BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Deep Dive: Specialized Stumpjumper 15
We compare the Specialized Stumpjumper 15 to the previous Stumpjumper EVO, Santa Cruz Hightower 4, Ibis Ripmo V3, Santa Cruz Bronson 5, Yeti SB140, Cannondale Habit, Spot Mayhem 140, Transition Sentinel V3, Kona Process 153, and Norco Sight.
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OneUp Components Clip Pedals
OneUp’s flat pedals have been extremely popular for quite some time now, so does their first clipless offering — the creatively named Clip Pedal — deserve similar acclaim? Here’s our take.
Public Lands Update, More Peak Skis News, & New Gear We’re Reviewing (Ep.354)
Luke and Jonathan discuss the latest with respect to public lands and the revisions to the reconciliation bill; share more news about Peak Skis; and preview some new gear they’re going to be talking about and testing in the very near future.
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, June 2025 (Ep. 281)
Mike and Simon discuss the GOP’s withdrawal of the proposal to sell millions of acres of public lands, the merger of Industry Nine and We Are One Composites, lots of bike racing news, some Tour de France predictions, and more.
High Above Supernatural Vest Pack
High Above is primarily known for their US-made hip packs, so does their first vest pack, the Supernatural, hit the mark for folks who want more carry capacity? Our Full Review has our thoughts after a few months of heavy use.
Fermentation, the Key to Most of the Things You Love w/ Nile Zacherle, Eli Brown, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.76)
Many of us love (and love talking about) coffee, wine, or beer, but few of us go around professing our love of fermentation. But after this conversation with Nile Zacherle, Eli Brown, and Jonathan Ellsworth, you’ll see why you should.
Flash Review: Salsa Blackthorn 145 C
Update 7.2.25: We have another reviewer spending time on the new Salsa Blackthorn 145 C, so check out our updated Flash Review for some more 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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‘Ski Party’ w/ Amie Engerbretson & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.43)
Today we are talking about a film that just celebrated its 60th anniversary: ’Ski Party’ came out on June 30, 1965; it stars a couple major actors and singers; and when we recently learned of its existence, we immediately knew who we needed to recruit to discuss: Amie Engerbretson.
Training for Outdoor Sports & the Current State of PT w/ Dr. Stephen Burkert (Ep.363)
Today, we are talking about training and outdoor-sports performance with Dr. Steve Burkert of Snow Beast Performance. We discuss best practices for training, the most common summer injuries, and some alarming trends in the physical therapy world that we all need to understand.
Outlier Void and Pendulum Pedals
Outlier’s Void and Pendulum pedals don’t look like anything else out there, so is their performance similarly quirky, just plain good, or somewhere in between? We’ve had multiple reviewers spend a lot of time on both versions and are ready to weigh in.
Stuff We Like: June 2025
In this edition of ‘Stuff We Like,’ our reviewers discuss a bunch of products that have stood out recently — from MTB tires that are dang near perfect for current conditions to a paper-airplane kit loved by kids and adults alike, classic summer apparel, and more.
Our Thoughts on Peak Skis & What Needs to Happen Next (Ep.353)
Jonathan lays out his thoughts about the Peak Skis debacle, Luke Koppa offers his perspective too, and we discuss what we think needs to happen going forward.
Win Apparel From Fjällräven
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the men’s or women’s Hoja Wool Tee, Hoja Hybrid Shorts, and Rider’s Wind Jacket from Fjällräven!
Flash Review: EXT Vecta
EXT has historically made very high-end suspension, and while their new Vecta coil shock isn’t cheap, it’s a lot more affordable than EXT’s other offerings. But how does it perform? We’ve got some initial thoughts.
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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Update: Revised Public Land Sale Still a Terrible Idea
The Senate is still trying to sell more than a million acres of our public lands, and their revised proposal is still insultingly disingenuous — both to those who enjoy the outdoors and those seeking affordable housing. Here’s the latest, and why voicing your opinion is so urgent and important.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Our New Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide (Ep.285)
We just published the first chapter of our new Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide, so we sat down to talk about what’s in it; how it’s structured & why; what makes it different — and better — than other buyer’s guides; and wrap with a guessing game about each other’s bike preferences.
Flash Review: Propain Hugene 3 CF
The variety of ride traits across mid-travel Trail bikes is wider than ever, so where does the new Propain Hugene slot in? We’ve got some thoughts after about a month on board the updated Hugene 3.
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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OUR GUY WON! Celebrating CRAFTED co-host, Eli Brown, on His Grant Award + What’s Next for His Project (Ep.79)
On CRAFTED ep. 75, we told you about the proposal Eli submitted re: N/A cocktails. Well, Eli won the very competitive ‘Raise the Bar’ grant, so Jonathan talks with him about why this is a big deal, and Eli shares more details about his project. Congrats, Eli!
RockShox Vivid Coil
The coil shock market is loaded with great options, but the RockShox Vivid Coil stands out for merging easy setup with ample adjustability — and distinct on-trail performance. Our Full Review unpacks our thoughts after six months with RockShox’s flagship coil shock.
Stuff We Like: July 2025
In this edition of ‘Stuff We Like,’ our reviewers discuss some new hiking / trekking boots, ultralight sleeping pads, impressive everyday apparel, portable bike ramps, and more. Check it out to see which products have been standing out this month.
‘Quicksilver’ w/ Steve Smith & Simon Stewart (Ep.47)
Former San Francisco bike messenger Steve Smith joins Blister senior editor, Simon Stewart, to talk about this film starring a young Kevin Bacon. The lads dive right into why the film had a memorable bike influence on them, how realistic it is, and what the hell Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon is all about.
Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide
It’s here! Our new Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide, comparing the many current bikes we’ve reviewed, in a more digestible format than ever before. First up: All-Mountain bikes.
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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Kona Hei Hei 10
The latest Kona Hei Hei strikes a balance between XC climbing efficiency and trail-ready descending capability. After months of testing, we break down its fit, climbing and descending performance, and how it stacks up against XC race bikes and shorter-travel Trail bikes alike. You’ll also read why we think this is a great do-it-all short-travel MTB for riders who love to climb fast but don’t shy away from technical descents.
Deep Dive: Kona Hei Hei 10
We compare the Kona Hei Hei 10 to the Yeti SB120, Revel Ranger, Cannondale Scalpel, Yeti ASR, Commencal T.E.M.P.O, Niner JET 9 RDO, Cannondale Habit, Pivot Trailcat SL, SCOR 2030, Specialized Epic Evo, and Trek Top Fuel.
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.)
Rebecca Rusch on Battling Back, Switching Gears, Mtn Biking vs Gravel Biking, & More (Ep.367)
What happens when you go from being so tenacious that you earn the name, ‘the Queen of Pain’ to struggling just to get off the couch? Today, Rebecca Rusch shares the story of her journey, and it’s a journey that every single one of us will relate to, and all of us need to hear.
Big News & Updates: Our New Mtn Bike Buyer’s Guide; Our Winter Buyer’s Guide; & the State of Buyer’s Guides in 2025 (Ep.357)
We’re releasing our first-ever Blister Mountain Bike Guide, and we’re doing it in a way that we don’t think has ever been done in the bike (or ski) world. We’re also talking about the state of buyer’s guides in 2025, and you’ll get the latest updates on our 25/26 Winter Buyer’s Guide.
Win Titan Straps
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a bunch of Titan’s multifunctional straps — 2 of each length of Utility Straps, 2 of each length of Industrial Straps, and 4 of each length of Mini Straps for a total of 28 Titan Straps!