BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Canyon Sender CFR
Troy Brosnan’s Mont-Saint Anne-winning Canyon Sender CFR is officially available to the public. The big update is the high pivot suspension layout, but it gets further refinements in nearly every other area of the design. Check out Canyon’s new Downhill race bike in our First Look.
DT Swiss to Close Trickstuff HQ, Consoldate Operations
DT Swiss is closing Trickstuff’s original headquarters, and relocating the brand to existing DT facilities. Here’s the rundown.
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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
Flash Review: 2026 Fox 36 SL Grip X
The new Fox 36 SL replaced the longstanding 34 as their shorter-travel Trail bike fork, and Fox claims it’s got a much stiffer chassis at a modest weight penalty. Let’s check how our time on the 36 SL is 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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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Jib League & the Future of Freeskiing with Woodsy (Ep.361)
We talk with James Woods (aka Woodsy) about how he and fellow pro skiers, Ferdinand Dahl and Oystein Braaten, created Jib League to fill voids that they were noticing in the freeskiing world. The unique event series they created has been loved by athletes and viewers alike, and the story of how it came to be is just as interesting as all the absurd tricks put down by the riders at each stop.
Aenomaly Switchgrade 2.0 Evo Seat Angle Adjuster
The Aenomaly Switchgrade is a clever way to allow on-the-fly seat angle adjustment, but how beneficial is it in practice? We’ve been testing the updated Switchgrade Evo 2.0, and are ready to weigh in.
Flash Review: 24/25 ON3P Woodsman 92
Update 6.13.25: Jonathan Ellsworth adds his thoughts on the Woodsman 92, where it excels, and what sort of skiers ought to consider it.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Win Alpaca Apparel from Arms of Andes
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a $200 gift card from Arms of Andes!
The New Rules of Apparel: PFAS, What’s Changed, & What It Means for You (Ep.351)
In this panel discussion from Blister Summit 2025, we asked apparel designers from Patagonia, Flylow, Ortovox, and Rab to discuss what you should expect from the new generation of PFAS-free apparel; how it compares to what you’ve used in the past; and what you can do to make the most of it.
Deep Dive: Santa Cruz Bronson 5
We compare the Santa Cruz Bronson 5 to the Santa Cruz Bronson 4, Santa Cruz Hightower 4, Santa Cruz Nomad, Yeti SB165, Ibis Ripmo, Specialized Stumpjumper 15, Spot Mayhem 140, Esker Woodsy, Propain Tyee, Norco Sight, Transition Sentinel V3, and Kona Process 153.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Santa Cruz Bronson 5
The Santa Cruz Bronson has evolved a lot over the years, and while the updates to the latest Bronson 5 look relatively subtle on paper, it’s a very different bike from the Bronson 4. We’ve had multiple editors in different locations spend time on the Bronson and have a comprehensive Full Review to share.
Chris McCaffrey on Riding His Bike Around the World (Ep.278)
The day after he submitted his final college paper, Chris McCaffrey set off to ride his bike around the world. He made it back to his hometown of Boulder, CO, seventeen months later. The story of the trip is a wild, inspiring, beautiful one, and you don’t want to miss it.
Steve Matthiasson on Wine, Punk Rock, Bikes, & Fireworks (Ep.73)
Steve is one of the most respected winemakers in Napa Valley, and he produces wines that buck some of the most fashionable trends in the valley. Steve is also a passionate mountain biker and snowboarder, a teacher, and a wine consultant; today, we dive into all of these aspects.
Flash Review: Revel ReRun
Revel Bikes is back in action after being reacquired by its founder, and that means their new bikes, like the ReRun, are hitting the market. Check out how we’re getting along with Revel’s first eMTB so far.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ w/ Jonathan Ellsworth & Simon Stewart (Ep.40)
On June 10, 1982, ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ premiered in the USA. This Steven Spielberg film won multiple Oscars, became the most successful film of all time, and caused a huge spike in bike sales. So today, we revisit one of the most significant films in movie history.
Flash Review: Salsa Spearfish
Salsa has jumped right into the modern XC bike mix with the new Spearfish. Check out our Flash Review to see how we’re getting along with it after a few rides.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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