BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2022 Fox 34 Fork
We’ve now tested Fox’s new 34 fork on both a hardtail and a modern short-travel Trail bike. Check out our full review of the fork for our thoughts on it, including how it compares to the alternatives from both Fox & RockShox.
Xero Mesa Trail
All of Xero’s shoes are designed to offer a barefoot-like feel, and the Mesa Trail is their take on a general-purpose trail running shoe. So how versatile is this minimalist shoe, and where could it fit into your running and training routine? Check out our review for our thoughts.
Gear Talk, Mic Drops, & Zen Koans with Flylow’s Dan Abrams (Ep.162)
Flylow founder (and certified gear nerd) Dan Abrams is back to talk about the skis and ski boots he’s interested in for the coming season; Flylow’s mountain bike apparel; and what’s new in the Flylow lineup for Winter 21/22.
Would You Rather: Old Parts or Old Geometry?
Dated parts, or an ancient frame? That’s the question we’re tackling this week in our “Would You Rather?” series. Check out our reviewers’ individual takes on the site, and let us know what you’d do in the comments.
Win a Sleep System from Zenbivy
This week the winner will get Zenbivy’s MotoBed — a super comfortable & convenient car-camping sleep system!
2022 Trek Session
The latest Trek Session is a much more race-focused DH bike than the previous iteration, but in the right terrain and with the right approach from the rider, it is an excellent one. Check out our full review for more info.
Reviewer Reports: Race Recaps and Fox Suspension (Ep.82)
The last few weeks have been packed with outstanding DH racing, so Noah Bodman and David Golay sat down to talk about all the action at World Championships and the Lenzerheide World Cup. They also discuss a whole bunch of new suspension that we’ve been testing from Fox, including the updated 34 fork and both the new DHX and Float X rear shocks.
Dean Karnazes on Longevity, Reading, & Writing (Ep.94)
Dean Karnazes is an ultra running legend. But beyond his impressive endurance exploits, Dean is an incredibly thoughtful and generous person who just so happens to love running. It was a real honor and a true pleasure to talk to Dean about running, his life-long interest in reading, his approach to writing, and what he is currently passionate about outside of the world of running.
Flash Review: Hustle Magnetic REMpedals
Luke Koppa has spent the past several weeks riding Hustle’s magnetic REMpedals, and the experience has been very interesting. Check out his thoughts so far.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Aug 2021) (Ep.181)
Cody and Jonathan discuss wildfire management; athlete sponsorships and why the current model needs to be fixed; emerging technologies designed to capture CO2; having to pay to ski uphill; the prospects of Airbnb returning to its roots; and they also fight about coffee, share what they’re reading and watching, and more.
What We’re Watching — September, 2021
What We’re Watching is back, this time with some recent event coverage, several new edits, and a couple of throwbacks for good measure.
Your Questions, Our Buyer’s Guide, & Luke’s Cry for Help (Ep.161)
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth answer listener gear questions; share some info about our new winter buyer’s guide; and Luke shares with us some good news, but also presents new reasons for us to worry about him.
Win a Helmet, Sunglasses, & Pads from POC
This week you could win POC’s Kortal Race MIPS Helmet, Devour Sunglasses, & VPD Oseus Knee Pads!
2021 Ibis Ripley AF
We’ve spent the past few months riding the least-expensive version of Ibis’s least-expensive bike, the Ripley AF. All of our reviewers came away impressed, and you can check out our video and written reviews for the whole story.
Galfer on MTB Brake Tech (Ep.81)
Mountain biking with inadequate brakes is terrifying, but the role of pads and rotors is often underappreciated. So we sat down with Daryl Simmons of Galfer USA to go deep on brake pads and rotors, including differences in pad materials and why the basic metallic vs. organic debate doesn’t tell the whole story; what factors influence wet-weather performance and heat resistance; rotor design and how to think about choosing rotor sizes; and a whole lot more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
2022 Orbea Rallon
The Orbea Rallon is a super precise, quick-handling Enduro bike that offers something pretty different from most of its competitors — while still feeling really cohesive and intuitive. Check out our full review for more detail, including how it stacks up to fourteen other long-travel Trail and Enduro bikes.