BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Blister Brand Guide: Transition Mountain Bike Lineup
Transition’s mountain bike lineup has undergone some big changes recently, though their progressive approach to geometry & broad-ranging lineup remains. Check out our Brand Guide to see what sets each of their bikes apart.
Bikes vs. Skis, 2nd Edition (2020): Part 1 (Ep. 24)
Which bike company is currently most like which ski company? And which bike and ski company do most other bike and ski brands secretly wish they could trade places with? Noah Bodman, Jonathan Ellsworth, David Golay, and Eric Freson make parallels and analogies between these two industries to see if it gives us a better sense of the current position, reputation, and trajectory of a bunch of different brands in these sports.
Your Questions + Our Review of PBR’s ‘Hard Coffee’ (Ep.99)
What outdoor gear is in need of the biggest improvement? How old is too old to try your first backflip?; If you had to opt for skis that are too long or too short, which would you pick? What should I do with my life? How does one start reviewing for Blister? Could you please provide an unbiased review and comparison of the Blister Membership, Deep Dive Subscription, and Blister Premier Membership? Luke Koppa and Jonathan answer these and many more.
Flash Review: 20/21 Atomic Hawx Prime XTD 130
Update 5.8.20: After spending more time in the new Hawx Prime XTD 130, we’ve updated our Flash Review.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2021-2022 Moment Wildcat Tour 108
This past year we spent time on the Wildcat Tour 108 in a wide range of conditions, and you can now check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Win Pit Viper Sunglasses
Enter for a chance to win Pit Viper’s 2000’s sunglasses!
Deep Dive: Moment Wildcat Tour 108
We compare the Wildcat Tour 108 to the Moment Wildcat 108, Moment Deathwish Tour, WNDR Alpine Intention 110, Atomic Backland 107, Blizzard Zero G 105, K2 Wayback 106, Black Diamond Helio 105, Line Vision 108, Amplid Facelift 108, 4FRNT Raven, Renoun Citadel 106, Faction Agent 3.0, & Folsom Cash 106 Carbon.
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.)
Maxxis Assegai
The Maxxis Assegai was created as a blend of several of their most popular tires. In our full review of the Assegai we dive into how it differs from the ubiquitous Minion DHF, and who we think will get along with this very aggressive tire with a totally not-funny name.
Blister Brand Guide: La Sportiva Trail Running Shoe Lineup, 2020
Sportiva has made some updates to their running shoe lineup for 2020, and you can check out our Brand Guide to see what’s new, what’s gone, and which shoes would make the most sense for you.
2019-2020 Moment Commander 118
We like honest and accurate descriptions of gear, and Moment’s note about their Commander 118 being “not for the faint of heart” is accurate. Check out our full review for more details about this big-mountain charger.
Hillary Gerardi, Mountain Scrambler (Ep.49)
Hillary Gerardi won the 2018 Skyrunner Extra World Series Circuit, and yet, she still doesn’t necessarily think of herself as a runner. So Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss this with Hillary, and what it is that she enjoys most about being in the mountains. Hillary was born in Vermont, but lives in Chamonix and works at the Research Center for Alpine Ecosystems, so of course, we discuss all of that, too.
Mother’s Day Roundup — 2020
If you have a mom, know a mom, or perhaps are married to a mom, hopefully you’re prepared to celebrate her this coming Sunday. But in case you’re a bit behind on your Mother’s Day gifts, we polled some of our reviewers to see what gift ideas they’d recommend — check out their suggestions.
On the State of Heli Skiing: Henry Munter, Chugach Powder Guides (Ep. 128)
Henry Munter is a lead heli guide and the general manager of Chugach Powder Guides in Girdwood, AK, and we talk with him about making the call to shut down operations right as the heli season was in full swing; the evolution of heli skiing; decision making, memory, and some of the tools and practices Henry uses in forecasting, guiding clients, and handling all types of different aspects of the business; and we discuss environmentalism and heli skiing, and how Henry and others at CPG are thinking about those two things.
