BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
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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 Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide: eMTBs
Our Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide chapters on eMTBs are here, covering everything from quick-handling light-assist Trail bikes to full-power Enduro sleds.
The Future of Rampage & How to Fix It (Ep. 299)
With four helicopter evacuations, the 2025 Red Bull Rampage was one of the most injury-plagued Rampages ever. It’s been weighing heavily on our minds and left us questioning the safety of the event and what should be done.
Travel Coffee Gear, Hand Grinders, & Coffee Roasting with Calibration Coffee Lab’s Alex LeBlanc (Ep.87)
How do you make great coffee on the road? Jonathan talks with Alex LeBlanc of Calibration Coffee Lab about our recent attempts at this. Then, we discuss Alex’s own approach to roasting, and how to achieve things like consistency, versatility, and uniqueness in the process.
Scott Ransom
The Scott Ransom might look more like a hardtail eMTB than a full-suspension Enduro bike at first glance, but its wild hidden shock aesthetic belies surprisingly well-rounded on-trail performance.
Phil Casabon on ‘ORNADA,’ Armada’s New Team Film (Ep.57)
BDog, aka, Phil Casabon, is one of the most creative skiers to ever do it, and today, we talk with him about this banger of a film, ORNADA, the first team film put out by Armada in over a decade. Plus, in this conversation, Phil lays out his Top-5 movies & Top-5 ski films of all time.
WTB Peacekeeper Tires
WTB might not be the first name you think of in tires, but their new Peacekeeper tire presents a very strong case for itself as an especially high-performing XC/Trail tire. Check out our review to find out why we’re excited about WTB’s latest offering.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
2025-2026 K2 Alchemist
The K2 Alchemist is built for speed, but it holds up surprisingly well across a range of conditions — check out our Full Review to see why we think it could be just what some hard-charging riders have been looking for.
How Does a Small Craft Brand Break Out? SennzaFinne Shares Their BluePrint (Ep. 91)
In a spirits landscape full of massive brands and mega marketing budgets, what differentiates a craft producer? SennzaFinne, the Seattle based amaro producer founded by former bartenders, has found creative ways to make their mark.
Flash Review: Evil Offering
It’s been a quiet few years for Evil, but their new Offering has gotten a major overhaul, and the on-trail results are intriguing.
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.)