BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Blind Trials Rider & Bike Mechanic, Matt Gilman (Ep.75)
When he was in his 20s Matt Gilman lost his sight due to diabetes, but that hasn’t stopped him from riding trials — and maybe even more remarkably, working as a bike mechanic. His story is an incredible one, so we sat down with Matt to talk about his approach to riding; how he manages to ride by feel; his career as a bike mechanic and how he adapted to doing that blind; and a whole lot more.
Blister Brand Guide: Orbea Mountain Bike Lineup, 2021
From extremely light hardtails to long-travel Enduro bikes, Orbea’s current lineup covers a pretty broad spectrum over just a handful of models. Check out our Brand Guide for a breakdown of what sets each bike apart, what builds are the best bang for the buck, and more.
Dr. Rami Hashish on Optimizing Athletic Performance, Aging Well, & Rethinking Work (Ep.174)
We talk with Dr. Rami Hashish about a whole lot of topics surrounding high-level human performance, injury prevention, and how to age well. Dr. Hashish is the founder of the National Biomechanics Institute, has a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and a PhD in Biomechanics, serves on the review board for various national and international medical and engineering journals, and sits on a global committee for spine and brain injury.
Chromag Minor Threat
Chromag has long been known for making aggressive hardtails, but they’ve just released their first full-suspension model — and it’s a kids’ bike. The Minor Threat (which is the best new product name we’ve seen in a while) is an interesting new direction for the brand and looks like a very promising option for the younger rippers out there. Check out our First Look for all the info.
Win Hip Packs from Dakine
This week TWO people will get Dakine’s recently revised Hot Laps 5L hip pack!
Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 5: WaveCel (Ep.154)
We talk to the co-founder of WaveCel, and discuss the origins & development of WaveCel; Dr. Madey makes what might be the best case we’ve ever heard about why rotational forces play such a critical role in brain injuries; and we discuss how WaveCel compares to MIPS and Koroyd.
Blister Brand Guide: Santa Cruz / Juliana Mountain Bike Lineup, 2022
Santa Cruz and its sister brand, Juliana, have now released their full model-year 2022 lineup, and in our Brand Guide we provide a rundown on all the bikes, builds, and other specs to help you figure out which bikes you might want to consider.
New Manitou Dorado (Ep.74)
The first-generation Manitou Dorado turned a lot of heads more than 20 years ago, thanks to its inverted layout and wild-looking carbon chassis. The just-released, fourth-generation Dorado is a major update to what Manitou calls “the longest-standing inverted downhill fork” — including a return of the carbon chassis, after more than a decade hiatus. But there’s a whole lot more going on, too, so we sat down with Manitou’s Phil Ott to discuss the past and present of the Dorado; the advantages and disadvantages of inverted forks; fork offset; and a whole bunch more.
WTB Proterra Tough i30 Wheels
WTB says their new Proterra Tough wheels “won’t let you down,” but they’re also relatively affordable and not especially heavy. So has WTB beaten the old “cheap, light, strong; pick two” adage, or is there a catch? Check out our full review to find out.
2021 Santa Cruz Nomad
The original Santa Cruz Nomad was one of the first bikes to shape the mold for the modern Enduro bike, way back in 2005. Now in its fifth generation, the new bike stands out from the rest of the market in some interesting ways. We’ve been spending a ton of time on this 27.5”-wheeled bike, and it makes a compelling case for why smaller wheels should stick around. Check out our full review for more.
Flash Review — Forbidden Dreadnought
High-pivot bikes might be even trendier than mullets right now, and we’ve now been spending time on the Forbidden Dreadnought. Check out our Flash Review for our early impressions of this very interesting offering.
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Men’s Mountain Bike Jersey Roundup — 2021
We’ve been testing 11 different MTB jerseys, from standard options to casual-looking ones to some that you could even wear to a pretty nice dinner. Check out our roundup to see how they all compare.
Ultimate Direction Fastpack 40
Ultimate Direction’s Fastpack 40 is designed for, well, fastpacking, but we’ve also found it to be great for longer day hikes and runs where you need to carry lots of gear but also want to move quickly through all sorts of terrain.
