2021 was Blister’s busiest year ever for testing mountain bikes and gear, and there were some real standout products among that crop. So we rounded up a bunch of our reviewers to give a rundown of the highlights of the last year — including a bunch of bikes all over the travel spectrum, some suspension products, and tires, inserts, pants, and more. And since we’re so excited to build on all that momentum into 2022, we make some predictions for the year to come and talk about a bunch of the bikes and gear that we’re most excited to spend time on soon, too.

Gear of the Year, 2021 (Ep.99)

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2021 was Blister’s busiest year ever for testing mountain bikes and gear, and there were some real standout products among that crop. So we rounded up a bunch of our reviewers to give a rundown of the highlights of the last year, and we make some predictions for the year to come and talk about a bunch of the bikes and gear that we’re most excited to spend time on soon, too.
Noah Bodman reviews the Ion Rascal Amp for Blister

Ion Rascal Amp

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The Ion Rascal Amp doesn’t try to be the techiest, most gadget-laden shoe on the market. Instead, it tries to take a tried-and-true design and execute it well. So did Ion succeed?
Blister reviews the 2022 J Skis Masterblaster

Flash Review: 21/22 J Skis Masterblaster

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Update 1.4.22: With all the recent snow, we've been able to see how the new Masterblaster handles softer and steeper off-piste conditions, and have some more thoughts on the ski.

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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Blister Recommended Bike Shop — Over The Edge

Over The Edge

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Over The Edge has more than 25 years of experience as a core mountain bike shop, dedicated to serving their customers with top notch sales and service, as well as leading trail building efforts in their communities.

Deep Dive: Lange Ski Boots Brand Lineup, 21/22

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Second in our new Deep Dive series on ski boot lines is the 21/22 Lange ski boot collection, which includes everything from racing to free-touring boots, and we discuss all notable specs, features, most similar boots from other brands, and more. Become a Deep Dive subscriber or Blister Member to check it 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.

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.)

Michele Graglia has racked up a number of major victories in his career, including wins at the Badwater 135, Yukon Arctic Ultra, the Moab 240, and more. But in this Off The Couch conversation, we focus on some of Michele’s recent struggles, disappointments, and difficulties, and Michele talks about what he’s learned along the way — and what he’s still learning.

Michele Graglia on Success & Struggle (Ep.102)

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Michele Graglia has racked up a number of major victories in his career, including wins at the Badwater 135, Yukon Arctic Ultra, the Moab 240, and more. But in this conversation, we focus on some of Michele’s recent struggles, disappointments, and difficulties, and Michele talks about what he’s learned along the way — and what he’s still learning.
Kara Williard reviews the Head Kore 103 W for Blister

Flash Review: 21/22 Head Kore 103 W

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Here are some of our initial thoughts on the widest ski in the women's Head Kore series, including comparisons to the Nordica Santa Ana 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.

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.)

Guerrilla Gravity just celebrated their 10th anniversary, so on our latest episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with co-founders Will Montague and Matt Giaraffa to talk about what inspired them to start a bike company in the first place; going from aluminum single-pivot DH bikes to pioneering an entirely new way of making carbon fiber frames; weathering the Covid-19 pandemic; and doing all that while building every single frame in Denver, CO.

Guerrilla Gravity on 10 Years of US-Made Bikes (Ep.98)

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Guerrilla Gravity just celebrated their 10th anniversary, so we figured it was a good time to check in with co-founders Will Montague and Matt Giaraffa and get some stories from their first decade, hear what’s next for the not-so-little-anymore brand, get their predictions for the future of the bike industry, and a whole lot more.
Luke Koppa reviews the RMU North Shore YLE 110 for Blister

Flash Review: 21/22 RMU North Shore YLE 110

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Here are our initial impressions of RMU's big-mountain pow ski, including comparisons to the RMU Apostle 3.0 106 & Head Kore 111.

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: 21/22 Head Kore 111

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With all the snow here in Crested Butte, we've been spending more time on Head's new Kore ski. Check out Dylan Wood's 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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Eric Freson, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth review the 4FRNT Renegade for Blister

2021-2022 4FRNT Renegade

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We've now been able to get several reviewers on both lengths of 4FRNT / Eric Hjorleifson's pow ski. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Eric Freson, Luke Koppa, and Jonathan Ellsworth review the 4FRNT Renegade for Blister

Deep Dive: 4FRNT Renegade

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We compare the Renegade to the 4FRNT Inthayne, Moment Chipotle Banana, Folsom Rapture, Dynastar M-Free 118, DPS Foundation Koala 118, Volkl Revolt 121, K2 Reckoner 122, Atomic Bent Chetler 120, Kye Shapes Numinous, Line Pescado, Rossignol Blackops Gamer, and Line Outline.

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.)

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