BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Win Sunglasses from Dragon
Enter for a chance to win any pair of Dragon’s floatable H20 sunglasses.
Pivot Cycles’ Elorie Slater on Industry Trends, Bike Prices, & Female Participation in MTB (Ep. 30)
We talk with Elorie Slater about her unusual path to becoming the head of marketing for Pivot Cycles; her take on the bike industry in the time of COVID, and where the industry goes from here; bike prices and “entry level” pricing; and the notion of women-specific gear and female participation in mountain biking.
Sunglasses Roundup — 2020
Sunglasses: you use them, and if you spend a lot of time outside, you probably use them all the time. We’ve rounded up a variety of our current go-to sunglasses, from affordable, casual options to versatile, yet stylish frames to performance-oriented shades.
Men’s Mountain Bike Shorts Roundup — 2020
We’ve been using several different “all-purpose” MTB shorts for the past two seasons, and in this roundup our reviewers break down what makes each one stand out and where each excels.
Flash Review: 20/21 K2 Reckoner 122
Update 7.7.20: we’ve added some thoughts on how the Reckoner 122 handles resort “pow” and choppier conditions.
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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Skid Row Running Club founder, Judge Craig Mitchell (Ep. 57)
The Skid Row Running Club is “an unusual running club that uses the power of running to improve the lives of those who are at risk of homelessness and addiction” in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles, CA. We talk to its founder, Judge Craig Mitchell, about why he started the club; his background as a runner and teacher; the duty of police officers to protect and serve; the need for minimum sentencing reform; and much more.
Blister Brand Guide: Commencal Mountain Bike Lineup, 2021
Commencal basically overhauled their entire MTB lineup for 2021. Check out our Brand Guide to see what’s new, and which of their new bikes might work for you.
Olympian Dotsie Bausch on Cycling, Switch4Good, & the Dairy Industry (Ep. 135)
Dotsie Bausch is a 7-time USA Cycling National Champion, an Olympic medalist, a featured athlete in the film, The Game Changers, and the executive director of Switch4Good. We talked to Dotsie about her very unusual path to an Olympic podium; her work at Swith4Good; and what we ought to understand about dairy products and the dairy industry.
Baby / Child Carriers Roundup
For the active parents out there, we’ve just updated our child-carriers roundup, including the popular and recently overhauled Osprey Poco Plus backpack.
Win Shoes, Shorts, & a Top from New Balance
This week TWO people will each get a pair of shoes from New Balance, and get to pick from any of their shorts and tees / tanks!
Flash Review: 20/21 Salomon QST 118
Update 7.3.20: Jonathan Ellsworth weighs in on the Salomon QST 118.
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.)
2020 Revel Rail
We’ve now had two reviewers riding Revel’s 165mm-travel bike, the Rail, and they’ve both come away very impressed by its versatility. Check out our full review to see why, and how it compares to some other options in its class.
Our Favorite Kid’s Gear, Part 1 (Ep.105)
Kristin Sinnott and Justin Bobb join Jonathan Ellsworth to talk about some of the kid’s gear they’ve found to be the most game changing. And even if you don’t have kids, you should still listen to learn about a piece of gear that we’ve currently named, “The JBobber.” And there’s another piece of equipment that currently has a unanimous approval rating among our Blister parents, and might be the single greatest piece of kid’s gear of all time? Check it out.
The History & Future of the BC Bike Race with Dean Payne & Simon Stewart (Ep. 29)
We talk with Dean Payne, the president and co-founder of the BC Bike Race, about the origins and evolution of one of the most epic bike races and events in the world. And Simon Stewart (aka, Mr. Tank Driver) is sitting in as co-host to discuss with Dean all things BC Bike Race, the world’s largest hockey stick, drinking with Russell Crowe, and what goes into putting together an event like this.
WTB Verdict & Judge
The Judge & Verdict are two of WTB’s newest, aggressive tire options and we’ve put around 500 miles on them. Check out our review to see what makes them stand out in this crowded category, and how they compare to similar options like the Maxxis Minion DHF & DHRII.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Ski Patroller & Surprise Ski-Movie Star, Adrien Grabinski (Ep.190)
Adrien Grabinski lives to ski, and Mark Abma calls him, “the most responsible 21-year-old I have ever met.” Adrien is the ski patrol director (plus a lot of other things) at Shames Mountain in BC, and he’s a surprise star of Matchstick Productions’ film, The Stomping Grounds.
Debatable: Make Daylight Savings Permanent
Our bike editor is fed up with changing the clocks in the spring and fall, and makes his case for why we should stop doing it.
Win Wagner Skis, Glade Goggles & Helmet, & Minus33 Kit
Enter this special Gear Giveaway for a chance to win skis, goggles, a helmet, and a full head-to-toe baselayer kit!
Shimano ME5 Clipless Shoes
Shimano’s ME5 isn’t just a less expensive version of the ME7, it’s a different shoe altogether. And depending on what you’re looking for, that’s actually a really good thing.
Moment Skis 21/22 Lineup with Luke Jacobson (Ep.170)
Moment Skis CEO, Luke Jacobson, is back to talk about Moment’s 21/22 lineup of skis; the new Moment factory; the new Deathwish 104; snowblading; & more.
Stan’s No Tubes on the Past, Present, & Future of Tubeless Tech (Ep.91)
We go deep on tubeless tire systems with Mike Bush of Stan’s No Tubes, including the history of the rim tape and sealant design we all use today; rim and tire design for tubeless; how sealant actually works; and a whole lot more.
Tessa Chesser on the Javelina 100; “Diesel Mode”; & Dealing with Adversity (Ep.100)
Tessa Chesser (who just podium’d at the Javalina 100 miler, earning a gold ticket to Western States) came on droppin’ mics, spittin’ inspiration, telling her story and mincing no words, and talking about how she has dealt with negativity and adversity.
Hustle Avery REMTech Magnetic Clipless Pedals
Hustle’s Avery REMtech pedal is the latest take on a magnetic MTB pedal that aims to bring you the best of both the clipless and flat-pedal worlds. Two of our reviewers — one clipless fan, one flats fan — spent several months using the Avery to see where it shines, how it compares to traditional options, how much metal debris is actually on their local trails, and more. Check out their full review.
Read Now: 2021-2022 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide
The free digital version of our 21/22 Winter Buyer’s Guide is now available for all to view.
2021 Cannondale Scalpel HT
The Cannondale Scalpel has been a full-suspension XC race bike for almost 20 years, but now there’s a hardtail version — and its geometry is pretty wild. Check out this new, ultra-progressive take on an XC race bike.
Angel Collinson on Her Retirement from Skiing, Processing Change, & More (Ep.189)
We talk to one of our all-time favorite skiers (and people), Angel Collinson, about her recent announcement of her retirement from professional skiing; why she felt that now was the time; the factors that led to her decision; how she thinks about and processes change; what she’s up to now, and what might be next.
Vorsprung Secus Fork Air Spring Upgrade
We’ve now tested the Vorsprung Secus in the RockShox ZEB, and have only grown more impressed. Check out our full review to find out what makes this air spring upgrade so good.