The Mt. Rushmore of “Poppy” Skis (Ep.153)
Previously on GEAR:30 we laid out our Mt. Rushmore of Ski Suspension. Now, we’re moving to the opposite end of the spectrum. We define some terms, talk about some of the characteristics that can help make a ski more poppy; and work our way through a bunch of skis. Check it out, and let us know what skis you think are most deserving.
Win Any Sunglasses from SPY
This week TWO people will get to pick any sunglasses they want from SPY’s updated lineup!
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Ski Development & Ski Testing with AJ Kruajitch & Jake Stevens (Ep.202)
Few people spend as many days as we do testing skis on snow. But Rossignol’s AJ Kruajitch definitely does. So Jonathan Ellsworth spent a day at Les Deux Alpes going through AJ’s testing process, then talking with him and Jake Stevens about the similarities and differences in our approaches.
Win Yakima Bike Pads
The TWO winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get Yakima’s Gatekeeper truck bed tailgate pad!
Flash Review — Pivot Firebird
We’ve started spending time on the new Pivot Firebird, and it feels like a big Enduro bike first and foremost, but a notably efficient, fairly nimble one. 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.)
Running Vest Roundup — 2022, Part 1
Running vests can add a lot of versatility to what you can do and how far you can go out on the trails. They can also vary a lot, from high-volume packs designed for multi-day trips, to trimmed-down models for races. Check out Part 1 of our running vest roundup for more info on four options we’ve been testing.
2022-2023 K2 Dispatch LT W
Here are our measured specs, photos, and a quick rundown on K2’s new lightweight “freetouring” women’s boot, the Dispatch LT W.
“North Shore” Betty Birrell on MTB at Age 73
Few 45-year-old women were taking up mountain biking in the early 1990s, and even fewer are still riding the North Shore nearly 30 years later — but Betty Birrell hasn’t let that stop her, and at 73, she’s still getting after it. So we sat down with Betty to talk about what keeps her going, and along the way she shares some great insights on motivation, role models, and not letting the expectations of others slow you down.
Bike Pant Roundup — 2022
Modern bike pants vary a lot, from lightweight options for warm days to burly, waterproof heavyweights for when conditions aren’t so favorable. Check out our updated bike pant roundup for more info on fourteen of the men’s & women’s options we’ve been testing.
2022-2023 Dynastar E-Pro 99 W
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pics, and flex pattern numbers for the Dynastar E-Pro 99 W.
Blister Brand Guide: Topo Athletic Running Shoe Lineup, 2022
Topo Athletic continues to expand their line of low-drop, wide-toebox running shoes — check out our Brand Guide for the full rundown on their 2022 lineup and which model might make the most sense for how and where you run.
2022-2023 J Skis Masterblaster
The latest J Skis Masterblaster continues to stand out because of its rare combination of suspension, stability, and maneuverability. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for the whole story.
Deep Dive: J Skis Masterblaster
We compare the latest Masterblaster to the previous J Skis Masterblaster, J Skis Fastforward, Volkl Mantra 102, Blizzard Bonafide 97, Black Crows Camox, 4FRNT MSP 99, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Faction Dancer 2, Salomon QST 98, Volkl M6 Mantra, Nordica Enforcer 100, Dynastar M-Free 99, Atomic Maverick 100 Ti, Dynastar M-Pro 99, Wagner Summit 97, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Moment Commander 98, Renoun Endurance 98, Fischer Ranger 102, Line Blade Optic 96, Salomon Stance 102, & Salomon Stance 96.
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.)
Roxanne Vogel on Lightning Ascents, Flavor Science, and GU Energy Labs (Ep.125)
Ultramarathons are sometimes called eating competitions with a bit of running thrown in, and with so many different nutrition products and approaches at our disposal these days, it can be hard to know how to fuel properly. So, we talked to GU Energy Labs’ Nutrition and Performance Research Manager, Roxanne Vogel, about the ins & outs of eating on the run; how GU’s line of products fit into that equation; and much more.