BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Women’s MTB Jersey Roundup – 2023
Lots of miles on the bike this summer has meant plenty of time for testing a bunch of women-specific jerseys, and for this year’s women’s MTB Jersey Roundup, we have nine options that span everything from tank tops to long-sleeve downhill jerseys.
A Recipe, by Brendan Leonard
In our latest Open Mic piece, Brendan Leonard shares a recipe and asks us to consider, What is ‘Real’?
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, August 2023 (Ep.276)
Cody and Jonathan discuss marketing jargon in the outdoor industry; the sale of Jackson Hole Mtn Resort; another mountaineering controversy; mountain town advice; and more.
Deep Dive: Specialized Turbo Levo
We compare the Specialized Turbo Levo to the Pivot Shuttle LT, Pivot Shuttle AM, Orbea Wild, and Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay.
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Specialized Turbo Levo
Having logged more than 600 miles on the Specialized Turbo Levo (and burned through a couple of sets of brake pads and tires in the process) we’re well acquainted with the bike and ready to chime in — check out our full review of one of the most popular eMTBs on the market.
Blister Labs: Technical Apparel Testing Update (Ep.261)
Apparel testing, show pigs, & the underrated importance of ballpoint pens. Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss these things with our Blister Labs colleague, Melanie Peddle.
Extended: Win a Carbon Wheelset from Forge+Bond
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a new carbon fiber wheelset from Forge+Bond!
MRP AMg Chain Guide
MRP is one of the biggest names out there when it comes to products that keep your drivetrain protected and operating as it should; the latest iteration of their AMg chain guide brings some nice refinements to their upper guide and bash guard style offering, with an eye to ease of setup and adjustability.
D3O On The Past, Present, and Future of MTB Armor (Ep.185)
The mountain bike armor market has evolved a lot in recent years, and D30’s non-Newtonian materials have had a big hand in shaping those changes. So we sat down with them to chat about the ways MTB armor has changed; where they see it going in the future; the tradeoffs inherent to designing protective gear; testing standards + their pros and cons; kids’ armor; and a whole lot more.
Flash Review — 2024 RockShox BoXXer
We’ve started spending time on the long-awaited 38 mm version of the RockShox BoXXer. 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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2023-2024 Armada Reliance 102 Ti
Here are our measured specs and rocker profile pictures for the Armada Reliance 102 Ti.
Boone Mountain Sports
Boone Mountain Sports is a family-owned and operated ski and snowboard shop in Evergreen, Colorado, and they offer a whole lot more than just amazing gear, including an unforgettable customer experience, word-class bootfitting and ski services, a brewery and coffee shop, and a place to connect with community and appreciate the outdoors.
2024 Fox Float
Fox says their new Float rear shock is meant to bring a lot of the performance of the Float X to a smaller, lighter package, but have they succeeded, and what are the tradeoffs? We’ve been logging a lot of time on the two back-to-back, and we’ve got some answers.
Stuff We Like: August 2023
For August’s edition of Stuff We Like, we’ve got everything from lightweight rain jackets to duffels and daypacks, trail running shoes, coolers, bike pumps, & more. Check it out to see all the latest stuff our reviewers have been digging.
Zack Giffin on Skiing, Tiny Houses, & Big Solutions (Ep.275)
Skier Zack Giffin (host of the TV series, Tiny House Nation & co-host of the podcast, Tiny House Tales) makes a compelling case for how smaller living spaces can be a significant part of the solution to affordable housing; homelessness; climate issues, energy consumption, and creating more real, actual, healthy communities.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 23/24 Dynafit Tigard 114
We’ve been logging time on Dynafit’s widest, heaviest, and most powder-oriented ski — here are some of our initial thoughts on the Tigard 114.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2024-2025 Lange Shadow 130 LV & Shadow 130 MV
Lange says their new Shadow boots offer “more power with less effort” via their unique shell design, and after logging more than 100 days in the Shadow 130 LV & MV, our reviewers have a LOT to say about them. Check out what might be our longest, most in-depth boot review for the whole story.
A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt. 6: Ski Boot Flex w/ Pulse Boot Labs (Ep.286)
How should you think about ski boot flex patterns, and which one is “right” for you? We talk with Pulse Boot Lab’s Bryn Vickers about the complex and often misunderstood aspects of ski boot flex; why your own biomechanics are a huge piece of the puzzle; how to work with a bootfitter during the process; and some of the latest Pulse Boot Lab technology.
Win Skis From Atomic
The winner of this week’s Gear Giveaway will get to choose between Atomic’s new Maverick 105 CTI or Maven 103 CTI!
Women’s Midlayer & Insulation Roundup – 2024
The right insulator can be the difference between a great day and a terrible one, especially when it comes to balancing cold temperatures with high-output activities. In this Midlayer & Insulation Roundup, several of our female reviewers discuss some of their recent favorites.
Ed Masters on Hardline, the 2024 Race Landscape, Pivot’s Prototype DH Bike, & More (Ep.210)
Ed Masters is back on Bikes & Big Ideas to talk about his 2023 season, the upcoming Tasmanian iteration of Hardline, the 2024 race landscape, the state of pro-level Enduro, and a whole lot more.
Flash Review — SRAM Maven Ultimate Brakes
SRAM’s new Maven brakes promise an immense increase in power over their longstanding Codes, and we’ve started spending time with the big new stoppers. Check out our early impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2024 Canyon Spectral CF
The 2021 Canyon Spectral CF blurred the line between a do-it-all Trail bike and a burlier Enduro one, but Canyon has now launched a new version, which they claim pushes the bike more squarely into Trail-bike territory. Check out our First Look to see how they’ve done it.
2023-2024 Blizzard Sheeva 11
The Sheeva 11 is the widest women-specific ski in Blizzard’s overhauled freeride series, and we’ve had 2 reviewers testing 2 different lengths. So, how does it compare to the previous iteration and other soft-snow women’s skis on the market? Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive Comparisons.
Deep Dive: Blizzard Sheeva 11
We compare the Sheeva 11 to the first-gen Sheeva 11, Blizzard Sheeva 10, K2 Mindbender 106C W, Folsom Cash 106, K2 Mindbender 116C W, Armada ARV 116 JJ UL, Faction Dancer 3X, Salomon QST Stella 106, RMU Valhalla 107, Nordica Unleashed 108, Majesty Vadera Ti, Line Pandora 110, Coalition Snow Rafiki, & Wagner Summit 106.
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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Yeti SB135
Has the ship sailed for 27.5” wheeled mountain bikes? Yeti’s answer is a hard no. Are they on to something? We’ve been spending a lot of time on the SB135 and are ready to weigh in — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive — Yeti SB135
We compare the Yeti SB135 to the Yeti SB140 27.5’’, Esker Rowl, Ibis Ripmo V2S, Pivot Shadowcat, Transition Scout, Yeti SB140 29’’, Trek Fuel EX, Transition Smuggler, and SCOR 2030.
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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