BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Blister Brand Guide: Giant / Liv Mountain Bike Lineup, 2021
With a wide range of bikes spanning entry-level hardtails to high-end Enduro bikes, Giant and its sister brand, Liv, offer a little bit of everything. Check out our Brand Guide for the rundown on the two brands’ entire 2021 lineup.
Flash Review: 2021 Pivot Trail 429
Pivot’s updated Trail 429 looks like a very interesting contender in the short travel Trail bike market, and we’ve been spending time on it. Check out our Flash Review for our initial thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Win a Helmet & Goggles from Giro
This week the winner will get Giro’s flagship helmet & goggle combo!
Our New Blister Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide (Ep.66)
We just released our first-ever MTB Buyer’s Guide. You can find it for free on our website, and here, you can listen to David Golay, Kristin Sinnott, and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about why this isn’t your typical buyer’s guide; how long its been in the works; and why we thought that something like it was really needed by everyone from brand-new to expert riders.
Inov-8 TrailFly Ultra G 300 Max
Inov-8 say their “graphene-enhanced” TrailFly Ultra G 300 Max is “the first max cushioned shoe that adapts and reacts to terrain.” That’s a bold claim, but during our time with this shoe, it has proven to be a very appealing option for long days on the trail where comfort, efficiency, and stability are paramount. Check out our full review for the whole story.
Flash Review: Trek Session
We’ve been spending time on the new, high-pivot 2022 Trek Session. Check out our Flash Review for some initial thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2021 Marin Alpine Trail
The Marin Alpine Trail is one of the most playful Enduro bikes we’ve been on recently, but also manages to keep a great deal of capability in technical terrain — and is an impressive bang-for-buck to boot. We think it’s a really compelling option for the right sort of rider, and you can check out our full review to find out who we think will get on best with this unique offering from Marin.
Unlikely Hikers & the Evolution of the Outdoor Industry (Ep.86)
If you want to understand one of the most important developments currently taking place in the outdoor industry, then listen up. Jenny Bruso is the founder of Unlikely Hikers, and what she has started is a movement that is growing fast, and for good reason. See why.
Flash Review: 21/22 Atomic Maverick 88 Ti
This season we spent time on all the new Maverick “Ti” skis, and here we discuss our initial thoughts on the narrowest option in the group.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Blister Brand Guide: Santa Cruz / Juliana Mountain Bike Lineup, 2021
Santa Cruz and its sister brand, Juliana, have been steadily updating several of their long-standing bikes over the past year. Check out our Brand Guide for more info on their whole 2021 lineup, and which of their bikes might make sense for you.
Ride Concepts Hellion Elite Shoe
Ride Concepts recently added a new flat-pedal shoe to their lineup, the Hellion Elite, which is a relatively low-profile option with the brand’s stickiest rubber. But how does it compare to popular options like the Five Ten Freerider Pro, and which riders are going to like this new shoe the most? Check out our full review to find out.
Old Principles & New Challenges of Apparel Design (Ep.147)
We talk with Carl Moriarty (previously the Design Director at Arc’teryx, currently the Design Director at Rapha) about his career path in the outdoor industry; several principles of technical apparel design; the challenge of balancing high performance with sustainability; and how being clear on these things can help us evaluate advertising claims about new pieces.
Win a Women’s or Men’s MTB Kit from 7mesh
This week the winner will get kitted out head-to-toe with high-end Mtb apparel from 7mesh!
Flash Review: 21/22 Romp Zorro 89
Romp is adding a few new designs to their lineup for next year, and we’ve so far been impressed by the versatility of their new narrow all-mountain ski.
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.
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Hoka One One Evo Mafate 2
The Evo Mafate 2 is designed to cover a lot of distance while still being light, efficient, and reliable on a wide range of trail surfaces. And so far, we’d say it pretty much lives up to the hype. Check out our review for more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 22/23 Ferreol Pionnier 104
Here are some of our initial on-snow impressions of the Ferreol Pionnier 104, a made-in-Quebec touring ski.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Win Revo Sunglasses
This week for our Gear Giveaway, TWO lucky winners will each get to pick any pair of sunglasses they want from Revo’s expansive collection.
2023 Icelantic Ski Collection | Blister Summit Brand Lineup
We talk with Icelantic Skis marketing director, Hanna Whirty, about the past, present, and future of Icelantic; their focus on durability and 3-year warranty; the role of graphics at Icelantic; and then we run through all the different collections in Icelantic’s 2022-2023 lineup.
Jess Blewitt is a Natural (Ep.119)
Multi-talented MTB phenom Jess Blewitt is on Bikes & Big Ideas this week to talk about her meteoric rise & her lofty goals for the future; her incredible 2021 season and the crash that ended it; and much more.
Flash Review — 2023 RockShox ZEB and Super Deluxe
We’ve been riding RockShox’s new ZEB and Super Deluxe, and so far they’re a significant improvement over the outgoing versions. 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
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RockShox’s New 2023 Forks & Shocks
RockShox is completely overhauling its suspension lineup for 2023, including all-new versions of the Pike, Lyrik, and ZEB forks, and Deluxe and Super Deluxe shocks. Check out our First Look for the rundown.
2022-2023 Renoun Endurance 98
The latest version of Renoun’s do-everything all-mountain ski, the Endurance 98, is the most refined and intuitive one yet (and its unique construction still equates to a ride that feels like nothing else on the market). Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for more.
Deep Dive: Renoun Endurance 98
We compare the Endurance 98 to the Renoun Endurance 88, Volkl M6 Mantra, Salomon QST 98, Blizzard Bonafide 97, Salomon Stance 96, 4FRNT MSP 99, Blizzard Rustler 9, Black Crows Camox, J Skis Masterblaster, Moment Commander 98, Dynastar M-Pro 99, Line Blade Optic 96, Dynastar M-Free 99, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Faction Dancer 2, & K2 Mindbender 99Ti.
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.
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Robbie Balenger on Testing Limits, Exploring Recovery Techniques, & Outrunning a Tesla (Ep. 121)
After discovering running in his 30’s, ultra-endurance athlete Robbie Balenger became obsessed with the power of human endurance and quickly found that he needed challenges far exceeding standard ultramarathons to test his limits. So, he started creating his own. Since then, Robbie has run across America, completed the “Colorado Crush,” and recently outran a Tesla. We had him on to unpack all of these efforts before asking him about the mental side of endurance, recovery techniques, his next challenge, and much more.
Johnny Collinson, Wendy Fisher, Sander Hadley, & Drew Petersen on The Mental Game (Ep.212)
Professional skiers are often asked about the mental preparation it takes to ski big lines and perform at a high level. But in this conversation (recorded at our Blister Summit), John Collinson, Wendy Fisher, Sander Hadley, and Drew Petersen offer a much broader perspective on ‘the mental game’ as it relates to dealing with injury and adversity; self identity; mental health; and much more.
2023 K2 Dispatch, FL3X, & Recon Team Boots | Blister Summit Brand Lineup
We talk with K2 Boots’ Product Line Manager, Tom Pietrowski, about all the new boots they’re launching for the 2022-2023 season, including the brand-new Dispatch series of touring boots, Recon Team alpine boot, and the rebranding of Full Tilt as “K2 FL3X” boots.
Flash Review: 22/23 Dynastar E-Pro 99
Here are some of our initial on-snow impressions of the women’s Dynastar E-Pro 99, after skiing two lengths.
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.
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