BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Flash Review: 2022 Norco Range
The 2022 Norco Range gets a new high-pivot layout, and the results are eye-opening. Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions.
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What We’re Watching — October 2021
Our recurring What We’re Watching series is back, and we’ve got a dozen skiing, biking, and fishing videos for your enjoyment. There’s everything from quick shredits to some longer options, and a bit of recent event coverage, too.
The Pro’s Gear: McKenna Peterson (Ep.166)
We sat down with one of the stars of Matchstick Productions’ new film, The Stomping Grounds, to discuss her personal gear preferences; what ski equipment she’d most like to see get made; the topic of women-specific gear; the best ways to get more women involved in skiing; and more.
Win an Outerwear Kit from Outdoor Research
Enter for a chance to win OR’s Skytour Ascentshell Jacket & Bibs!
Olivia Amber: from XC Skiing to the Tech World to Mountain Running (Ep.97)
Olivia Amber grew up in rural Wisconsin; headed off to Maine (where she became an all-American XC skier); found her way into the tech world of San Francisco; then started getting into ultra running. Now, Olivia is a Salomon athlete who is also juggling a career in tech. We talk about all of the above, plus coffee; sleeping / not sleeping; her current & future interests in running; and more.
Vali Höll, New World Cup DH Overall Champion (Ep.86)
Matt Manser (of GEAR:30 fame) and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to the very impressive (and very candid) Vali Höll about her remarkable season; race tactics; racing styles; Greg Minnaar & whether she can imagine still racing in 20 years; and more.
2022 Trek Top Fuel
The Top Fuel has been in Trek’s lineup for nearly 20 years now, but they’ve just overhauled it and the 2022 model is a very different beast. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Women’s Mountain Bike Short Roundup — 2021, Part 2
We’re back with another roundup of women’s mountain bike shorts, this time with six options from Dakine, Club Ride, 7mesh, Machines For Freedom, Wild Rye, and Flylow.
Rudy Project Crossway Helmet
Rudy Project’s Crossway Helmet is a lightweight, well-ventilated option for XC and Trail riding. Check out our review to see how it compares to the competition, and if it’d make sense for you.
Just Announced: 21/22 is Final Season for Full Tilt
Today it was announced that the Full Tilt name and brand will be no more, starting in 22/23.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Sep 2021) (Ep.184)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the NFL(?); the massive increase in Epic Pass sales; the name change to “Palisades Tahoe”; whether you should shower; some of our all-time favorite TV characters; and more.
2022 Commencal Meta SX
Commencal’s Meta line has grown a mullet — check out our First Look for more info on the brand-new, mixed-wheel Meta SX.
Debatable: You Don’t Need a Big Quiver of Bikes
Having a huge quiver of mountain bikes sounds exciting, but maybe isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Our Bike Editor would rather have the right couple bikes than a massive assortment of options, and makes the case for why.
A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 7: Atomic’s 21/22 Lineup (Ep.165)
Matt Manser is back for a deep dive on Atomic’s new 21/22 lineup, and we also discuss ski boot design and construction in general; the “Frodo Pro”; “Complete Tech” vs. “Hybrid Tech”; espionage; Immanuel Kant; Omar Little; and to offer his take on Bode Miller’s recent GEAR:30 thoughts on ski boots.
Win Any Renoun Skis
This week the winner will get to pick a pair of Renoun’s unique skis!
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Domestic Apparel Manufacturing, Supply-Chain Logistics, & More (Ep.207)
Domestic production of apparel has all but disappeared from the US, but Kitsbow is leading the charge to bring it back and hopes to be a blueprint for how other brands can do the same. And their CEO, David Billstrom, has a lot to say about how it’s been good for their brand, their customers, their community, and the planet.
Black Diamond Issues Voluntary Recall of Certain PIEPS & Black Diamond Avalanche Transceivers
Black Diamond has issued a voluntary recall for several Black Diamond and PIEPS avalanche transceivers — learn more here, including what to do if you have one of the affected models.
Flash Review: 22/23 Fischer Ranger 102
Update 7.29.22: We spent more time on the new Ranger 102 this past spring, and have some updates on it, including how it performs at some different mount points.
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.)
Win Merino Wool Apparel from Ibex
The TWO lucky winners this week will each get a sweet prize pack from Ibex, including four of their high-end merino wool layers.
Five Ten Trailcross Clip-In
Five Ten’s new Trailcross Clip-In is the first, well, clip model in their Trailcross line, and Five Ten talks as much about its hiking performance as the on-bike portion of the program. So what does that mean for its performance as an actual bike shoe, and who is it going to work best for?
2022-2023 Head Raptor WCR 140S
Here are the specs, images, and our initial impressions and questions about the Head Raptor WCR 140S.
2023 Norco Fluid FS
Norco’s affordable all-rounder Trail bike, the Fluid FS, just got a big update, and while the new bike is marketed to beginner and intermediate riders, it’s got great-looking geometry and a nice build spec that seems like it could attract plenty of price-conscious experts, too.
Crestline Bikes on Adaptability, Collaboration, & Founding a Bike Brand (Ep.128)
We sat down with Troydon and Jimmy from Crestline Bikes to talk about their upcoming high-pivot VPP DH bike & VPP e-bike; getting advice from Greg Minnaar and Neko Mulally; starting a bike company during the pandemic; and a whole lot more.
Stuff We Like: July 2022
In the July edition of our “Stuff We Like” series, we’ve got everything from tents to bike racks, backpacks to sandals, and several summer accessories. Check it out to see the latest gear our reviewers have been digging.
Vorsprung Smashpot Coil Spring Fork Conversion Kit
There aren’t many coil-sprung forks left on the market, but Vorsprung’s Smashpot conversion kit opens up a lot of options for riders who miss that option. And having now spent a lot of time testing the Smashpot, it makes a compelling case for why certain riders might want to ditch their air springs. But who is it going to work best for, and what are the downsides? Check out our full review for the rundown.
Tailwind Nutrition Co-founder Jeff Vierling on Gut Bombs, Kitchen Chemistry, & Creating His Own Endurance Fuel (Ep.130)
Tailwind Nutrion’s products are some of the most popular fueling options for trail runners and mountain bikers alike, so we had their Co-founder, Jeff Vierling, on the show to hear all about how losing his breakfast after a mountain bike race inspired him to design his own endurance drink mix.
2022-2023 Norse Enduro
The Enduro is Norse’s do-everything all-mountain ski, for both resort and backcountry use, and it goes about accomplishing that in a pretty different way than many of its competitors. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for more.