BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2023 Manitou Dorado
There aren’t many inverted forks left on the market, so how does one of the most famous holdouts — the Manitou Dorado — stack up against its more conventional competitors? We’ve spent a lot of time on both the Expert and Pro versions, and are ready to weigh in.
Abby Hall on Desert Chronicles, UFO Encounters, & Going All In (Ep.155)
We talked to adidas TERREX pro, Abby Hall, about how some of the major life changes she’s made since the last time she appeared on the show back in 2020 have helped fuel her recent success on the international racing scene; the role creativity plays in her life; UFO encounters; and much more.
BLISTER+: Real-World Testimonials — David Golay
A catastrophic knee injury in 2019 cost David not only most of a mountain biking season, but also a pile of money. BLISTER+ would have saved him close to $10,000 and very likely meant that he got better physical therapy to help with the recovery.
Tales of Sailing, Skiing, & “Going Greenland” with Jess Baker & Rachael Burks (Ep.244)
We talk to Jess Baker and Rachael Burks about sailing, skiing, and what happens when you combine a renewable energy sailboat with an arctic ski expedition in Greenland for the first time ever.
Flash Review: 22/23 Fischer Ranger 108
We’ve been skiing the new Fischer Ranger 108 this season after first getting a taste at the 2022 Blister Summit. 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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Shop Talk: Powder7 + ‘Crashes & Close Calls’ (Ep.231)
Jonathan talks shop life, gear, the price of single-day lift passes, and more with Alex and Matt from Powder7 in Golden, Colorado. Then Blister bike editor, David Golay, jumps on to tell his “Crashes & Close Calls” story.
Win Any HEAD Kore Ski
The winner of this week’s Gear Giveaway will get to pick any Kore ski from HEAD’s expansive lineup!
2022-2023 Volkl Mantra 102
We’ve now had a handful of reviewers on the updated Volkl Mantra 102. Check out our full review of this updated all-mountain ski and how it compares to the first iteration.
Deep Dive: Volkl Mantra 102
We compare the updated Mantra 102 to the original Volkl Mantra 102, Volkl M6 Mantra, Volkl Katana 108, Blizzard Cochise 106, Salomon Stance 102, Folsom Blister Pro 104, Blizzard Bonafide 97, Nordica Enforcer 100, J Skis Masterblaster, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Wagner Summit 97, Fischer Ranger 102, Salomon Stance 96, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Line Blade Optic 96, Moment Commander 98, Renoun Endurance 98, Faction Dancer 2, Atomic Maverick 100 Ti, Dynastar M-Pro 99, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Salomon QST 98, 4FRNT MSP 99, Head Kore 99, & Rossignol Sender 106 Ti+.
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: 22/23 Folsom Cash 106
We’ve been spending time on two versions of Folsom’s Cash 106 shape — check out our initial on-snow impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review — Starling Murmur V3
In a world of carbon fiber multi-link bikes, the steel single-pivot Starling Murmur might seem like a bit of a throwback. But after our first few rides on the Murmur, it’s shaping up to be a lot of fun — and a compelling option for the right folks.
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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Gamux on Doing Everything Differently (Ep.152)
The Gamux Sego is about as visually striking as bikes get, and the story of its development and the brand that spawned it is every bit as interesting. And so we sat down with founder Pascal Tinner to get the whole story.
2022-2023 Salomon QST Stella 106
This season the women’s QST Stella 106 got the same update seen previously on the unisex version, and the results have been similarly impressive. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons to see where it slots into the women’s all-mountain category.
Deep Dive: Salomon QST Stella 106
We compare the QST Stella 106 to the Armada ARW 106 UL, Blizzard Sheeva 10, Blizzard Sheeva 11, Faction Dancer 3X, Fischer Ranger 102, K2 Mindbender 106C, Line Blade Optic 104, Majesty Vadera Ti, Nordica Santa Ana 104 Free, ZAG Slap 104, Head Kore 103 W, & Volkl Secret 102.
