BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Free Speech & Thoreau’s ‘Walking’ w/ Mountain Gazette’s Mike Rogge, Blister Book Club (Ep.375)
Jonathan & Mike Rogge offer some thoughts on the current state of free speech, then discuss Thoreau’s great essay, “Walking,” and the new Mountain Gazette anthology, ‘Print Ain’t Dead.’
Canyon Spectral:ONfly
We racked up the miles on two different builds of the Canyon Spectral:ONfly to find out how Canyon’s affordable take on the hot light-assist eMTB category measures up to the competition.
Deep Dive: Canyon Spectral:ONfly
We compare the Spectral:ONfly to the Norco Fluid VLT 130, Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Pivot Shuttle SL, and Pivot Shuttle SL/AM.
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The Company that Created an Industry: Alpacka Raft (Ep.361)
We see new brands pop up all the time, but what happens when your idea is so novel that it essentially births an entire sport and industry? That was the case when Thor Tingey started Alpacka Raft, and he shares all the details in this fascinating origin story.
Win Skis & Bindings from Armada
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a pair of Declivity 92 Ti or Reliance 92 Ti skis — plus a set of Strive 12 GW bindings — from Armada!
Deep Dive: Propain Tyee 6.1
We compare the Propain Tyee to the Kavenz VHP 16, Yeti SB165, Marin Alpine Trail, Santa Cruz Nomad 6, Pivot Firebird V5, Rocky Mountain Altitude, and Ibis HD6.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Propain Tyee 6.1
In an era where a lot of Enduro bikes are super-focused go-fast sleds, the Propain Tyee stands out from the pack — and will be just what some folks are looking for. Check out what sets it apart.
Big Race Results & Big News From Enve (Ep. 292)
We catch up with Enve’s Jake Pantone about their exciting plans to start making Mountain Bikes, winning the Tour de France and Red Bull Hardline, and the stress of having one of the greatest cyclists of all time riding their wheels.
Flash Review: DT Swiss Ratchet DEG DF Anti-Pedal Kickback Hub
DT’s Ratchet DEG DF pedal kickback / chain feedback mitigating freehub is impressively simple and super light, but how well does it work? We’ve got some early 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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DT Swiss Ratchet DEG DF Anti-Pedal Kickback Hub
DT Swiss has an ingeniously simple upgrade for their Ratchet DEG hubs, meant to mitigate pedal kickback — and it’s almost certainly the lightest such option out there. Check out their new Ratchet DEG DF freehub mechanism, and get our early on-trail impressions.
Debatable: Short on Time? Skip the eMTB, Go XC
eMountain Bikes are dominating sales, but reviewer Zack Henderson argues that your next ride actually ought to be an XC bike. Check out his argument, and let us know what you think.
Jonathan Gagné on Astrophysics, Coffee, & The Physics of Espresso (Ep.84)
Jonathan Gagné is producing some of the best work in the world in terms of increasing our understanding and appreciation of coffee. And we’re ecstatic to talk with him about his day job (astrophysics), boulders, dust, soup, crema, headspace, and more.
‘Girl Climber’ w/ Emily Harrington, Amie Engerbretson, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.52)
Amie & Jonathan talk with Emily Harrington about her fantastic new film, and go behind the scenes of her project to free-climb the Golden Gate route on Yosemite’s El Capitan in under 24 hours. This is a must-see movie, and this conversation makes it clear why.
Flash Review: Yeti LTe
We’ve been riding the new Yeti LTe for a few weeks now. Check out our Flash Review for our initial on-trail takeaways on this race-focused Enduro eMTB.
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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The Latest Attack on Public Lands — and What You Can Do to Stop It (Ep.374)
The Roadless Rule has had a major impact on the preservation of our public lands and wildlife, but it is currently set to be thrown out altogether. So today, we discuss how and why it was created; the current efforts to rescind it; and what that would mean for bikers, hikers, skiers, climbers, and other outdoor enthusiasts across the United States.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
‘Shredder’ w/ Jonathan Ellsworth & Justin Bobb (Ep.56)
In honor of Halloween, we are talking about Shredder. And this is one of the most important conversations we’ve ever had here at Blister, because we aren’t sure that anybody’s actually seen this film, and we are on a mission to change that.
Understanding Alaska & John McPhee’s ‘Coming into the Country’ w/ Paul Forward, Blister Book Club (Ep.380)
Alaska is very much in the news these days, and understanding more about it and the Arctic has never been more important. That’s why Paul and Jonathan are discussing John McPhee’s book, Coming Into the Country, since it’s arguably the best book ever written about Alaska.
SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission
SRAM’s T-Type groups have been extremely popular, but until recently were limited to expensive electronically-shifted versions. Is the new Eagle 90 mechanical version a worthy option? Here’s our take.
Best Skis of the Century from Each Brand, Part 3: Listener & Industry Selections (Ep.366)
In Part 3 of our series, Luke and Jonathan discuss some of the great answers from our BLISTER+ members and Digital Access Pass subscribers, as well as the selections from various ski designers, pro skiers, and folks from a few of our Blister Recommended Shops.
Flash Review: Öhlins TTX2 Air m.2
Öhlins has given their TTX Air shocks an overhaul, and here’s our early take on the updated TTX2 Air m.2.
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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Öhlins TTX Air m.2 Shocks
Öhlins has made a range of updates to their lineup this year, and we’ve started spending time on the new TTX2 Air m.2 shock. Check out what’s new, what isn’t, and get our early take on how the new TTX2 Air performs.
Debatable: Should Rampage Be Shut Down?
Like many of you, we have been thinking about and talking a lot about Red Bull Rampage over the past week. And given the number of athlete injuries — and the seriousness of some of those injuries — that occurred during practice sessions and during the competition, we ought to ask: has Rampage gone too far? Should it be shut down? Or modified? Or are injuries just a necessary part of what it takes to put on one of the most spectacular and truly mind-blowing sports events in the world?
Win Outerwear from Obermeyer
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the A.M.F. Jacket & Pant or the Skyward Jacket & Pant from Obermeyer!
Madrone Cycles on the Jab Derailleur & Going Head to Head w/ SRAM and Shimano (Ep.297)
Developing a high-end MTB derailleur is hard, and SRAM and Shimano have vast resources (not to mention decades of experience) to draw on. So why is a small Oregon-based brand throwing its hat into the ring?
‘LISTERS: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching’ w/ Luke Koppa, Jonathan Ellsworth, & Eli Brown (Ep.55)
‘LISTERS: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching’ is the hilarious — and surprisingly heartfelt — documentary you didn’t know you needed in your life. But you do. And today, Luke, Eli, and I make an impassioned case for why you do.
Trickstuff Maxima Brakes
Trickstuff’s brakes have long been the stuff of legend — and legendarily hard to come by, even if you’re willing to throw down their steep asking price. But now they’re becoming more widely distributed and more readily available under DT Swiss’ ownership, and we’ve put a massive amount of vert on their flagship Maxima gravity brake to see how it stacks up.
Hashing Things Out: Lincoln Knowles, Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.379)
Cody and Jonathan have been talking about Lincoln Knowles, the climber, free soloist, and content creator who has been making waves in the climbing world. And today, Lincoln joins them to hash things out and discuss some big topics that have implications for the entire outdoor industry.