BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
XC Race Bikes for Everyday Riders? | Yeti ASR vs. Cannondale Scalpel Video
Modern XC race courses keep getting more technical, and modern XC bikes have adapted as a result. Simon and Dylan have been logging a whole lot of miles on two of those bikes, the Cannondale Scalpel and Yeti ASR, to not only see how they compare to each other, but also how practical they are for riders who are *not* racing against the clock. Here’s their Head-to-Head video review.
3-Board Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
We’ve recently been talking a lot about quivers of skis, but now it’s time for boards. We asked several of our snowboard reviewers to assemble their ideal 3-board quivers — check out their picks.
Reviewing the News w/ Dylan Wood, October 2024 (Ep. 247)
Simon and Dylan recap the latest happenings in the bike world, including the historic Red Bull Rampage women’s competition; they give their take on the men’s competition; cover plenty of good and bad industry news; plus some new eMTBs Simon is really excited about.
MTB Pant Roundup — 2024
We’ve been testing a whole bunch of MTB pants from ultra-lightweight summer options to fully waterproof winter options. Check out our latest roundup to get the rundown.
2-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
Wrapping up our reviewers’ 2-ski quiver selections, Jonathan Ellsworth and Paul Forward add their picks. Check it out to see which skis our various reviewers have chosen this year, and let us know how you would go about assembling your own 2-ski quiver!
Yu Sasaki on Big-Mountain Skiing, Deep-Powder Skiing, & Running a Successful Food Truck (Ep.52)
We talk with professional skier, Yu Sasaki, about deep powder skiing; what it takes to start — and maintain — a successful food truck; his beautiful short film, Home From Home; moving from Hokkaido, Japan, to Revelstoke; and more.
Deep Dive: Cannondale Scalpel
We compare the Cannondale Scalpel to the Yeti ASR, Commencal T.E.M.P.O, Revel Ranger, Yeti SB120, Niner JET 9 RDO, Pivot Trail 429, SCOR 2030, Specialized Epic Evo, and Trek Top Fuel.
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Cannondale Scalpel
Has Cannondale changed the recipe for one of the most iconic XC race bikes of all time by adding a dash of versatility, or is the new Scalpel just as focused on winning races as ever? Check out our Full Review for our take.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, October 2024 (Ep.331)
Cody and Jonathan are back to review some of the outdoor-related news of October; introduce a new Reviewing the News segment (Rate My Take); and more.
Project321 G3 Hubs
It’s hard to do anything that novel or exciting when it comes to hub design, but Project321’s G3 hubs have a couple of unique features that really stand out — and have real performance benefits.
Powder Ski Comparisons: Old vs New vs What Should Be Next? (Ep.320)
The snow’s been falling, and we’re already fantasizing about those really deep days. So today, Paul Forward and Jonathan Ellsworth make the case for wide pow skis, then they talk about a bunch of current pow skis, old pow skis, and some design specifics they think are good ideas.
EXTENDED: Win Antti Ollila’s Ski & Boot Setup
The winner of this week’s Gear Giveaway will win the Prodigy 3 ski from Faction and the fs 01 120 boot from phaenom Footwear, the go-to setup of Finnish freestyle skier Antti Ollila!
3-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
Rounding out Part Three of our reviewers 3-ski quiver picks, we hear from Kristin Sinnott and Jonathan Ellsworth — check out their selections and let us know what your ideal 3-ski quiver would look like!
‘Inner Boots’ vs. Liners in Ski Boots | ZipFit 2025 Lineup Video
Several of our reviewers have used a single pair of ZipFit “inner boots” for hundreds of days, as have many pro and everyday skiers around the world. But how exactly do they accomplish that, and what makes them different from a regular boot liner? In this video from Blister Summit 2024, we get answers from ZipFit’s Jeff Colt.
Deep Dive: Knolly Fugitive 140
We compare the Knolly Fugitive 140 to the Santa Cruz Hightower 3, Trek Fuel EX, Revel Rascal V2, Santa Cruz Bronson, REEB Steezl, Rocky Mountain Instinct, Transition Smuggler, Norco Optic, Deviate Highlander II, Forbidden Druid V2, Norco Sight, Yeti SB140, Banshee Phantom V3, and Propain Hugene.
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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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Fizik Terra Nanuq GTX Shoes
Our Bike Editor has long been on the hunt for his ideal waterproof gravity-oriented clipless shoe for wet-weather winter use, and the Fizik Terra Nanuq GTX is the latest option he’s tried. So how have they worked out? Check out our Full Review to find out.
2024-2025 Armada ARV 106
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated Armada ARV 106.
2024-2025 Blizzard Black Pearl 84
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Blizzard Black Pearl 84.
Win Carv’s Digital Ski Coach System
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the Carv 2 Ski Coach system as well as a Carv Season Pass!
Ski Racing, Ski Tuning, & State of the Bike & Ski Industry w/ Sturtevant’s Olin Glenne (Ep.325)
Today we’re talking ski racing, ski tuning, ski finishing, ski-base flatness, and the state of the bike & ski Industry w/ Sturtevant’s Olin Glenne.
Küat Piston Pro
We’ve spent a year with Kuat’s Piston Pro hitch rack, including plenty of winter use and hauling lots of heavy eMTBs, so it’s time to weigh in on how it performed.
2024-2025 HEAD Supershape e-Rally
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated HEAD Supershape e-Rally.
Flash Review: 24/25 Head Supershape e-Rally
We’ve been spending time on the new Head Supershape e-Rally, and directly comparing it to the outgoing version. Check out our initial thoughts.
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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Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, November 2024 (Ep.251)
Simon welcomes Mike Ferrentino back into the studio and they discuss the seemingly limitless discounts across the bike industry; the history of bike multitools; bike theft and how to protect your bikes; old trucks; and a whole lot more.
2024-2025 Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti.
Viking Ski Shop
Viking has been a stronghold and a big part of the outdoor community in the Chicago area and beyond for over 50 years. While the industry has changed and evolved, Viking’s dedication to offering the best products, services, and prices in the greater Chicago area has remained the same.
Flash Review: 24/25 Volkl Peregrine 80 & Peregrine 82
Update 12.4.24: Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth have both spent time A/B testing these new piste skis from Volkl, and now, Jonathan adds his own take on how they compare.
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.)