BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Blister Brand Guide: Evil Mountain Bike Lineup
Evil has taken a different approach than many to building both their bikes and their brand. Their current lineup covers a wide range, from shorter-travel 29ers to Enduro sleds, and you can check out our brand guide to see which of their bikes might be right for you.
Strongest Wheels on the Market? Revel Wheels & “Fusion Fiber” Ep.101
We dive deep into the details with Revel Bikes founder, Adam Miller, about Revel’s new wheels — which he claims are the strongest wheels on the market — and this thing they’re using called “fusion fiber.” We talk about what fusion fiber is; their recyclability; the unique production process; other applications of fusion fiber, and more.
2020-2021 Marker Duke PT 16
Marker’s Duke PT is the latest binding that lets you skin uphill in a “tech” toe, but ski down in what’s essentially an alpine binding. Check out our video & written review to see just how it works, and how it compares to the competition.
Flash Review: 20/21 4FRNT Raven
Check out Jonathan Ellsworth’s thoughts on the new Raven.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review: 20/21 Kastle FX106 HP
Check out our on-snow impressions of Kastle’s lightweight freeride 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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Win Men’s & Women’s MTB Kits from Club Ride
Enter for a chance to win a shirt, short, & chamois from Club Ride’s new spring collection!
Hoka One One Clifton 6
The Hoka Clifton is one of the brand’s most popular and iconic shoes, known for its generous cushioning and lightweight design. Check out our review of the Clifton 6 to see how it compares to the previous iteration and the rest of the market.
Bikes vs. Skis, 2nd Edition (2020): Part 2 (Ep. 26)
Which bike company is currently the most like which ski company? Here in part 2, we get into more arguments and offer more parallels and analogies between these two industries to get a better sense of the current position, reputation, and trajectory of a bunch of different brands in these sports.
Gregory Targhee 32
We spent most of this past season skiing with Gregory’s recently revised Targhee 32 backpack and think it’s an excellent option for a do-it-all snowsports pack, and it’s also worth a look for photographers who spend time sliding on snow. Check out our review.
Revel RW30 Wheels
Revel claims that their new RW30 carbon wheels are not only more durable and better damped than other carbon rims, but also more easily recyclable and similarly lightweight. These are some pretty bold claims, so check out our review to see how they went about doing this and our initial on-trail impressions.
2021-2022 Nordica Santa Ana 93
Nordica is overhauling their women’s all-mountain Santa Ana skis for the 20/21 season, and you can check out our First Look & Flash Review of the Santa Ana 93 for more on what’s changed, what hasn’t, and how the new ski’s design compares to the rest of the market.
Flash Review: 20/21 Nordica Santa Ana 93
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new Santa Ana 93.
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.)
Geoff McFetridge on The Abstract Wild by Jack Turner (Ep. 129)
In the latest installment of our Blister Book Club, we talk with the artist, Geoff McFetridge, about Jack Turner’s book, The Abstract Wild. We discuss why Geoff selected this book; why it isn’t designed to be a comfortable read; why we need to get clear on the distinction between “the wild” and “wilderness”; and why we think that every reader of BLISTER ought to read this book.
Blister Brand Guide: Norco Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020
One of the oldest mtb brands, Norco’s current lineup consists of everything from budget hardtails to World Cup DH bikes and everything in between. Check out our Brand Guide to get an idea of their current line and which bike might best suit you.
Testing Limits: Mike McKnight on Running 100 Miles, 0 Calories (Ep.51)
Is it humanly possible to run 100 miles without consuming a single calorie? On May 8th, Mike McKnight set out to find out, and Mike not only accomplished this extraordinary feat, he did it in 18 hours and 37 minutes. So we talked to Mike about why and when he first thought this was possible; how he prepared and trained for the feat; intermittent fasting and his ketogenic diet; some of the criticism he’s received for even attempting this; and what else he thinks might be possible.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Olivia Amber: from XC Skiing to the Tech World to Mountain Running (Ep.97)
Olivia Amber grew up in rural Wisconsin; headed off to Maine (where she became an all-American XC skier); found her way into the tech world of San Francisco; then started getting into ultra running. Now, Olivia is a Salomon athlete who is also juggling a career in tech. We talk about all of the above, plus coffee; sleeping / not sleeping; her current & future interests in running; and more.
Vali Höll, New World Cup DH Overall Champion (Ep.86)
Matt Manser (of GEAR:30 fame) and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to the very impressive (and very candid) Vali Höll about her remarkable season; race tactics; racing styles; Greg Minnaar & whether she can imagine still racing in 20 years; and more.
2022 Trek Top Fuel
The Top Fuel has been in Trek’s lineup for nearly 20 years now, but they’ve just overhauled it and the 2022 model is a very different beast. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Women’s Mountain Bike Short Roundup — 2021, Part 2
We’re back with another roundup of women’s mountain bike shorts, this time with six options from Dakine, Club Ride, 7mesh, Machines For Freedom, Wild Rye, and Flylow.
Rudy Project Crossway Helmet
Rudy Project’s Crossway Helmet is a lightweight, well-ventilated option for XC and Trail riding. Check out our review to see how it compares to the competition, and if it’d make sense for you.
Just Announced: 21/22 is Final Season for Full Tilt
Today it was announced that the Full Tilt name and brand will be no more, starting in 22/23.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend (Sep 2021) (Ep.184)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the NFL(?); the massive increase in Epic Pass sales; the name change to “Palisades Tahoe”; whether you should shower; some of our all-time favorite TV characters; and more.
2022 Commencal Meta SX
Commencal’s Meta line has grown a mullet — check out our First Look for more info on the brand-new, mixed-wheel Meta SX.
Debatable: You Don’t Need a Big Quiver of Bikes
Having a huge quiver of mountain bikes sounds exciting, but maybe isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Our Bike Editor would rather have the right couple bikes than a massive assortment of options, and makes the case for why.
A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 7: Atomic’s 21/22 Lineup (Ep.165)
Matt Manser is back for a deep dive on Atomic’s new 21/22 lineup, and we also discuss ski boot design and construction in general; the “Frodo Pro”; “Complete Tech” vs. “Hybrid Tech”; espionage; Immanuel Kant; Omar Little; and to offer his take on Bode Miller’s recent GEAR:30 thoughts on ski boots.
Win Any Renoun Skis
This week the winner will get to pick a pair of Renoun’s unique skis!
Dan Bacon of Wheelbased on Integration, Active Suspension, & the Future of MTB Tech (Ep.85)
MTB patent applications are a great window into what’s coming down the pipeline, and Dan Bacon, (of Wheelbased.com) knows more about them than anyone. We get into it about cockpit integration (and how some of us hate it); electronic brakes(?!?!); active suspension; automakers joining the fray; and a whole bunch more.