BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ w/ Jonathan Ellsworth & Simon Stewart (Ep.40)
On June 10, 1982, ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ premiered in the USA. This Steven Spielberg film won multiple Oscars, became the most successful film of all time, and caused a huge spike in bike sales. So today, we revisit one of the most significant films in movie history.
Flash Review: Salsa Spearfish
Salsa has jumped right into the modern XC bike mix with the new Spearfish. Check out our Flash Review to see how we’re getting along with it after a few rides.
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Flash Review: 25/26 Salomon QST 106
We’re rounding out our Flash Reviews of the updated Salomon QST series with the longest-standing model, the QST 106 — check out our initial thoughts on how it compares to the prior-gen version and other QST models.
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2025-2026 Salomon QST 106
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for Salomon’s updated QST 106.
Blister Book Club: ‘Everest, Inc.’ w/ author, Will Cockrell (Ep.360)
Jonathan talks with Will Cockrell about his excellent book, Everest, Inc. They discuss the fascinating history of guiding on Everest, the evolution of that industry, and the broader topic of the ethics, principles, and parameters of guiding in general, anywhere.
TRP Evo Pro Brakes
TRP’s Evo Pro brakes take over from the popular DH-R Evo as their flagship gravity offering, and TRP says the new stoppers offer better ergonomics, more power, and greater adjustability. We’ve spent the last seven months putting those claims to the test. See how the Evo Pro brakes stack up.
Ski vs Bike Industry, Part 2: State of Shops; Gear Wins & Fails; & the Future of Each (Ep.350)
Today, we take a look at the state of ski shops vs bike shops; what each industry is doing to grow participation and engagement in their sport; gear wins and fails; and our reviewers weigh in on which industry has the brighter future.
Ibis Oso 1.1
The Ibis Oso 1.1 got a few construction tweaks and a smaller price tag, but it’s still a very unique-looking offering on the eMTB market. It comes with a unique ride, too, but one that should appeal quite a bit to the right buyer. Read on to find out who the Oso might be for.
Win Apparel From SPC/LST
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Sapien Quilted Crew, Omega E-Waist Active 5.5” Short, and Range Beanie from SPC/LST!
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, May 2025 (Ep. 277)
Mike and Simon discuss the exciting start to mountain bike World Cup DH racing, the fantastic Giro d’Italia, Christopher Blevins’ domination, Mathieu van der Poel’s rough day on a mountain bike, some good industry news, and a whole lot more.
2026 Orbea Occam SL & Occam LT
Orbea has updated the Occam SL and Occam LT Trail bikes, and while the changes aren’t massive, there are a couple of nice tweaks — including the option to forgo headset cable routing.
America’s Founding Spirit & the Most Important Distillery You’ve Never Heard Of (Ep.72)
Brandy doesn’t get the love that it deserves, given that it was America’s founding spirit, and no category has a bigger folk hero tied to it (Johnny Appleseed, anyone?). Today, we’re talking about all things brandy with Clear Creek Distillery.
Shimano XTR M9200 & M9220 Brakes
Alongside their new XTR Di2 drivetrain, Shimano also updated their longstanding and very popular XTR brakes, and we’ve been testing the Trail / Enduro version for the past few months. Here’s the design rundown on both of the new XTR stoppers, and our take on how the four-piston option has performed.
Shimano XTR M9200 Di2 Wireless Drivetrain & Wheels
Shimano’s long-awaited wireless XTR group is here. Here are all the details — and our long-term Full Review after spending several months with the new shifter, derailleur, cassette, cranks, and wheels.
Flash Review: Yeti MTe
We’ve been spending time on Yeti’s brand-new MTe, a mid-travel, light-assist eMTB that includes TQ’s new HPR60 drive system. Check out our initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
‘180° South: Conquerors of the Useless’ w/ Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.44)
What film has had the greatest impact on Blister’s managing editor, Luke Koppa? This one. It details the adventures, friendship, & philosophies of Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tomkins; it documents Jeff Johnson’s attempt to retrace their 1968 trip to Patagonia; & more.
Specialized Stumpjumper 15
The Specialized Stumpjumper might be the most recognizable mountain bike of all time, and it’s long been known for being especially versatile and adaptable. However, what that actually means has changed a lot over the decades, and Specialized made some interesting changes to the latest Stumpjumper 15. So, is it still worthy of its popularity? Check out our Full Review for our take.
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.
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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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.