BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Ministry Cycles on Suspension Design, Machining Frames, & Launching a Bike Company (Ep.157)
Chris Currie has taken a long, winding road to founding Ministry Cycles, and the bike he’s launching with, the Psalm 150, is every bit as interesting. So we sat down with Chris to get the whole story.
2023-2024 Salomon QST Echo 106
Salomon just announced a new QST ski, and the QST Echo 106 might look familiar to keen-eyed viewers of Cody Townsend’s Fifty Project. Check out our First Look of the QST Echo 106 for more info on this new touring ski.
Jeff Pelletier on Adventure Filmmaking, Storytelling Through Trail Running, & ‘Racing Georgia’ (Ep.159)
We recently sat down with adventure filmmaker, Jeff Pelletier, to talk about what makes ultra-distance trail running the perfect subject for visual storytelling; the challenges that filming POV-style videos add to running ultramarathons; his new series, ‘Racing Georgia’; and much more.
Blister Summit 2023 Recap & Photo Story: Day 1
Blister Summit 2023 is off to a great start! Check out the photos, stories, and recaps from the first day.
Drew Petersen on Skiing with College Kids, Mtn Towns & Mental Health, & More (Ep.247)
Jonathan sits down with Drew Petersen in Blister HQ to talk about skiing with Western Colorado University’s freeride team, and to dive deeper into certain topics around mountain towns and mental health that Drew explores in his film (that you can watch on YouTube), Ups & Downs.
Flash Review: 23/24 Rossignol Sender Free 110
We’ve had several reviewers spending time on two different lengths of the new Sender Free 110 — check out their thoughts so far.
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Win Any Blizzard Rustler or Sheeva Ski
The winner of this week’s gear giveaway can pick any new Rustler or Sheeva ski from Blizzard!
2022-2023 WOVN Kingfisher 120
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the WOVN Kingfisher 120.
Flash Review: 22/23 Dynastar M-Pro 108
This season Dynastar updated one of their longest-standing and most “legendary” skis — here are our initial thoughts on the new M-Pro 108.
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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Neko Mulally’s World Cup DH Bike Development (Ep.156)
When we last caught up with Neko Mulally he had just launched his Frameworks self-designed World Cup DH race bike project, and now a year later, he’s learned a whole lot — and changed a lot of the frame design details along the way. So we sat back down to get the whole story.
2023 Santa Cruz Nomad
The newly mulleted Santa Cruz Nomad is pretty different from the bike that it replaced, but it’s still the more playful, less-demanding Enduro bike in Santa Cruz’s lineup — and it’s excellent.
Jeremy Jones: The Art of Shralpinism
In our latest installment of Open Mic, we are publishing the opening pages of Jeremy Jones’ book, The Art of Shralpinism, with an introduction by Jonathan Ellsworth that focuses on the artistry of the book itself.
2022-2023 Majesty Dirty Bear XL
This season Majesty opted to take a longstanding ski in their lineup and split it into two different models — check out our full review for more on the new, 105mm-wide Dirty Bear XL.
Deep Dive: Majesty Dirty Bear XL
We compare the Dirty Bear XL to the Black Crows Atris, Line Sir Francis Bacon, Salomon QST 106, K2 Reckoner 102, J Skis Hotshot, 4FRNT Devastator, Moment Deathwish 104, Elan Ripstick 104, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, Whitedot Altum 104, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Line Blade Optic 104, 4FRNT MSP 107, Sego Big Horn 106, Armada ARW 106 UL, Black Crows Camox, Volkl Revolt 104, Blizzard Rustler 10, DPS Koala 103, RMU Apostle 106, & ZAG Slap 104.
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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In Search of the ‘Best’ Coffee Gear (& Ski Boots), Pt. 2 (Ep.20)
Sam Higby, co-owner of First Ascent Coffee Roasters, joins Jonathan to talk pour overs, grinders, brewing at altitude, programmability, and more. Listen up, then let us know what your pick is for the best coffee-making setup out there.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Lone Pine Gear Exchange
Lone Pine Gear Exchange is far from your average ski shop – In addition to their extensive collection of new gear, they have a large consignment program, a gear repair program, a commitment to sustainability, plus a knowledgeable staff and full-service ski and snowboard shop.
Reviewer Reports: Chromag Darco, Pivot Shuttle AM, Commencal Supreme, & More (Ep.183)
The gang is back together to give a rundown on a bunch of the bikes we’ve been testing, from short-travel steel full-suspension ones to a bunch of mid-travel eMTBs and full-on DH race bikes.
2024 RockShox Vivid
The RockShox Vivid had taken a hiatus from the market but now it’s back as RockShox’s biggest, most gravity-oriented air shock — with a bunch of interesting new features.
Michele Graglia on the Tahoe 200, Walking Away from Racing, & Next Steps (Ep.179)
At the Tahoe 200, Michele Graglia found himself in first place with an hour lead. Then he decided to stop running. So today we discuss why the former winner of the Moab 240 and Badwater 135 decided to do that; why, shortly thereafter, he announced he would be walking away from racing; and what’s next.
Deep Dives with Angel, August 2023 (Ep.273)
Angel Collinson and Jonathan discuss jealousy; imposter syndrome; her Open Mic piece on “steeping”; and more of your ‘Ask Angel’ questions.
Flash Review — Chromag Darco
Update: after making some tweaks to Chromag’s aggressive short-travel Trail bike, the Darco, it’s shaping up to be one of the more interesting bikes we’ve spent time on this year. Check out what changes we’ve made and what makes the Darco stand out.
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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Outside Sports
Outside Sports is a premier ski, bike, and outdoor retailer with multiple locations in the Southern Lakes region in the South Island of New Zealand, and they have all your outdoor gear needs covered no matter the season.
Win a Summer Stash Prize Pack from BCA
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a Stash 20L or 30L backpack and BC Link 1.0 radio from BCA — plus tons of gear to put in them!
G3’s Recyclable R3 Skis & Boards with G3 Founder, Oliver Steffen (Ep.258)
We talk with Oliver Steffen, founder and president of G3, about their new line of “R3” ski and snowboards, which G3 says are 100% recyclable. We discuss how they accomplished this; the recycling process; how it can be more widely applied to the outdoor industry; why Oliver’s passion for innovation and problem-solving led him down this path, and more.
Knee Pad Roundup — 2023
We’ve been testing a ton of mountain bike knee pads, and our updated 2023 roundup includes 19 different options — from super lightweight, breathable options to burly, DH-ready ones.
Story Time With Ryan “R-Dog” Howard (Ep.182)
Ryan “R-Dog” Howard is one of the most stylish mountain bikers of all time, and it turns out he’s quite the storyteller, too. We sat down with Ryan to chat about everything from his four appearances at Red Bull Rampage; his absurd new “company vehicle;” and what Ryan describes as “the best trip of his life — even though it ended with a broken leg; and a whole lot more.
Flash Review — Commencal Supreme V5
We’ve started spending time on Commencal’s latest iteration of the Supreme DH race bike. Check out our early 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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(If you’re already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)