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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Nnormal Tomir
Even though Nnormal is just a few models old, any product with mountain runner Kilian Jornet’s fingerprints on it deserves to be met with high expectations. After spending some time in the Tomir, the brand’s handsomely cushioned, wider-fitting, do-it-all trail trainer, we think the shoe is well on its way to exceeding them. Check out our full review to learn more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Endura MT500 MIPS Helmet
We have been spending the last several months in Endura’s updated MT500 MIPS helmet and have been impressed by its comfort and versatility. Check out our full review to learn more about this high-end Trail helmet.
Deep Dives w/ Angel, July 2023 (Ep.269)
Angel Collinson is back to talk about her recent reunion with Sage Cattabriga-Alosa & Ian McIntosh, then she & Jonathan dive deep into some crucial relationship dynamics; vampire erotica; your ‘Ask Angel’ questions; our Open Mic Series; & more.
Flash Review — Vitus Escarpe
The Vitus Escarpe is a great value and looks well sorted on paper, but does it all come together on the trail? We’ve started spending time on one to find out — 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.
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SCARPA CEO, Kim Miller, on Their ‘Green Manifesto’ & B Corp Status (Ep.254)
Kim Miller, Scarpa North America’s CEO, is back on GEAR:30 to discuss Scarpa’s Green Manifesto and their pathway to B Corp certification, plus we talk about the life cycle of certain products; some of Scarpa’s gear that exemplifies this commitment to sustainability; what some of the challenges and takeaways have been; and much more.
Win MTB Shoes from Ride Concepts
The TWO winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the new men’s or women’s Accomplice or Accomplice Clip shoes from Ride Concepts!
Gear of the Year (So Far) (Ep.178)
We’ve been testing a huge range of bikes and gear this summer, so we sat down to chat about some of the things that have impressed us most so far, including bikes across the travel spectrum, SRAM’s new GX Transmission, and a whole lot more.
Assessing Greatness: The Art & Craft of Tennis, Great Sports Writing, & Top 5 Lists (Ep.31)
Today’s conversation explores the broader question of how to assess greatness? To get there, Jonathan and Troy Russ discuss the art & craft of tennis (and whether it is the greatest of all sports?); the art & craft of great sports writing (and whether David Foster Wallace’s essay, Roger Federer as Religious Experience is the pinnacle of the form). Then we discuss Troy’s Top 5 all-time tennis players, which serves to help us assess greatness in any sport.
Five Ten Kestrel Boa
Five Ten cut its teeth in the bike world by making gravity-oriented shoes, and they’re still best known for those offerings. But the new Kestrel Boa is a much more XC-oriented shoe than we’ve seen from Five Ten before, and it’s meant to add a little bit of their gravity shoe know-how to an XC shoe form factor.
Flash Review — SRAM GX Eagle Transmission
We’ve been spending time on the new SRAM GX Transmission. Check out our impressions 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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SRAM GX Transmission & Bronze Stealth Brakes
SRAM’s new T-Type groupsets launched just a few months ago with high-end XX SL, XX, and X0 tiers, and now there’s a new, more affordable GX version. While the high-level details closely mirror those of the higher-end variants, SRAM has done a lot more than just make a less-expensive, heavier version of the Transmission. Check out our First Look for all the details.
OpenSnow’s Joel Gratz on Smoke Forecasting, Wildfire Tracking, Common Mistakes, & Best Practices for Adventuring Outdoors (Ep.268)
Before you head out to bike, hike, run, camp, or climb, wildfire, lightning, and smoke exposure are factors that need to be well understood. OpenSnow founder and meteorologist, Joel Gratz explains the science of smoke forecasting and wildfire tracking, and shares some of the most common mistakes and best practices for adventuring outdoors.
23/24 WNDR Alpine Skis & Snowboards | Blister Summit 2023 Brand Lineup Video
At Blister Summit 2023, we sat down with WNDR Alpine founder, Matt Sterbenz, to get a state of the union on the brand and discuss their 2023-2024 ski and snowboard lineup. We cover the brand-new Nocturne 88 skis; Shepherd snowboard and splitboard; revised Vital 98; the evolution of their “Algal Tech” and “Spiral Made” construction techniques; and much more.