BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Hope Carbon Cranks
Hope has added a carbon fiber crank to go along with their Evo aluminum one, and we’ve spent a ton of time on it to see how it stacks up. Check out what we’ve found.
James Bond: ‘A View to a Kill’ w/ Jonathan Ellsworth, Justin Bobb, & Simon Stewart (Ep.39)
Forty years ago, snowboarding was featured for the first time ever in a massive, mainstream film. So today, we break down the on-snow action of ‘A View to a Kill’; discuss its historical significance; & share some wild facts about this crazy movie and its star-studded cast.
Flash Review: Specialized Turbo Levo 4
We’ve been spending time on the Specialized Turbo Levo 4. Find out how the new motor compares to the competition, plus some initial ride impressions.
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Our (Shrinking) Common Ground: The Latest in the Fight for Public Lands (Ep.358)
Public lands are one of the few unifiers for a huge number of Americans — but they’re currently under attack. Luke Koppa and Paul Forward discuss these recent developments, why anyone who enjoys the outdoors should be concerned about them, and how to take action.
Pivot Trailcat SL & LT
Pivot’s twin Trailcat models share a frame, but their on-trail differences are bigger than one might expect. We’ve spent the spring testing the Trailcat LT alongside its shorter-travel sibling, the Trailcat SL, and are ready to share our thoughts.
Your Questions: Our Favorite Skis This Season; Big vs Small Brands; Quiver Overlap; & More (Ep.348)
Jonathan and Luke answer your questions, including our go-to backpacks for ski-touring; how a given brand’s size, location, and ethos factor into our own purchasing decisions; what skis to get if you’re spending a lot of time cruising slow-speed groomers; how we view “Quiver Overlap”; and one of the most frequent questions we get: what were our favorite skis this season?
Win Cycling Gear From Lezyne
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Super Drive 1800+ Smart Front Bike Light, Saddle Ai Alert 250 Rear Bike Light, & Pocket Drive Pro Bike Hand Pump from Lezyne!
2026 Orbea Rallon
FMD Racing unveiled the prototype Orbea that they’ve been racing on at the Bielsko-Biala DH World Cup last weekend, and it turns out that it’s the new Rallon — historically Orbea’s Enduro bike. The new version is meant to fill double duty as both a DH and Enduro rig, with a big range of adjustments to suit, and looks to be a massive departure from the Rallon of old. Check it all out here.
Reading Culture: Books, Reading, & Indie Bookstores Today w/ Arvin Ram, Owner of Townie Books (Ep.70)
Jonathan talks books, book recommendations, the state of independent bookstores, the art of reading, and the craft of writing, with Arvin Ram, who is a writer, avid reader, owner of the indie bookstore, Townie Books, and the director of the Mountain Words Festival.
Flash Review: 25/26 Head Kore 112 Ti
The new Kore 112 Ti features many of the same updates as the rest of the overhauled Kore collection, but the 112 (and 118) offer something a bit different on snow. Here are our initial thoughts on how the Kore 112 Ti compares to the Kore 118 Ti, the previous Kore 111, and the narrower Kore Ti models.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2025-2026 Head Kore 112 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Head Kore 112 Ti.
Breaking News: Revel Bikes is Back — and So is Revel Founder, Adam Miller (Ep.275)
After announcing just a few weeks ago that it was shutting down operations, Revel Bikes is back. And Revel’s founder, Adam Miller, is back. So, how did this all happen? And what happens next? Jonathan Ellsworth talks with Adam Miller to get the whole story.
Revel Bikes is Back
Revel Bikes announced their impending closure a month ago, but founder Adam Miller swept in and bought the brand back from the group he sold it to in 2021, with plans to resume regular operations, including full warranty support and production of their newly-launched models.
‘The Eiger Sanction’ w/ Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.38)
Cody and Jonathan discuss The Eiger Sanction, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this week; it stars Clint Eastwood, the biggest movie star in the world at the time; and, importantly, Alex Honnold has called this the most realistic climbing film that Hollywood has ever produced. So … is Alex right? And how does the rest of the film hold up?
Flash Review: 25/26 Ellis Kanso 106
Ellis is one of the newest ski brands to hit the market, and their new Kanso 106 is meant to be a versatile and playful all-mountain option. Here are our initial 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:
Win Shoes From Bert
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will both get a pair of pre- and post-activity shoes from Bert!
Santa Cruz Bullit 4
Did the Santa Cruz Bullit dethrone its stablemate, the Santa Cruz Vala, as Simon’s favorite eMTB so far this year? Check out our Full Review to find out, and why we think full-power eMTBs with a small battery and a range extender offer the most versatility for a lot of folks.
Deep Dive: Santa Cruz Bullit 4
We compare the Santa Cruz Bullit to the Cannondale Moterra SL, Trek Slash+, Mondraker Dune XR, Devinci E-Troy, and Orbea Wild.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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BTR’s Paul ‘Burf’ Burford on Rat Bikes & Making Affordable UK-Built Frames (Ep.282)
Building frames by hand in the UK is expensive. But Paul ‘Burf’ Burford, the man behind BTR Fabrications, has an ambitious plan to make solid, simple ones at very affordable prices. So we sat down with Burf to hear all about Rat Bikes, how and why he wants to do it, and much more.
Knives & Knifemaking w/ Jamison Chopp of Acre Forge (Ep.77)
Jonathan talks about the ancient craft of knifemaking with Jamison Chopp, a bladesmith who works with a group of individual knife makers at Acre Forge, in Portland, Oregon.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, June 2025 (Ep.364)
Cody and Jonathan are back to review the news, rate your takes, and share what we’ve been reading & watching.
Devinci E-Spartan Lite
Devinci’s made-in-Canada eMTB family just got bigger. With the release of the new E-Spartan Lite, Devinci has also pushed further into the more aggressive Enduro side of the eMTB spectrum. Let’s dig into what this new bike is all about.
‘180° South: Conquerors of the Useless’ w/ Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.44)
What film has had the greatest impact on Blister’s managing editor, Luke Koppa? This one. It details the adventures, friendship, & philosophies of Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tomkins; it documents Jeff Johnson’s attempt to retrace their 1968 trip to Patagonia; & more.
Specialized Stumpjumper 15
The Specialized Stumpjumper might be the most recognizable mountain bike of all time, and it’s long been known for being especially versatile and adaptable. However, what that actually means has changed a lot over the decades, and Specialized made some interesting changes to the latest Stumpjumper 15. So, is it still worthy of its popularity? Check out our Full Review for our take.
Deep Dive: Specialized Stumpjumper 15
We compare the Specialized Stumpjumper 15 to the previous Stumpjumper EVO, Santa Cruz Hightower 4, Ibis Ripmo V3, Santa Cruz Bronson 5, Yeti SB140, Cannondale Habit, Spot Mayhem 140, Transition Sentinel V3, Kona Process 153, and Norco Sight.
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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OneUp Components Clip Pedals
OneUp’s flat pedals have been extremely popular for quite some time now, so does their first clipless offering — the creatively named Clip Pedal — deserve similar acclaim? Here’s our take.
Public Lands Update, More Peak Skis News, & New Gear We’re Reviewing (Ep.354)
Luke and Jonathan discuss the latest with respect to public lands and the revisions to the reconciliation bill; share more news about Peak Skis; and preview some new gear they’re going to be talking about and testing in the very near future.