BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (April 2021) (Ep.167)
Cody and Jonathan discuss some recent criticism of REI; spraying vs. not spraying the locations of your outdoor adventures; Mt. Bohemia’s plan to incentivize vaccinations; gear libraries & outdoor accessibility; sex and ski touring; & more.
TRP TR12 Drivetrain
TRP’s TR12 drivetrain is marketed as a high-end option at a high-end price, but can it compete with the likes of Shimano XTR and SRAM X01? Check out our full review to find out.
Deep Dive: Folsom Rapture
We compare the Rapture to the Volkl Shiro, DPS Alchemist Lotus 124, 4FRNT Renegade, Kye Shapes Numinous, Praxis Protest, Moment Chipotle Banana, DPS Foundation Koala 119, Volkl Revolt 121, Faction La Machine, Blizzard Spur, Blizzard Rustler 11, & Whitedot Ragnarok ASYM.
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.)
Ski Touring Gear & Listener Questions (Ep.146)
Which tech bindings feel the most like alpine bindings? What “very light” skis offer the best suspension and damping? In this episode, Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about a bunch of ski touring gear they’ve been reviewing and answer a number of your touring-related questions.
Win a Sleep System from HEST
This week the winner will get HEST’s high-end, memory-foam mobile sleep system!
Flash Review: 21/22 Elan Ripstick 106 Black Edition
Elan is once again offering a special “Black Edition” of their Ripstick 106 for 21/22 — check out our initial thoughts on how it compares to the standard version.
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.)
2021-2022 Folsom Rapture
“One of the most versatile powder skis I have ever used” — that’s what reviewer and heli-ski guide Paul Forward said about the Folsom Rapture. Check out his full review & Deep Dive comparisons for more on how the ski has performed during a full season of heli skiing and during days at the resort.
Mojo Suspension & Geometron Bikes founder, Chris Porter (Ep.64)
Chris Porter has long been known as one of the earliest and most vocal proponents of the longer/lower/slacker trends in mountain bike geometry, and his Geometron bikes have pushed the envelope further than just about anything else out there. Chris has opinions on a whole lot more than just bike geometry, though, and in our recent conversation we got his takes on wheel sizes, eBikes, suspension tuning, Vladimir Putin(?), and a whole lot more.
Giro Source MIPS & Giro Manifest Spherical
It’s not hard to spend several hundred dollars on a mountain bike helmet, but should you? And what do you give up, in opting for a less-expensive option? We’ve been doing some head-to-head testing of Giro’s moderately-priced Source and high-end Manifest Spherical helmets to find out, and you can now read our full review to see how they compare.
2021 Marin El Roy
Marin calls the El Roy “the ultimate aggressive steel hardtail,” and its geometry numbers are certainly eye-popping, even in our current world of longer, lower, and slacker. But who should be interested in a hardtail that’s so emphatically oriented towards descending? And does the El Roy really deliver on what looks like a promising recipe? Check out our full review to find out.
Blister Summit Brand Lineups: Black Crows Skis 21/22
We talk to Tristan Droppert about the entire 21/22 Black Crows lineup, several new skis (including the Mirus Cor and Serpo); their “Birdie” lineup for women — or anyone; and how to correctly pronounce the names of all of these skis!
Flash Review: 21/22 Prior Northwest 116
Twin tip, hefty weight, progressive mount point, & a strong flex pattern — Prior’s Northwest 116 has the makings of a playful charger. Check out our initial 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.
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.)
2021-2022 Atomic Maven 93 C
Atomic is overhauling their all-mountain lineup for 21/22, and we spent a lot of time on one of the new women’s skis in the line, the Maven 93 C. Check out our full review to see where this new ski sits in the market.
Öhlins RXF36 m.2 Air
Öhlins has long been known for their motorsports suspension, but have more recently branched out into the mountain bike world, and we’ve been testing their RXF36 m.2 Air Enduro fork. It’s an impressive offering, but who does it make the most sense for, and how does it stack up to the competition from Fox, RockShox, and Manitou? Check out our full review to find out.
Spring Running Apparel Roundup
Spring can be a tricky time when it comes to figuring out what to wear while heading out for a run, so we’ve put together a roundup of pieces that we’ve found to work well for spring’s ever-changing temperatures and weather.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Spark R&D founder, Will Ritter, on the Current State of Splitboarding (Ep.196)
We talk with Spark R&D founder, Will Ritter, about the current happenings at Spark; compare the splitboarding and backcountry skiing communities and gear trends; go over design highlights from their current lineup; and more.
Win a Sleep System from Thermarest
This week the winner of our Gear Giveaway will get a sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and pillow from Thermarest!
2022-2023 Faction Mana 3
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the new Faction Mana 3.
2022-2023 Black Crows Camox Birdie
Last year we reviewed the men’s Camox and found it to be an extremely lively all-mountain ski, and now we’re weighing in on the women’s version, the Camox Birdie.
2023 Line Blade Optic Skis | Blister Summit Brand Lineup
We talk with Line’s marketing manager, Connor Clayton, about Line’s new collection of metal-laminate freeride skis, the Blade Optics. We discuss the origin of the series, how it combines elements of the Line Blade and Line Vision skis, Line’s “Gas Pedal Metal” construction, and the four Blade Optic models.
Trail Running 101: What is Trail Running?
Trail running — it’s only one word away from road running. Is it really that different? Yes and no. While trail running is simply running, just not on pavement, its depth of nuances, styles, and considerations demand a bit more explanation. So in our first installment in our new Trail Running 101 series, we cover some of the basics.
Kavenz on Engineering a Better Enduro Bike (Ep.117)
Kavenz had been working on a high-pivot Enduro bike long before it was cool, and the VHP16 and new VHP18 that came out of the project have a lot of unique design features. So this week on Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with Kavenz founder Giacomo Großehagenbrock to talk about the founding of Kavenz; the design philosophy behind their bikes; starting and growing a business; and much more.
Flash Review — 2022 Rocky Mountain Element
“Longer” and “slacker” might be the go-to buzzwords for modern bike releases, but the Rocky Mountain Element made a way bigger jump than most — while still staying true to its XC roots, too — and the results are very interesting. Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions.
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.)
Galfer Brake Pads and Rotors
Brake pads are an underappreciated factor in mountain bike brake performance, and Galfer’s offerings make a strong case for why a lot of riders should pay closer attention. And rotor sizing is a big piece of the puzzle, so we cover that in detail, too.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (April 2022)
We talk with Cody about what he’s been up to and get an update on the Fifty Project, then we run through some of the latest news, including faked plane crashes; Vail Resorts’ minimum wage increase; fuel for backcountry skiing; golf; and what we’re reading & watching.
2022-2023 Nordica Enforcer Unlimited 104
The Nordica Enforcer Unlimited 104 shares a lot in common with the original Enforcer 104 Free, it just ditches a whole lot of weight — and the upsides and downsides that come with it. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to learn more about this new touring ski.
Deep Dive: Nordica Enforcer Unlimited 104
We compare the Enforcer Unlimited 104 to the Volkl Blaze 106, Faction Agent 3.0, Line Vision 108, Atomic Backland 107, 4FRNT Raven, Movement Alp Tracks 106, Blizzard Zero G 105, WNDR Alpine Vital 100, Folsom Cash 106 Carbon, Moment Wildcat Tour 108, DPS Pagoda Tour 100 RP, Ronin 108, and Weston Summit.
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.)