Structure Cycleworks founder, Loni Hull, goes on Blister's Bikes & Big Ideas Podcast to discuss his brand, linkage forks, suspension designs, & much more

The Strangest Bike? Structure Cycleworks founder, Loni Hull (Ep.38)

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Structure Cycleworks arguably makes the coolest bikes out there — or the ugliest bikes out there. So we talked to their founder, Loni Hull, about why he introduced a front-linkage suspension design; why rear-linkage designs are everywhere, while front-linkage designs are utterly uncommon; and the pros and cons of bringing such an unorthodox bike to market. So whether you are a true bike dork or you just appreciate outside-the-box thinking and design, consider this a ‘Must-Listen.’
Gordon Gianniny reviews the La Sportiva Lycan II for Blister

La Sportiva Lycan II

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The original La Sportiva Lycan was designed to be a softer, wider, and more cushioned shoe for mellow, smooth trails. But with the new Lycan II, they went in a very different direction, positioning it as a mid-distance shoe for “rocky and highly technical terrain.” So how do the two versions compare, and why should you opt for the Lycan II over Sportiva’s numerous other “mountain running” shoes?
David Golay reviews the Privateer 141 for Blister

2021 Privateer 141

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Today Privateer launched their second bike, the 141, which maintains much of the modern geometry, sensible design, and very competitive price point of their Enduro-oriented 161 bike, but packages it into a shorter-travel, more versatile design for the masses. The result seems very compelling — check out our First Look for more.
Jonathan Ellsworth, Ben Sims, & Luke Koppa discuss on Blister's Bikes & Big Ideas podcast evolving mountain bike geometry, its future, the new 2021 Trek Slash, 2020 Pivot Switchblade, & Rocky Mountain Instinct BC

Evolving Bike Geometry & the New Trek Slash (Ep.37)

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Today, Trek officially released an update of their enduro-focused Slash, so we offer our initial impressions of the new bike and ask what this big new release might be able to tell us about where we are in terms of the evolution of bike geometry. To this end, we also talk about a couple other examples, including the Pivot Switchblade and the Rocky Mountain Instinct BC.
Maddie Hart reviews the Salomon Sense Ride 3 for Blister

Salomon Sense Ride 3

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Now in its 3rd iteration, the Salomon Sense Ride is a shoe that stands out not because it's exceptional at one particular thing, but because of how well it performs across such a wide spectrum of trails and distances. Check out our full review.
Kelly Roberts goes on Blister's Off The Couch podcast to discuss how to start running, how to keep running, the Bad Ass Lady Gang, & More

Kelly Roberts on How to Start Running, Keep Running, & Her Badass Lady Gang (Ep.65)

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Ever feel like you aren’t — or couldn’t ever possibly be — a “real” runner? Most of us have, which is why most of us need to meet Kelly Roberts. Kelly is good at making us feel fine about the fact that we sometimes hate running. And she’s equally good at helping us continue to run — or walk, or bike, or just keep moving. So we talk to Kelly about her moving (and hilarious) entrance into running; her Badass Lady Gang; angel ghosts; and more.
Heli-Guide, Doctor, Hunter, & Blister Reviewer, Paul Forward, goes on the Blister Podcast to discuss hunting in Alaska, conservation, climate change, the Alaskan Pebble Mine, being a vegetarian hunter, & more

Paul Forward on Hunting, Climate Advocacy, & Conservation (Ep.141)

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Blister reviewer, Paul Forward, is a lifelong hunter. Jonathan Ellsworth has been a vegetarian for over 20 years. So how much common ground do they share? We discuss that plus Paul’s latest solo hunt; why he only hunts with a bow; what the broader hunting community might learn from skiers & mtn bikers in terms of climate advocacy; and what skiers & mtn bikers could stand to learn from the hunting community about conservation.
Outdoor Research Essential Facemask

What Makes a Face Mask More or Less Effective? (Ep.112)

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Not all bikes or skis are equally good at all things — and the same goes for protective face masks. So we talked with Alex Lauver and Kat Schoewe of Outdoor Research about what type of masks are the most & least effective; how Outdoor Research’s work on medical-grade PPE has influenced their commercially available Essential Face Mask; we make some predictions about the upcoming ski season; and more.
Luke Koppa reviews the Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender for Blister in Crested Butte, Colorado.

2021-2022 Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender

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The new Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender fills an interesting role. It essentially serves as a replacement for the exceptionally popular Soul 7, it’s also positioned as the easier alternative to the new BLACKOPS Sender Ti, and now we’re chiming in on how it compares to both of those skis, and who we think will like it the most. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Luke Koppa reviews the Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender for Blister in Crested Butte, Colorado.

Deep Dive: Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender

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We compare the BLACKOPS Sender to the BLACKOPS Sender Ti, Rossignol Soul 7, Line Sick Day 104, Liberty Origin 106, Head Kore 105, Salomon QST 106, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Nordica Enforcer 100, Fischer Ranger 99 Ti, Blizzard Rustler 10, Volkl Mantra 102, 4FRNT MSP 99, Kastle FX106 HP, & Icelantic Nomad 105.

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Noah Bodman reviews the 2021 Fox Float X2 shock for Blister

2021 Fox Float X2 Shock

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The Float X2 is Fox's most downhill-oriented air shock, and they made a lot of changes to it for 2021. Do those changes actually make a difference? We'd say yes, and also think they make it one of the standout air-shocks on the market today — whether you're racing DH or just want better downhill performance out of your Trail bike.
Gordon Gianniny reviews the La Sportiva Jackal for Blister

La Sportiva Jackal

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La Sportiva has become known for making rugged, stable shoes for running in mountainous terrain. But with their new Jackal, they're targeting runners who want all-day comfort for longer outings, and we think they've done a good job of accomplishing that goal.
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