BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
The Design, Development, & Testing of Enve’s new M-Series Wheels (Ep.243)
Enve’s new M-Series wheels are the result of a very long and involved development process, and they don’t look, or ride, anything like M-Series wheels of old. So we sat down with Jake Pantone of Enve to get the whole story behind their development.
Flash Review — Enve M6 Wheels
Enve says that their new M-Series wheels ride very differently from Enve wheels of old, and we’ve started putting those claims to the test with their new Trail bike wheels, the M6. Check out our early impressions.
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Enve’s Fifth-Generation M-Series Wheels
Enve has launched the fifth-generation versions of their flagship M-Series mountain bike wheels, promising a very different ride feel from past M-Series wheels. The data they’ve provided to quantify that is pretty eye-popping, and there’s a lot of interesting stuff going on with their design — including new, Enve-designed hubs. Check out what they’ve come up with.
How Do You Know How “Safe” Your Helmet Is? | Blister Summit Video
Testing standards are hugely important, but when it comes to ski/snowboard and cycling helmets, the current ones have limitations. In this clip, Steven Kennedy, Sr. Director of R&D at Giro, shares some thoughts on Giro’s in-house testing approach, the Virginia Tech helmet testing standards, and more.
‘A Sunday in Hell’ w/ Joe Parkin & Simon Stewart (Ep.26)
We revisit the 1977 film ‘A Sunday in Hell,’ often regarded as one of the greatest bike racing films of all time. To do it justice, Simon Stewart is joined by former pro cyclist Joe Parkin, who raced Paris-Roubaix himself in 1988, and knows what it takes to suffer through “The Hell of the North.”
Trek Slash+
The Trek Slash+ combines big travel with a little motor — a pairing that sets it apart from the rest of the market. We have logged plenty of miles on the Slash+ this summer and have a lot to say about its impressive performance — and some tradeoffs that come with it.
When & WHY Should You Replace Your Helmet? | Blister Summit Video
How do you know when or why you should replace your ski, snowboard, or bike helmet? It’s not a simple or easy question to answer, but at Blister Summit 2024, we got some insight from Steven Kennedy, Frederik Kjellberg, Drew Petersen, and Sascha Anastas.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, September 2024 (Ep.327)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the release of Cody’s first FIFTY+ film; some big controversies in the world of FKT’s & running; a great edition of Blevin’s Corner; mountain guides and the often confusing practice of tipping; what they’re reading & watching; … and more.
DT Swiss XMC 1501 Wheels & Ratchet DEG Hubs
DT’s new Ratchet DEG hubs are the fastest-engaging ones they’ve offered to date, but have they kept the traits that made the original 240s popular in the first place? We’ve been testing the Ratchet DEG hubs on DT’s XMC 1501 wheels and have thoughts.
2024 Ski Movie Tours & Premieres | A Guide
We know we’re not the only ones itching to get back on snow. Thankfully, film tours and movie premiers are not only a great way to relive past seasons, they’re also excellent community events — you get to join friends new and old to share in the pre-season stoke. Here’s a guide to where and when you can attend one near you.
ON3P Skis 24/25 Lineup with Scott Andrus (Ep.316)
We talk to ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, about their 24/25 lineup, and we dive into the weeds about numerous aspects of ski design and ski manufacturing that you really won’t hear about anywhere else.
ZAG’s ‘Next-Gen Carver’ + 2025 Ski Lineup | Blister Summit Video
Across its 20-year history in the freeride, touring, and all-mountain worlds, Chamonix-based ZAG has continued to refine their lineup, whether through design or efforts to reduce their environmental footprint. In this video, we get the details on that history — plus the brand’s 2025 ski lineup — from ZAG’s Théo Voinchet and ZAG athlete, Teton Brown.
Win Jackets From Strafe
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the men’s or women’s Highlands Shirt Jacket from Strafe!
2024 Pivot Phoenix
The new Pivot Phoenix has dropped the lugged construction from the prototype versions but kept their wild six-bar, dual-idler, high-pivot suspension layout, and the result is awfully interesting. Check out the latest iteration of Pivot’s DH bike.
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, September 2024 (Ep.242)
On the latest episode of Reviewing the News, Mike and Simon dig into what may have happened to close the doors of one of the biggest retail bike stores in the country; why selling Rad Power bikes in Best Buy stores is a terrible idea; the exciting inaugural Lake Placid XC World Cup; plus a bunch more and the usual banter you don’t want to miss.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
CAST Freetour 2.0 Pivot Ski-Touring Binding
CAST was the first to make a touring binding that got you alpine-binding performance on the way down and a tech toe for the way up, and the Freetour 2.0 is the latest iteration of their system. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Flash Review — Kona Process 153
We were impressed by the new Kona Process 134 when we reviewed it recently, but how about its bigger sibling, the Process 153? We’ve started spending time on the longer-travel member of the family and have some early thoughts to share.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2025 Mondraker Arid Carbon
Mondraker has dropped their first non-motorized Gravel bike — the Arid Carbon. With a clean aesthetic and a feature set designed to please both racers and more casual adventurers, the Arid prioritizes versatility. Let’s see what Mondraker has cooked up.
1-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
That’s a wrap — we’ve now had all of our reviewers share which skis they’d pick if they were to ski a whole season on a single setup. Check out what everyone selected this year.
Flash Review — Canyon Spectral:ONfly
The new lightweight light-assist Canyon Spectral:ONFly looks like a smart, well-timed addition to their Trail bike eMTB lineup. We’ve started spending time on the Canyon Spectral:ONFly and are ready to weigh in with some initial thoughts on Canyon’s take on this hot category.
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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10 Quick Things: ‘Testing Skis w/ an Olympic Gold Medalist’ Edition (Ep.333)
Jonathan talks about skiing with an Olympic gold medalist on his first day back on snow; Mikaela Shiffrin vs. Santa Claus; the outdoor sports equivalent of Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul; and more. Give it a listen, then let us know your thoughts and ideas.
Bluebird Mountain Sports
Bluebird Mountain Sports is the place to go for ski gear and tuning, bootfitting, and more in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2024 — In the Garage
In Part Three of our annual Gift Guide series, our reviewers offer some ideas for those looking to splurge a bit on the skier, snowboarder, mountain biker, or other outdoor fan in their lives. Check out their recommendations for bigger gift ideas that you might need to hide in the garage.
Win a Sweet Prize Package From Gregory
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get an Alpaca Gear Box 2 Pack, Alpaca Gear Basket 70, and Alpaca Gear Tote 30 from Gregory Mountain Products!
Good Idea or Bad Idea? Dreams, Doorknobs, & Binding Innovations w/ Austin Smith (Ep.322)
Recently, Austin Smith posted a video of a prototype of a snowboard binding that rotates. So Jonathan talks with Austin about the idea, his prototyping process, the testing process, and his predictions for whether we’ll see a development like this come to market.
Privateer 161 Gen 2
Privateer made a name for themselves making burly, focused go-fast Enduro race bikes at a remarkably good price with the original 161, and while the 161 V2 continues that lineage, it’s a big departure from the original in a lot of other ways. Check out our Full Review to find out how.
Deep Dive: Privateer 161 Gen 2
We compare the Privateer 161 Gen 2 to the original 161, RAAW Madonna, Chromag Lowdown, Contra MC, Trek Slash, Nicolai G1, Rocky Mountain Altitude, Orbea Rallon, Yeti SB160, Pivot Firebird, Yeti SB165, and Ibis HD6.
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.
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