get and what you don’t at all these different price points.
2025-2026 Atomic Bent 110 GFD
Atomic, Chris Benchetler, and the Grateful Dead have once again teamed up to release a limited-edition ski — here are the details on the Bent 110 GFD.
Our 25/26 Winter Buyer’s Guide: Trends, Controversies, & Luke’s Least Favorite Thing In It (Ep.362)
Luke and Jonathan talk about our big new book, the Blister 25/26 Winter Buyer’s Guide, including the big takeaways, trends, and controversies. (Plus, stick around to hear Luke’s insane bear story at the end.)
Revel ReRun
Revel’s first eMTB is a burly, 165 mm travel rig, but the ReRun’s performance proved that looks can be deceiving. Check out our thoughts after several months of testing.
Win a Travel Pack from The Brown Buffalo
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a Conceal Waistpack from The Brown Buffalo!
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Win Outerwear from Obermeyer
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the A.M.F. Jacket & Pant or the Skyward Jacket & Pant from Obermeyer!
Madrone Cycles on the Jab Derailleur & Going Head to Head w/ SRAM and Shimano (Ep.297)
Developing a high-end MTB derailleur is hard, and SRAM and Shimano have vast resources (not to mention decades of experience) to draw on. So why is a small Oregon-based brand throwing its hat into the ring?
‘LISTERS: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching’ w/ Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, & Eli Brown (Ep.55)
‘LISTERS: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching’ is the hilarious — and surprisingly heartfelt — documentary you didn’t know you needed in your life. But you do. And today, Luke, Eli, and I make an impassioned case for why you do.
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.
Hashing Things Out: Lincoln Knowles, Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.379)
Cody and Jonathan have been talking about Lincoln Knowles, the climber, free soloist, and content creator who has been making waves in the climbing world. And today, Lincoln joins them to hash things out and discuss some big topics that have implications for the entire outdoor industry.
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.
Deep Dive: Pivot Firebird V5
We compare the Pivot Firebird V5 to the Pivot Firebird V4, Yeti SB160, Yeti SB165, Rocky Mountain Altitude, Propain Tyee, Santa Cruz Megatower, Santa Cruz Nomad, and Ibis HD6.
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.)
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.
Win a Helmet & Goggles from Pret
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Pret Fury or Vision Helmet, as well as a pair of Pret Effect Goggles!
Best Skis of the Century from Each Brand, Part 2 (Ep.365)
In Part 2 of our series on the Best Skis of the Century, Luke Koppa and Sascha Anastas join Jonathan Ellsworth to dive into the best skis from 23 more brands, and we also discuss some of the best and most notable women-specific skis of the past 25 years.
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
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.)