BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
The Basics of Servicing Your Bike, with Simon Stewart (Ep. 18)
For many of us, it will soon be time to dust off our bikes and get back to riding. So what are some of the most important things you can do to your bike if you haven’t been riding it? To answer this, we talked to Simon Stewart, who has a long history in the bike industry, and who currently owns and runs the bike shop, Boneshaker Cycles, in Buena Vista, Colorado.
2020-2021 K2 Disruption 82Ti
K2 is overhauling its frontside lineup for 20/21, and the new Disruption skis feature a construction that has the potential to set them apart from the competition. Check out our First Look of the Disruption 82Ti for more info.
Giro Method Goggle
The Giro Method is far from the most expensive goggle on the market, yet it offers excellent optics and a versatile fit, all of which have made it one of our favorite goggles for those on a budget. Check out our full review.
Flash Review: 20/21 Renoun Citadel 114
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the Citadel 114.
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Joe Grant: Adventurer, Endurance Athlete, & Storyteller (Ep.42)
Joe Grant is an endurance athlete, a mountain runner, a reader, a writer, a thinker, a filmmaker, and, as you are about to find out, an exceptional storyteller. In this conversation, Brendan Leonard and Jonathan Ellsworth talk to Joe about how he got into running; racing (and winning) the 2008 Caballo Blanco Copper Canyon Ultra and how that affected his life; his Tour de Fourteeners, a self-powered and self-supported link up of all Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks by bike and on foot; and a whole lot more.
Blister Brand Guide: Scott Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020
You’ll see riders on Scott bikes in everything from Cross Country to EWS to Downhill races, and their mountain bike lineup reflects that. Check out our Brand Guide to see which Scott mountain bike might work best for you.
Bobby Brown on Big Air & Backcountry Skiing
Bobby Brown is one of the best slopestyle and big-air comp skiers of all time, but he’s currently focused on finding out what he’s capable of in the backcountry. So I talked to Bobby about his trajectory; the art of landings, air awareness, and making mid-air adjustments; who he most enjoys watching these days; what’s next for him; and more.
Flash Review: 20/21 Line Vision 118
Check out our initial on-snow impressions of the new Vision 118.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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New Skis, Tight Pants, & Farm Animal Analogies (Ep.90)
Luke Koppa, Kristin Sinnott, and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss some of the new skis, boots, and apparel they’ve been testing, including products from K2, Blizzard, Nordica, Rossignol, WNDR Alpine, Atomic, Dynastar, & more. We also discuss what skis we prefer for off-piste, icy conditions; the merits of slim-fit ski pants; which ski boots are best described as “donkeys”; and more.
Deep Dive: DPS Alchemist Wailer 106 C2
We compare the Wailer A106 C2 to the previous Wailer A106, Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender Ti, Black Crows Corvus, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Fischer Ranger 102 FR, Folsom Blister Pro 104, Volkl Mantra 102, Fischer Ranger 107 Ti, ON3P Wrenegade 108, Moment Wildcat 108, Salomon QST 106, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Moment Commander 108, Blizzard Rustler 10, 4FRNT MSP 107, Moment Deathwish, Liberty Origin 106, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, & Line Sick Day 104.
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 Rain Jackets from Mountain Hardwear
Enter for your chance to win Mountain Hardwear’s Exposure/2 Gore-Tex Paclite Plus Jacket!
Mountain Hardwear Kor Cirrus Hybrid Hoody
The Mountain Hardwear Kor Cirrus Hybrid Hoody has become one of our all-time favorite midlayers for high-output activities like ski touring and mountaineering. Check out our review to see why.
2020-2021 DPS Alchemist Wailer 106 C2
We’ve had a few reviewers putting a lot of time on DPS’s recently revised Wailer A106 C2, and you can now check out our full review for our take on the ski and how it compares to the previous Wailer A106.
The Upcoming DH Season (Ep.17)
The World Cup Downhill season starts in just a couple of weeks, so we checked in with Blister reviewers Noah Bodman, David Golay, and Ben Sims to get their thoughts on and predictions for the upcoming season. We also discuss the future prospects and popularity of World Cup DH racing versus the popularity and trajectory of Enduro World Series racing, and we place one very big wager on the upcoming season.
Flash Review: 20/21 Salomon Stance 96
We just spent a day on the new Stance 96 — check out our initial on-snow impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
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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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!
The Rise — and Rise — of Brad Simms (Ep.73)
Few (if any) riders have the power, balance, & creativity of Brad Simms. So you might assume it’s been a pretty quick and easy path to prominence for someone this unique. But it hasn’t been an easy road, and in this conversation, Brad spells it all out; talks about how close he came to calling it quits; his new partnership with Canyon bikes; his interest in all types of riding; and more.
WNDR Alpine Launches New Pow Ski: The Reason 120
Today WNDR Alpine released their third ski, the Reason 120, and we sat down with WNDR’s Matt Sterbenz to get the backstory on the new ski; why it was actually the first ski he wanted to make; how it compares to their Vital 100 & Intention 110; and more.