BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

Dan Bacon of Wheelbased on Integration, Active Suspension, & the Future of MTB Tech (Ep.85)
MTB patent applications are a great window into what’s coming down the pipeline, and Dan Bacon, (of Wheelbased.com) knows more about them than anyone. We get into it about cockpit integration (and how some of us hate it); electronic brakes(?!?!); active suspension; automakers joining the fray; and a whole bunch more.

Stuff We Like: September 2021
In this month’s edition of our “Stuff We Like” series, we’ve got everything from stoves to beverages, gloves, headlamps, knives, & more.

Hoka Mach 4
The Hoka Mach 4 offers a rare combination of plush cushioning and springy efficiency that makes it great for a wide variety of road runs, but it’s not quite a perfect do-everything shoe. Check out our review to see why, and if it’d make sense for you.

2021 Guerrilla Gravity Pedalhead
Guerrilla Gravity’s Pedalhead hardtail just got a major update, and we’ve been spending a whole bunch of time on it. Check out our full review for our thoughts on the bike that GG says is “built for everything from crushing singletrack miles to getting rad around town.”

From G.N.A.R. Star to Mayor? Why Spencer Cordovano is Running for Office (Ep.183)
How does a ski bum go from starring in the beloved movie G.N.A.R. to running for mayor? And why? We talk with Spencer Cordovano to get some answers, and you’ll get to hear how and why Spencer went from ripping BN runs the movie G.N.A.R. to working to mobilize a certain constituency to make the mountain town he lives in and the community he loves … even better.

Tech Tip: Tubeless Tire Tricks
Tubeless tires are ubiquitous on mountain bikes these days, but they can still be a real headache. Fortunately, we’ve got a bunch of tips and tricks that can help make setting them up and maintaining them much easier.

Win a Full Riding Kit from Giro
This week our winner will get a helmet, goggles, shoes, pants, and a jersey from Giro!

Eric Pollard on Innovation, Graphics, & Season’s Ski Lineup (Ep.164)
It is difficult to overstate the innovation that Eric Pollard has brought to modern skiing, and in this conversation, you’ll get to hear more about how Eric sees the world and finds himself pursuing new directions. We also talk about graphics; Season’s all-black topsheets; and each of the models in Season’s ski lineup.

USWE Pace 8 Running Vest
Our running editor has been searching for the ideal running vest for 6 years now, and the USWE Pace 8 might just be the best one he’s used. Check out our review to see why.

Alex Desmond on Designing a Better Adaptive MTB (Ep.84)
Alex Desmond is an engineer, and when a friend of his suffered a stroke and was no longer able to ride a bike, Alex decided to do something about it. Six years later, the fruits of that project are here — as the Orange Phase AD3. Not only is the end result remarkable, but the story of how it came to be might be even wilder, so we sat down with Alex to get the rundown on the project including a whole lot of the technical details; getting the likes of Martyn Ashton and Lorraine Truong involved; the limitations of other adaptive mountain bikes; and how Alex ultimately used the project to land a job at Orange.

Dakine Seeker 18L Bike Hydration Backpack
Fanny packs are seemingly taking over the mountain bike world, but larger packs still have their place, and the Dakine Seeker 18 is a good one. Check out our full review.

Anton Krupicka on His Return to Racing; DFW vs. Murakami; & More (Ep.96)
We talk to Anton Krupicka about his recent return to racing; his ongoing exploration of different ways to move through the mountains; we get his unfiltered take on Murakami’s What I Talk about When I Talk about Running; and more.

2022 Transition Scout and Sentinel Alloy
Transition has long offered both aluminum and carbon frame options on most of their bikes, but the aluminum option was missing from both the Scout and Sentinel — until now. The more affordable versions are back, and you can check out all the details in our First Look.

2021 Knolly Tyaughton
We’ve talked a lot about how much fun aggressive hardtails can be, and now Knolly has launched their take on the genre — the Tyaughton — which is available in both titanium and steel. Check out our First Look for all the details.

