BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
‘Life Cycles’ w/ Dylan Wood & Simon Stewart (Ep. 53)
15 years ago, ‘Life Cycles’ was released and changed the perception of what a mtn bike film could be. Today, Dylan and Simon talk about how it combines art, breathtaking cinematography, beautiful riding, with a message that’s more relevant today than when it first came out.
Race Face Turbine Flat Pedals
Big, concave + scary pins — the Race Face Turbine pedals check a lot of boxes for an aggressive flat pedal, at least on paper. Check out our review for our on-trail findings.
Free Speech & Thoreau’s ‘Walking’ w/ Mountain Gazette’s Mike Rogge, Blister Book Club (Ep.375)
Jonathan & Mike Rogge offer some thoughts on the current state of free speech, then discuss Thoreau’s great essay, “Walking,” and the new Mountain Gazette anthology, ‘Print Ain’t Dead.’
Canyon Spectral:ONfly
We racked up the miles on two different builds of the Canyon Spectral:ONfly to find out how Canyon’s affordable take on the hot light-assist eMTB category measures up to the competition.
Deep Dive: Canyon Spectral:ONfly
We compare the Spectral:ONfly to the Norco Fluid VLT 130, Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Pivot Shuttle SL, and Pivot Shuttle SL/AM.
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The Company that Created an Industry: Alpacka Raft (Ep.361)
We see new brands pop up all the time, but what happens when your idea is so novel that it essentially births an entire sport and industry? That was the case when Thor Tingey started Alpacka Raft, and he shares all the details in this fascinating origin story.
Win Skis & Bindings from Armada
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a pair of Declivity 92 Ti or Reliance 92 Ti skis — plus a set of Strive 12 GW bindings — from Armada!
Deep Dive: Propain Tyee 6.1
We compare the Propain Tyee to the Kavenz VHP 16, Yeti SB165, Marin Alpine Trail, Santa Cruz Nomad 6, Pivot Firebird V5, Rocky Mountain Altitude, and Ibis HD6.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Propain Tyee 6.1
In an era where a lot of Enduro bikes are super-focused go-fast sleds, the Propain Tyee stands out from the pack — and will be just what some folks are looking for. Check out what sets it apart.
Big Race Results & Big News From Enve (Ep. 292)
We catch up with Enve’s Jake Pantone about their exciting plans to start making Mountain Bikes, winning the Tour de France and Red Bull Hardline, and the stress of having one of the greatest cyclists of all time riding their wheels.
Flash Review: DT Swiss Ratchet DEG DF Anti-Pedal Kickback Hub
DT’s Ratchet DEG DF pedal kickback / chain feedback mitigating freehub is impressively simple and super light, but how well does it work? We’ve got some early thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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DT Swiss Ratchet DEG DF Anti-Pedal Kickback Hub
DT Swiss has an ingeniously simple upgrade for their Ratchet DEG hubs, meant to mitigate pedal kickback — and it’s almost certainly the lightest such option out there. Check out their new Ratchet DEG DF freehub mechanism, and get our early on-trail impressions.
Debatable: Short on Time? Skip the eMTB, Go XC
eMountain Bikes are dominating sales, but reviewer Zack Henderson argues that your next ride actually ought to be an XC bike. Check out his argument, and let us know what you think.
Jonathan Gagné on Astrophysics, Coffee, & The Physics of Espresso (Ep.84)
Jonathan Gagné is producing some of the best work in the world in terms of increasing our understanding and appreciation of coffee. And we’re ecstatic to talk with him about his day job (astrophysics), boulders, dust, soup, crema, headspace, and more.
‘Girl Climber’ w/ Emily Harrington, Amie Engerbretson, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.52)
Amie & Jonathan talk with Emily Harrington about her fantastic new film, and go behind the scenes of her project to free-climb the Golden Gate route on Yosemite’s El Capitan in under 24 hours. This is a must-see movie, and this conversation makes it clear why.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Inside the Minds of Pro Skiers: Competition, Careers, & Close Calls w/ Dane Tudor, Todd Ligare, Amy Jane David, & Stinius Skjøtskift (Ep.378)
Dane Tudor, Todd Ligare, Amy Jane David, and Stinius Skjøtskift joined us for a wide-ranging conversation on skiing, competition, and career-defining moments — recorded live at the Blister Summit 2025.
EXT Vecta
The EXT Vecta brings most of the features of their flagship Storia V4 coil shock to a much more affordable package, but how does its performance stack up? We’ve spent the summer finding out. Here’s what we found.
Best Skis of the Century from Each Brand, Part 1 (Ep.364)
Today, we are kicking off a new series, where we will debate and try to identify the best skis of the 21st Century from over 30 ski brands. Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, Paul Forward, and our great friend, Rob Dickinson, kick off the conversation.
Win Touring Bindings and Climbing Skins from G3
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get any pair of ski touring bindings and any pair of climbing skins from G3!
Reform Tantalus Heat Moldable Saddle
Heat molding is ubiquitous for snowsports boots, but bike saddles? Not so much. The Reform Tantalus makes a strong case for its value in customizing your saddle fit.
Flash Review: Wolf Tooth CTRL Clip Pedals
Wolf Tooth just launched their first clip pedals, and we’ve started riding their unique, Trail-focused CTRL design. Our Flash Review has 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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Wolf Tooth CTRL, ALT, and DEL Clip Pedals
Wolf Tooth just dropped their first clip pedals — three of them — and there are some clever features to talk about. Our First Look runs through the new CTRL, ALT, and DEL pedals.
Paladin Bikes on the Wild-Looking AM1, Machining Frames & More (Ep.295)
There aren’t many companies making machined bike frames, and even compared to other machined options, the Paladin AM1 stands out for its novel construction approach. So we sat down with co-founder Stefan Klein to hear all about the AM1, why they decided to build it, and a whole lot more.
Nib Making, Engine Turning, & Hand Chasing: the Art of Pen & Pencil Making with Giles English of Yard-O-Led (Ep.86)
Since 1822, Yard-O-Led has made some of the finest pens and pencils in the world. So we discuss the 200-year history of the company, and the artistry behind engine-turning and hand-chasing; Yard-O-Led’s story of wartime survival; and what it means to carry Victorian tradition into the 21st century.
SRAM Motive Brakes
The SRAM Motive is squarely aimed at the XC and Trail market, promising near-Code power at a Level-like weight. Did SRAM succeed in hitting both marks?
Flash Review: Hope EVO GR4 Brakes
Hope’s new GR4 brakes look more like an evolution of the Tech 4 V4 that they replace than a ground-up redesign, but there are a lot of changes lurking below the surface. Here’s our take on how they’ve added up after a handful of rides.
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/ Cody Townsend, September 2025 (Ep.377)
Cody and Jonathan discuss Andrzej Bargiel’s ski descent of Everest; the return of the FIFTY+ project; the life of Jane Goodall; Outside Inc.’s firing of Wes Siler; and Lincoln Knowles’ response to our last RTN conversation. Plus, they rate your takes and share what they’ve been reading & watching.