BLISTER — Outdoor Gear Reviews, Podcasts, Buyer’s Guides, Giveaways

BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

Noah Bodman Blister mountain bike review on the Shimano ME5 Shoes

Shimano ME5 Clipless Shoes

Shimano’s ME5 isn’t just a less expensive version of the ME7, it’s a different shoe altogether. And depending on what you’re looking for, that’s actually a really good thing.

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Dylan Wood & Luke Koppa Blister mountain bike review on the Hustle Bike Labs Avery REMtech magnetic pedals

Hustle Avery REMTech Magnetic Clipless Pedals

Hustle’s Avery REMtech pedal is the latest take on a magnetic MTB pedal that aims to bring you the best of both the clipless and flat-pedal worlds. Two of our reviewers — one clipless fan, one flats fan — spent several months using the Avery to see where it shines, how it compares to traditional options, how much metal debris is actually on their local trails, and more. Check out their full review.

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David Golay Blister mountain bike review on the Cannondale Scalpel HT

2021 Cannondale Scalpel HT

The Cannondale Scalpel has been a full-suspension XC race bike for almost 20 years, but now there’s a hardtail version — and its geometry is pretty wild. Check out this new, ultra-progressive take on an XC race bike.

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On our latest GEAR:30 podcast, you’ll hear the tale of how a couple of friends who were scheming to get some gear for their own adventures ended up creating a phenomenal outdoor shop in the process. We talk to Trygve Sande and Rune Kvalsnes about the origins of Vertical Playground; their trip with Hoji where the idea of the 4FRNT Raven was born; some of their favorite gear; and more.

Shop Talk: Vertical Playground, Oppdal Norway (Ep.169)

Once upon a time, a couple of friends who were scheming to get some gear for their own adventures ended up creating a phenomenal outdoor shop. We talk to Trygve Sande and Rune Kvalsnes about the origins of Vertical Playground; their trip with Hoji where the idea of the 4FRNT Raven was born; some of their favorite gear; and more.

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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

Reynolds on the Environmental Footprint of Bike Manufacturing (Ep.131)

Reynolds on the Environmental Footprint of Bike Manufacturing (Ep.131)

We chatted with Reynolds about their new environmental impact study and what they learned about the emissions output from making bike frames. We also get into recycling & why some materials are better suited to it than others; how Reynolds hopes to be a blueprint for other brands to take studying their own output more seriously; and touch on everything from Spitfire airplanes to Roman swords and classic Jaguar race cars along the way.

David Golay reviews the 2023 RockShox ZEB for Blister

2023 RockShox ZEB

RockShox recently gave their longest-travel single-crown fork, the ZEB, a major overhaul, and the new fork is a big improvement in several key areas — without really compromising what the previous version already did very well. Check out our full review for the rundown, including how it compares to the Fox 38 and Öhlins RXF38.

Angel Collinson shares some of her thoughts on purpose, mindfulness, and leaning into 100% of life, not just the peak experiences.

The Other 99%

Kicking off our Open Mic series is Angel Collinson, who shares some of her thoughts on purpose, mindfulness, and leaning into 100% of life — not just the peak experiences.

Eric Freson reviews the LoamLab Counterpunch and Grips for Blister

LoamLab Components Grips and Counterpunch

A lot of mountain bikers have probably crashed by clipping a tree with the outside of their bar. LoamLab’s Counterpunch is meant to save folks from some of those crashes (and potential broken pinkies) with a subtle aluminum guard that replaces the outer clamp of a lock-on grip — and having gone and punched some trees with them, they work.

BLISTER — Outdoor Gear Reviews, Podcasts, Buyer’s Guides, Giveaways

Blister Brand Guide: Scarpa Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2022

Scarpa, often known for their mountaineering and skiing equipment, has turned out numerous trail running shoes over the past few years. In 2022, they’ve expanded their tidy lineup to include niche options for technical terrain, racing, road-to-trail, and more. Check out our Brand Guide to get the rundown on all of the different models from Scarpa this year.

On Blister's GEAR:30 podcast, Our resident ski reviewer, bike tester, boot fitter, and sustainable farmer, Kara Williard, is in the hot seat to cover everything from ski and bike gear preferences to scorpion-eating chickens; her stint as a Tall-Tee-clad park rat; whether goalie gloves smell worse than sweaty ski boots; and much more.

Reviewing the Reviewer: Kara Williard (Ep.209)

Our resident ski reviewer, bike tester, boot fitter, and sustainable farmer, Kara Williard, is in the hot seat to cover everything from ski and bike gear preferences to scorpion-eating chickens; her stint as a Tall-Tee-clad park rat; whether goalie gloves smell worse than sweaty ski boots; and much more.

David Golay reviews the Rocky Mountain Element for Blister

2022 Rocky Mountain Element

The Rocky Mountain Element has long been a traditional XC race bike, but the new one very much is not. It’s got a bunch more suspension travel and wildly more aggressive geometry than the bike it replaced, but still maintains a fair bit of XC influence, too. So how does that all add up, and who is it going to work best for?

BLISTER — Outdoor Gear Reviews, Podcasts, Buyer’s Guides, Giveaways

Trail Running Glossary of Terms: Shoe Anatomy

Trail running shoes come in all different shapes and sizes, and finding the appropriate pair to suit your needs can be difficult if you’re unfamiliar with the technical terms commonly used to describe them. So, in the first installment of our Trail Running Glossary of Terms, we’ll break down each of the features routinely found on trail shoes to help you get a better sense of what to look for.