BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Deep Dive: Atomic Bent 100
We compare the Atomic Bent 100 to the previous Bent 100, Atomic Bent 110, Black Crows Camox, Fischer Nightstick 97, J Skis Allplay, Head Oblivion 102, Dynastar M-Free 99, Dynastar M-Free 100, K2 Reckoner 102, Line Chronic 101, K2 Omen Team, Nordica Unleashed 98, 4FRNT Switch, Faction Studio 2, Salomon Depart, Salomon QST 100, RMU Apostle 96 Ti, Line Optic 96, Line Pandora 99, Blizzard Rustler 9, ZAG Slap 98, Icelantic Nomad 100, and Rossignol Sender Soul 102.
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1UP RackAttach and Accessory Panel System
1UP recently launched an innovative gear-carrying solution that attaches to their swing-out hitch mount, effectively dipping their toes into the overlanding scene — check out what they’ve been up to.
2025-2026 RMU Valhalla 97
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated RMU Valhalla 97.
Flash Review: 24/25 ON3P Woodsman 100
Update: we have a whole new batch of test skis in from ON3P, and we’ve now logged several days on both the ‘Signature’ and ‘Ripper’ versions of their Woodsman 100. Here are our main takeaways so far.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2024-2025 ON3P Woodsman 100
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the standard version of the ON3P Woodsman 100, as well as the custom “Ripper” variant.
Reviewing the News w/ Dylan Wood, March 2025 (Ep. 268)
Dylan and Simon recap the incredibly well-attended RedBull Tennessee National DH race, a range of interesting bike industry news, some exciting new products, and a whole lot more.
Flash Review: RockShox Reverb AXS B1
The new Reverb AXS B1 dropper from RockShox represents a ground-up redesign of the old one. Does it deliver a better on-trail experience? We’ve been riding the new one, and have some initial 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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Hunt Enduro V3 Wheels
Hunt is claiming that the rims used on their new Enduro V3 wheels are the strongest they’ve ever made. The hub is all new too, with a new star ratchet-based design — check out our First Look for a dive into the technical details.
Flash Review: 25/26 Völkl Mantra 84
Today we take a look at Völkl’s narrowest ‘Mantra’ — the redesigned Mantra 84.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2025-2026 Völkl Mantra 84
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the brand-new Völkl Mantra 84.
Pursuing Excellence in the Service of Others: Jeff Galli, Campione Roman Kitchen (Ep.64)
Today we’re talking about the pursuit of excellence and how that can demonstrate a deep care for other people with Jeff Galli, the GM and co-owner of Campione, a roman kitchen in Livingston, Montana that was named to the New York Time’s 50 Best Restaurants in the U.S. list in 2023.
Project321 RG3 Hubs
We’ve been very impressed with Project321’s G3 mountain bike hubs, and now they’ve got a pared-down road and gravel version: the RG3. Check them out here.
Norco Sight VLT CX
The Norco Sight VLT CX keeps its high pivot suspension layout but manages to pack a huge 800 Wh battery while weighing a claimed 20% less than the old one. That’s an impressive trick — let’s see how they’ve pulled it off.
Flash Review: 2026 Fox DHX2
We’ve started spending time on the new Fox DHX2. Check out how it’s going so far.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2025-2026 ZAG Mata
The nebulous but growing class of ‘fun carvers’ is an exciting one, and ZAG’s Mata is one of the latest additions. Here’s our Full Review of this 90mm-wide, asymmetrical ski that ZAG describes as “aggressive but not exclusive.”
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Mali Noyes’ Incredible Feat: Skiing the Chuting Gallery in 47 Days (Ep.355)
Mali Noyes just pulled off a mind-blowing feat: skiing the Chuting Gallery in 47 days. So how did she do it? And what led her to try? Jonathan talks with Mali about all of it, including some of the best advice she received from Greg Hill, Cody Townsend, Janelle Smiley, and Sam Smoothy.
Flash Review: 25/26 Rossignol Arcade 94
Update 5.5.25: We’ve added some more thoughts on Rossignol’s new piste-oriented ski, including how the Arcade 94 handles the very variable conditions of the spring, and its off-piste capabilities.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2025-2026 Rossignol Arcade 94
Rossignol is making big changes to their all-mountain lineup for 25/26, including eight new models in their Arcade series. Here are the details on the new collection, as well as our measured specs and rocker profile pictures for the new Arcade 94.
Flash Review: Santa Cruz Hightower 4
We had some questions when Santa Cruz updated their popular Hightower, which sits right in the middle of their MTB lineup, and now we have some answers. Check out our first impressions of this new Trail bike.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review: 25/26 Salomon S/Lab QST Blank
Part of Salomon’s overhaul of the QST series, the new 112mm-wide S/Lab QST Blank was reportedly designed with input from lots of Salomon’s younger “Mountain Collective” athletes. So, what’s changed vs. the original Blank? Based on our initial testing, you could argue that the answer is both “not much” and “a lot.” Here’s why.
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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2025-2026 Salomon S/Lab QST Blank
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated Salomon S/Lab QST Blank.
What’s New in Ski & Snowboard Bindings (Burton, Spark R&D, ATK Bindings, AlpenFlow Design) (Ep.345)
What new ideas emerge when you bring together makers of hybrid ski bindings and AT bindings and snowboard bindings and splitboard bindings? At the Blister Summit, we brought together Will Ritter of Spark R&D; Royal White, from Burton; Andy Merriman, from ATK Bindings; and Cobey Nash, from the new company, AlpenFlow Design. Enjoy.
Flash Review: Trickstuff Maxima Brakes
The name of the Trickstuff Maxima brakes gives a good idea of what they’re about, at least on paper: big power, big bling, and a pricetag to match. We’ve started spending time on Trickstuff’s most powerful, gravity-oriented brake to see if they deliver.
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 Packs & Radios From BCA
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a Stash Pro 40-UL or Stash 20-S pack and BC Link 2.0 Radio from Backcountry Access!
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, April 2025 (Ep. 272)
Mike and Simon discuss the sad news about Revel Bikes closing shop, the exciting start to mountain bike World Cup XC racing, Tadej Pogačar’s incredible Spring Classics campaign, Specialized’s polarizing eMTB speed limit decision, some of their favorite new products, and a whole lot more.
Stuff We Like: April 2025
In this month’s edition of Stuff We Like, our reviewers discuss a wide array of gear they’ve been digging, from burly bike stands to shoulder-season layers, ultra-breathable touring kits, mesh duffels, and lots of multifunctional summer apparel for the hot months to come.
Viticulture, Wine Making, & Karaoke w/ Field Recordings’ Andrew Jones (Ep.68)
Andrew Jones has spent decades planting vines for other people — some of the biggest names in California. But then his side project turned into Field Recordings, and that has grown into one of the most talked-about labels in the country. Here, Andrew talks with us about nursery hustle, breaking the rules, and why wine should be fun, not fussy.