2021-2022 Line Blade
In these uncertain times, we figured it’d be a good time to look back on one of the most odd, yet very fun skis we got on this year, the Line Blade. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons of this super-tight-radius, metal-laminate, all-mountain ski.
Deep Dive: Line Blade
We compare the Line Blade to the Line Sakana, Fischer Ranger 94 FR, Blizzard Rustler 9, Nordica Enforcer 94, J Skis Masterblaster, Moment Commander 98, Fischer Ranger 99 Ti, Salomon QST 99, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, 4FRNT MSP 99, Volkl Mantra M5, Blizzard Bonafide, Liberty Origin 96, & ON3P Wrenegade 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.)
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2021 Knolly Tyaughton
We’ve talked a lot about how much fun aggressive hardtails can be, and now Knolly has launched their take on the genre — the Tyaughton — which is available in both titanium and steel. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Season Eqpt Co-Founder, Austin Smith, on Snowboarding, Telemarking, Comfy Boots, & Fire Truck Customization (Ep.182)
Austin Smith is the co-founder of Season Eqpt and the man in charge of the snowboard side of Season, while his co-founder, Eric Pollard, oversees the ski side. Today you’ll get Austin’s perspective on Season and their 21/22 snowboard lineup (plus a whole bunch of other topics), then on our GEAR:30 podcast, you’ll hear Eric offer his perspective on all the latest at Season.
Hoka One One Speedgoat 4
Hoka’s Speedgoat shoe has garnered a very strong following over the years, but how does the latest iteration compare to the previous ones — and other high-cushion trail shoes on the market? Check out our review of the Speedgoat 4.
Blister Q&A: Suspension Setup, Value Parts, & Bike Geometry Trends
In our new recurring Blister Q&A series, we’re tackling your questions on whatever topics you might want to hear about — we’re kicking it off with some Q’s about suspension setup, value MTB parts, and more.
Win Full Tilt Boots
This week the winner will get a pair of boots from Full Tilt’s First Chair collection!
The Pro’s Gear: Bode Miller (Ep.163)
On this episode of GEAR:30, Bode Miller makes clear that his different and creative ways of thinking weren’t just hallmarks of his approach to racing — they define his approach to skis, ski boots, bindings, and eyewear, too.
We Are One Founder, Dustin Adams, on The Arrival (Ep.83)
When we last checked in with We Are One’s Dustin Adams, he broke the news that they’d be making a bike. Now, 18 months later, it’s here. So we figured it was a great time to get Dustin back on Bikes & Big Ideas to talk about The Arrival, including balancing versatility vs. focusing on specific attributes; the modular frame platform and plans for future models; frame repairs, and making things in North America. And if that’s not enough, Dustin also drops several bonus big ideas in this one.
2022 Devinci Spartan HP
What’s that? It’s, it’s … another high-pivot Enduro bike! This one’s the all-new Devinci Spartan — check out our First Look for all the details.
Olympian Natasha Wodak on Mental Preparation; Her Mantras; Running Playlists; & More (Ep.95)
We talk to Tasha Wodak about her performance in last month’s Olympic games; the twists and turns of her running career; mental preparation and the mantras that inspire her; a critical insight to remember during life’s hardest moments; running playlists; and more.
2022 Fox 34 Fork
We’ve now tested Fox’s new 34 fork on both a hardtail and a modern short-travel Trail bike. Check out our full review of the fork for our thoughts on it, including how it compares to the alternatives from both Fox & RockShox.
Xero Mesa Trail
All of Xero’s shoes are designed to offer a barefoot-like feel, and the Mesa Trail is their take on a general-purpose trail running shoe. So how versatile is this minimalist shoe, and where could it fit into your running and training routine? Check out our review for our thoughts.
Gear Talk, Mic Drops, & Zen Koans with Flylow’s Dan Abrams (Ep.162)
Flylow founder (and certified gear nerd) Dan Abrams is back to talk about the skis and ski boots he’s interested in for the coming season; Flylow’s mountain bike apparel; and what’s new in the Flylow lineup for Winter 21/22.