BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
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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.
Can We Future-Proof Public Lands? Working Together & the GORP Act (Ep.382)
How do you get everyone from cattle ranchers to cyclists, snowmobilers, hunters, wildlife biologists, indigenous tribes, and politicians from both sides of the aisle to agree on protecting public lands? The GORP Act took on this challenge, and its collaborative approach could serve as a blueprint for the future.
Propain Hugene 3 CF
Propain’s third-generation Hugene has less travel than the prior one, but its performance is a reminder that geometry matters at least as much as travel numbers. Check out how the Propain Hugene 3 CF stacks up as a unique take on a modern short-travel Trail bike.
Deep Dive: Propain Hugene 3
We compare the Propain Hugene 3 CF to the Propain Hugene 2, Revel Rascal V2, Kona Process 134, Rocky Mountain Instinct, Trek Top Fuel, Transition Smuggler, Pivot Trailcat LT, Chromag Reazon, Canyon Spectral 125, Knolly Fugitive 140, Forbidden Druid, and Norco Optic.
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.)
Win OpenSnow Premium Weather Forecasting
The three winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a 1-year OpenSnow Premium subscription!
Best Skis of the Century, Part 4 (Ep.368)
What are the Top 10 skis of the century? Top 3? #1 Ski? Today, Blister reviewer, Paul Forward, reveals his very personal picks, plus we share a story from the Blister archives that involves New Zealand farmers and helicopters.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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!
Reviewer Reports: Early-Season Testing & Luke’s Dumbest Moment on Skis (Ep.372)
We’re back on snow and testing ski gear! So Jonathan and Luke cover several of the standout products they’ve been on so far; Luke confesses to one of the dumbest things he’s ever done on skis; they discuss underappreciated upsides of early-season skiing; and more.
FSA KFX i28 Wheels
FSA’s KFX i28 wheels were developed on the World Cup XC circuit, but we’ve found their appeal to extend well beyond pure XC racing. Check out our Full Review for more on why we think a lot of folks should consider the KFX i28 wheels.
Pivot Shuttle SL/AM
Has Pivot’s Shuttle SL/AM combined the best qualities of the Shuttle SL and AM to create an eMTB that’s better than both of them?
Deep Dive: Pivot Shuttle SL/AM
We compare the Pivot Shuttle SL/AM to the Pivot Shuttle SL, Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL, Canyon Spectral:ONfly, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Mondraker Dune XR, Yeti MTe, and Propain Sresh SL
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.)
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino & Simon Stewart (Ep. 303)
Mike and Simon give an update on the exciting Cyclocross season so far, followed by some troubling recalls in the bike industry, a few interesting new products, and a whole lot more.