BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Propain Tyee — 2025 Update
Propain has revisited the Tyee, but instead of a full overhaul, they’ve focused on smaller refinements, new colors, and new build kit options. Check out the changes in our First Look.
Reading Culture: Books, Reading, & Indie Bookstores Today w/ Arvin Ram, Owner of Townie Books (Ep.70)
Jonathan talks books, book recommendations, the state of independent bookstores, the art of reading, and the craft of writing, with Arvin Ram, who is a writer, avid reader, owner of the indie bookstore, Townie Books, and the director of the Mountain Words Festival.
Flash Review: 25/26 Head Kore 112 Ti
The new Kore 112 Ti features many of the same updates as the rest of the overhauled Kore collection, but the 112 (and 118) offer something a bit different on snow. Here are our initial thoughts on how the Kore 112 Ti compares to the Kore 118 Ti, the previous Kore 111, and the narrower Kore Ti models.
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2025-2026 Head Kore 112 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Head Kore 112 Ti.
Breaking News: Revel Bikes is Back — and So is Revel Founder, Adam Miller (Ep.275)
After announcing just a few weeks ago that it was shutting down operations, Revel Bikes is back. And Revel’s founder, Adam Miller, is back. So, how did this all happen? And what happens next? Jonathan Ellsworth talks with Adam Miller to get the whole story.
Revel Bikes is Back
Revel Bikes announced their impending closure a month ago, but founder Adam Miller swept in and bought the brand back from the group he sold it to in 2021, with plans to resume regular operations, including full warranty support and production of their newly-launched models.
‘The Eiger Sanction’ w/ Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.38)
Cody and Jonathan discuss The Eiger Sanction, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this week; it stars Clint Eastwood, the biggest movie star in the world at the time; and, importantly, Alex Honnold has called this the most realistic climbing film that Hollywood has ever produced. So … is Alex right? And how does the rest of the film hold up?
Pivot Shuttle SL/AM
Slotting between the Shuttle SL and Shuttle AM, the Shuttle SL/AM, as the name implies, merges a lightweight drive system like the one found in the SL with the frame of the AM. But instead of going with the Fazua Ride 60 motor that’s in the SL, Pivot chose to go with the more powerful, higher revving Bosch SX motor. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Flash Review: 25/26 Ellis Kanso 106
Ellis is one of the newest ski brands to hit the market, and their new Kanso 106 is meant to be a versatile and playful all-mountain option. Here are our initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2025-2026 Ellis Kanso 106
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Kanso 106 by Ellis Skis.
Founder Stories: Creating a Company in the Outdoor Industry (Venture Snowboards, CARV, Spark R&D, & AlpenFlow Design) (Ep.357)
We talk to Klem Branner, Venture Snowboards; Will Ritter, Spark R&D; Jamie Grant, CARV; and Cobey Nash, AlpenFlow Design about the highs, the lows, and the breakthroughs that come with starting a company — and the even more challenging work of keeping a company going.
Flash Review: OneUp Wave Flat Pedals
The OneUp Wave pedals aren’t shaped like any other flat pedals we’ve seen, and their performance is proving equally unique so far. Check out our impressions from the first few rides.
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Flash Review: 25/26 Völkl Blaze 104
The original Völkl Blaze 106 was an impressively adaptable 50/50 ski for lift-accessed and human-powered skiing, but Völkl recently replaced it with the new Blaze 104. So, how similar or different are they?
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2025-2026 Völkl Blaze 104
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Völkl Blaze 104.
Gearing Up for the Famous Chamonix-to-Zermatt Haute Route (Ep.347)
Jonathan talks to BLISTER members, Bobak Farzin and Lukas Friedli, who teamed up to take on the famous Haute Route. We talk about their trip; the gear they used; what worked well for them; what worked less well; and, they offer some great advice for anyone thinking about doing any multi-day ski touring trip.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
Yeti MTe
Yeti just launched their second-ever eMTB, the MTe, a light-assist offering featuring TQ’s new HPR60 drive system. With design cues from Yeti’s 160E and their unpowered mountain bikes, Yeti has packed some familiar things into the MTe, as well as some new features. Check out our First Look for the whole story, and our Flash Review for our initial on-trail impressions.
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
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Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, April / May 2025 (Ep.359)
Cody and Jonathan discuss Rob Katz’s return as the CEO of Vail; what’s going on with REI; the sale of Pieps; the latest way to speed up Mt. Everest; the Most Canadian News; the return of the Blister Book Club; what we’re reading & watching; and more.
Flash Review: 25/26 Atomic Hawx Prime XTD 130 BOA
Several of our reviewers have become big fans of Atomic’s low-volume Hawx boots, but what about the roomier ‘Prime’ version? Here are Luke Koppa’s initial thoughts on the freeride-touring Hawx Prime XTD 130 BOA.
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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Flash Review: Magura Gustav Pro
Magura’s Gustav Pro brakes promise consistency and heat management, so do they deliver? Our Flash Review has initial impressions from the first couple of rides with Magura’s latest stoppers.
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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Stuff We Like: May 2025
This month’s assortment of gear includes several impressive cycling components, coolers made from coconuts, some summer apparel favorites, and much more. Check it out to see what our reviewers have been liking lately.