BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
The Whiskey that Set a Land Speed Record: Montgomery Distilling (Ep.89)
Today, Eli talks with owner and land speed record holder, Ryan Montgomery, of Montgomery Distilling to discuss the similarities between aquavit and gin; the labor of love known as kirschwasser; and the world’s first bourbon-based amaro.
Deep Dive: Chromag Reazon
We compare the Chromag Reazon to the Chromag Darco, Chromag Lowdown, Forbidden Druid V2, Knolly Fugitive 140, Propain Hugene 3, Trek Fuel EX Gen 7, Kona Process 153, Reeb Steezl, Transition Sentinel, and Starling Murmur.
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Chromag Reazon
Instead of drooling over aerospace-grade carbon, why can’t we get stoked on bicycle-grade steel? The Chromag Reazon makes one of the most compelling cases for bringing steel into high-end Trail bikes we’ve seen to date.
‘Farming Turns’ w/ Chris Rubens & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.59)
Chris Rubens is a professional skier and a professional farmer. His excellent 25-minute film, ‘Farming Turns,’ will be available on YouTube on Wednesday, and Jonathan talks to Chris about it all — including a great cameo performance from Chris’ longtime friend, Hoji.
10 Quick Things: ‘Movie Premieres, Robots, & Snowboards’ Edition (Ep.383)
Jonathan shares some highlights and updates from the whirlwind of a trip he’s currently on.
MRP Lift V2 Fork Damper
We’re used to rear shock dampers coming tuned for a given bike and rider, but it’s much less common in forks. MRP thinks that should change, and their Lift V2 fork damper upgrade is offered in five rider-weight-specific tunes, on top of some other interesting features. Check it all out here, including our early on-trail impressions.
Flash Review: MRP Lift V2 Fork Damper
The MRP Lift V2 fork damper promises increased composure over stock options and comes in a range of rider-weight-specific tunes, but how does it perform? 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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Best Skis of the Century, Part 5 (Ep.369)
What are the Top 10 skis of the century? Top 3? #1 Ski? Today, Blister reviewers Dylan Wood, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth reveal their selections, and we also share some of the picks and insights from a number of pro skiers and ski industry professionals.
Win Outerwear From Beringia
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a men’s or women’s St. Elias Jacket and Bibs from Beringia!
Fox 34 SL
Can a super lightweight fork still perform in more serious terrain? Fox has pulled out the stops to make their new 34 SL do just that, and the result is quite impressive — but there’s plenty of nuance to that story, too. Check out our Full Review after a few months riding the Fox 34 SL.
Reviewer Reports: Bikes Big & Small, Wet-Weather Gear, & More (Ep.300)
David and Zack give the rundown on a whole bunch of the latest gear they’ve been testing, including the high-pivot, gearbox-equipped Priority Vanth, some excellent new wet-weather gear, and more.
Atherton A.150.M
There’s a new mixed-wheel version of Atherton’s 150mm-travel All-Mountain bike — the A.150.M. But it’s far from just being the existing A.150 with a smaller rear wheel.
HiFi Audio, Aesthetics, & Design w/ Heaven 11’s Itai Azerad (Ep. 88)
How do you reconnect with music? Simon talks with Itai Azerad of Heaven 11 about bringing back the ritual of listening to music, their new Billie Amp MK3, and why its design and aesthetics offer a unique approach to HiFi.
HEL Advocate Brakes
HEL has a lot of experience making brakes and other hydraulic systems in the motorsports world, but they’re new to the bike industry. So, what new features do their Advocate brakes bring to the market, how do they actually perform, and what are they like to live with? Here’s what we’ve found out.
Chris Benchetler on ‘Mountains of the Moon’ (Ep.58)
Chris Benchetler has been working for years on his latest, massive project, Mountains of the Moon. And today, you’ll hear Chris talk about why this is both his most ambitious project — and perhaps his most personal project — yet.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Gamux Founder Pascal Tinner on AON Racing, the ‘Trophy Truck,’ & More (Ep.304)
The Gamux Sego doesn’t look like anything else out there, but it’s downright normal-looking compared to some of the prototypes that Gamux has been experimenting with. So, what has Gamux been up to? Founder Pascal Tinner is here to tell us all about it.
Flash Review: 25/26 ON3P Mango 102
The Mango 102 is the latest result of ON3P’s collaboration with Jake Mageau, and we’ve been testing in and out of the park. Here are our initial takeaways.
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 ON3P Mango 102
ON3P has updated all three freestyle skis within Jake Mageau’s promodel series. Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new ON3P Mango 102.
Amanda Thomson on How Noughty AF Wine is Achieving the Seemingly Impossible (Ep.92)
Eli sat down with Amanda Thomson, founder of Noughty AF, to discuss what makes Noughty “wine, just better”; the differences between the American and European markets; and some of the most challenging aspects of creating a product line that has come to define quality N/A wine.
Flash Review: Trek Fuel MX Gen 7
We’re rounding out Trek’s new Fuel trio by spending some time on the mixed-wheel, mid-travel Fuel MX. Here’s how it’s going so far.
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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Off-Grid eMTB Charging and Espresso w/ the DJI Power 2000
DJI’s Power 2000 battery bank can recharge your eMTBs, top off your battery-powered tools, fire up your Starlink internet, and prepare espresso shots in the middle of nowhere. Here’s our take on how well it works.
‘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.
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, 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!