BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
‘Emily in Paris’ (the ski episode) w/ Amie Engerbretson & Jonathan Ellsworth
Amie and Jonathan talk about the hit show, Emily in Paris, and specifically, the episode where Emily goes skiing (season 4, episode 6). So how is this show? And how well did they do portraying modern-day skiing? We discuss.
2025-2026 J Skis Hotshot
Giray Dadali has redesigned J’s widest metal-laminate ski by reducing its weight, refining its shape, and adding some Line Prophet DNA. Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated J Skis Hotshot.
Flash Review: 25/26 J Skis Hotshot
We’ve started testing the overhauled J Skis Hotshot, and we’re ready to chime in with our initial thoughts on how it compares to the original. Here’s what we’ve learned so far.
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Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, November 2025 (Ep.386)
Cody and Jonathan discuss our national parks’ new passes; why president Trump pardoned a trail runner; the Most Canadian News; they rate your takes; and share what they’ve been reading & watching.
Shimano XT M8200 Di2 Drivetrain
SRAM had a big head start on Shimano in the wireless MTB drivetrain arms race, but Shimano now offers its 12-speed Di2 groups in three different tiers. Here’s our take on how the XT variant performs, and how it stacks up against both the flagship XTR version and SRAM’s offerings.
Win Any Moment Ski
Don’t miss this one — this week’s winner will get any pair of skis they want from Moment’s new 2025-2026 collection! Enter before December 12th for your chance to win!
Reviewer Reports: Early-Season Testing & Luke’s Dumbest Moment on Skis (Ep.372)
We’re back on snow and testing ski gear! So Jonathan and Luke cover several of the standout products they’ve been on so far; Luke confesses to one of the dumbest things he’s ever done on skis; they discuss underappreciated upsides of early-season skiing; and more.
FSA KFX i28 Wheels
FSA’s KFX i28 wheels were developed on the World Cup XC circuit, but we’ve found their appeal to extend well beyond pure XC racing. Check out our Full Review for more on why we think a lot of folks should consider the KFX i28 wheels.
Pivot Shuttle SL/AM
Has Pivot’s Shuttle SL/AM combined the best qualities of the Shuttle SL and AM to create an eMTB that’s better than both of them?
Deep Dive: Pivot Shuttle SL/AM
We compare the Pivot Shuttle SL/AM to the Pivot Shuttle SL, Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL, Canyon Spectral:ONfly, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Mondraker Dune XR, Yeti MTe, and Propain Sresh SL
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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Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino & Simon Stewart (Ep. 303)
Mike and Simon give an update on the exciting Cyclocross season so far, followed by some troubling recalls in the bike industry, a few interesting new products, and a whole lot more.
2025-2026 K2 Alchemist
The K2 Alchemist is built for speed, but it holds up surprisingly well across a range of conditions — check out our Full Review to see why we think it could be just what some hard-charging riders have been looking for.
How Does a Small Craft Brand Break Out? SennzaFinne Shares Their BluePrint (Ep. 91)
In a spirits landscape full of massive brands and mega marketing budgets, what differentiates a craft producer? SennzaFinne, the Seattle based amaro producer founded by former bartenders, has found creative ways to make their mark.
Flash Review: Evil Offering
It’s been a quiet few years for Evil, but their new Offering has gotten a major overhaul, and the on-trail results are intriguing.
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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Evil Offering
It’s been a while since we saw a new bike from Evil, but their updated Offering brings some welcome changes while sticking to other parts of the familiar Evil recipe. Check it out here, including our initial on-trail impressions.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2025-2026 Romp Sidehit 89
Romp Skis in Crested Butte, CO has designed a new frontside ski with less-than-perfect conditions in mind. Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the brand-new Romp Sidehit 89.
Flash Review: 25/26 Romp Sidehit 89
Romp’s new Sidehit 89 was designed with the sorts of early-season conditions many mountains are currently experiencing, and we’ve been logging a lot of laps on it lately. Here are some of 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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2 Big BLISTER Updates for 2026 (Ep.388)
Starting January 1, 2026, we’re adding an additional 20 outdoor activities covered by BLISTER+, bringing the number up to 50 outdoor activities that are covered globally. So Jonathan Ellsworth and Kristin Sinnott discuss that, then talk about the 2026 Blister Summit that’s happening at Snowbird on April 13, 2026.
2025-2026 Weston Gnarnia
The new Gnarnia from Weston does an unusually good job of balancing an ability to both charge and play. Our review explains why we think the Gnarnia just might be the “quiver of one” board that some folks have been looking for.
Win Carv’s Digital Ski Coach System
Who doesn’t want to improve their skiing? This week’s winners will each get the Carv 2 Ski Coach system as well as a Carv Season Pass! Enter before December 26th for your chance to win.
4-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (25/26)
In Part Two of our reviewers’ 4-ski quiver selections, we hear from Jonathan Ellsworth, Kara Williard, Paul Forward, and more. Take a look to see what they’ve picked this year, and then let us know which skis you’d select.
Ski Testing, Ski Technique, & Data Analytics with Carv (Ep.374)
What can you learn when you analyze hundreds of thousands of ski turns? What does it tell you about ski technique? And what can be learned about the gear you use to make those turns — and the gear we test and evaluate? We discuss all of the above with the team at Carv.
Flash Review: Lal Katana
The Katana is Lal’s first in-house frame, built around their Supre Drive drivetrain, and we’ve started spending time on it. So, is its on-trail performance as unconventional as its aesthetics might suggest? Here’s our early take.
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: 25/26 Kästle Paragon 93
Kästle calls the Paragon 93 a “true all-rounder,” and we’ve been testing that claim. Here are Jonathan Ellsworth and Luke Koppa’s initial thoughts on this lightweight, metal-laminate ski.
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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2025-2026 Kästle Paragon 93
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Kästle Paragon 93.
Reviewer Reports: Lal Katana, Norco Sight VLT, Yeti LTe, & More (Ep.305)
David and Simon give a rundown on some of the bikes they’re testing, including a variety of very different eMTBs, a couple of mixed-wheel Trail bikes, and more.
Amateur Hour: Camera Gear w/ Jonathan Ellsworth and Justin Bobb (Ep.93)
Recently, Jonathan has been going deep down the rabbit hole of camera gear and lighting, and the strikingly handsome Justin Bobb has been his spiritual guide.