Season Eqpt Co-Founder, Austin Smith, on Snowboarding, Telemarking, Comfy Boots, & Fire Truck Customization (Ep.182)
Austin Smith is the co-founder of Season Eqpt and the man in charge of the snowboard side of Season, while his co-founder, Eric Pollard, oversees the ski side. Today you’ll get Austin’s perspective on Season and their 21/22 snowboard lineup (plus a whole bunch of other topics), then on our GEAR:30 podcast, you’ll hear Eric offer his perspective on all the latest at Season.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

Deep Dive: Norse Enduro
We compare the Norse Enduro to the Atomic Bent 100, Line Sick Day 104, Fischer Ranger 102, WNDR Alpine Vital 100, 4FRNT Raven, J Skis Masterblaster, Line Blade Optic 96, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Wagner Summit 97, Blizzard Bonafide 97, Liberty Origin 101, DPS Pagoda 100 RP, Salomon Stance 96, Moment Commander 98, Salomon QST 98, Atomic Maverick 100 Ti, Renoun Endurance 98, Faction Dancer 2, Dynastar M-Pro 99, Faction Agent 3, Dynastar M-Free 99, Black Crows Camox, Volkl M6 Mantra, Nordica Unleashed 98, & 4FRNT MSP 99.
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How to Produce More Olympic Skiers & Snowboarders, Grow Participation, & Support Rural Mtn Town Communities (Ep.219)
How do we grow participation in snowsports, support rural mountain communities, and produce more Olympic skiers and snowboarders? We sat down with Will Brandenburg of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation to discuss all of the above.

Blister Brand Guide: Inov-8 Running Shoe Lineup, 2022
Spanning more than a dozen models that range from road trainers to mud-specific racers, Inov-8’s 2022 lineup has a bit of everything, but it can be a bit confusing to sort through it all. Check out our Brand Guide to see what sets each shoe apart from the others, and figure out which ones might make sense for you.

Sunglasses Roundup 2022 — Part 2: Lifestyle
In Part 2 of our sunglasses roundup, we cover several of the pairs our reviewers have been using just about every day for everything from running errands to the occasional bike ride.

2022-2023 Faction Dancer 3X
The Dancer 3X is a wider, metal-laminate women’s all-mountain ski, and it offers something a bit different from most of the other options in that category. Check out our Full Review for more.

Win a Head-to-Toe MTB Kit from Giro
This week one lucky winner will get a head-to-toe mountain bike kit (men’s or women’s) from Giro’s latest lineup!

The Design Principle of “Simplexity” (Ep.206)
We talk to Naked Sports Innovations’ president and co-founder, Lindsay Dakota, about how the concept of “simplexity” drives Naked’s design process; growing a small brand sustainably; the future of footwear; and how ski racing influenced the design of their new trail shoe.

Flash Review: 22/23 K2 Mindbender 89Ti
Here are our initial impressions of a ski that’s been on our mind this summer — the new K2 Mindbender 89Ti.
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.)

Shimano AM903 Shoe
The Shimano AM9 has been their top-tier gravity clipless shoe for a long time now (and a personal favorite of ours), and while the latest AM903 generation is mostly a case of leaving a good thing alone, it’s got some nice refinements over the earlier iterations.

Over The Edge on Trail Building, Travel, & Rampage (Ep.127)
We sat down with the crew from Over The Edge to talk about trail building & the development of MTB towns; traveling to ride; servicing Rampage bikes; & much more.

2022-2023 Roxa R3 130 TI I.R.
Here are our measured specs, images, and preliminary questions about the new Roxa R3 130 TI I.R.

Men’s Sun Hoody Roundup — 2022
A good lightweight sun hoody can easily remedy the challenges presented by summer layering by keeping you cool and well protected from the sun. Check out our roundup for several of our favorite options for men, with running in mind.