BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2025-2026 Ellis Kanso 106
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Kanso 106 by Ellis Skis.
Founder Stories: Creating a Company in the Outdoor Industry (Venture Snowboards, CARV, Spark R&D, & AlpenFlow Design) (Ep.357)
We talk to Klem Branner, Venture Snowboards; Will Ritter, Spark R&D; Jamie Grant, CARV; and Cobey Nash, AlpenFlow Design about the highs, the lows, and the breakthroughs that come with starting a company — and the even more challenging work of keeping a company going.
Flash Review: OneUp Wave Flat Pedals
The OneUp Wave pedals aren’t shaped like any other flat pedals we’ve seen, and their performance is proving equally unique so far. Check out our impressions from the first few rides.
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Flash Review: 25/26 Völkl Blaze 104
The original Völkl Blaze 106 was an impressively adaptable 50/50 ski for lift-accessed and human-powered skiing, but Völkl recently replaced it with the new Blaze 104. So, how similar or different are they?
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 Blaze 104
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Völkl Blaze 104.
Gearing Up for the Famous Chamonix-to-Zermatt Haute Route (Ep.347)
Jonathan talks to BLISTER members, Bobak Farzin and Lukas Friedli, who teamed up to take on the famous Haute Route. We talk about their trip; the gear they used; what worked well for them; what worked less well; and, they offer some great advice for anyone thinking about doing any multi-day ski touring trip.
Win Hiking Shoes From La Sportiva
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will both get the women’s or men’s Prodigio Hike GTX shoe from La Sportiva!
Reviewer Reports: Tons of Suspension, Long Travel Enduro Bikes, Trickstuff Brakes, & More (Ep.274)
David and Zack discuss a ton of new gear they’ve been testing, including a whole lot of suspension from Fox, Trickstuff’s Maxima brakes, and more; compare their experiences converting their Enduro bikes to ultra-long-travel setups; chat about both of Pivot’s Trailcat variants, & more.
Flash Review: 24/25 Salomon MTN 96 Carbon
Several of us have been skinning and skiing on Salomon’s MTN 96 Carbon, which is the successor of one of our all-time favorite touring skis, the MTN Explore 95. Here’s what Luke Koppa has learned 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 Salomon MTN 96 Carbon
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Salomon MTN 96 Carbon.
2025 Nicolai / Geometron G1
Geometron arguably did more than anyone else to spur on the geometry revolution that mountain bikes underwent over the last decade or so. Their second-generation G1 doesn’t appear to be as radical as the original one in some respects, but it’s a more refined, modern take on an aggressive, ultra-adjustable Enduro bike.
Deep Dive: Nicolai / Geometron G1
We compare the Nicolai / Geometron G1 to first-generation G1, RAAW Madonna V3, Privateer 161 V2, Chromag Lowdown, and Contra MC.
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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‘Jeremiah Johnson’ w/ Mike Rogge & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.37)
‘Jeremiah Johnson’ stars one of the most famous actors of all time, Robert Redford. But why did Mike Rogge want to discuss this film that came out 53 years ago? Why was it so important to Robert Redford? And how did it inspire one of the most popular GIFs / memes today??
SRAM GX Transmission Upgrade Kit
SRAM just launched the new 70 and 90-series mechanical versions of their T-Type groupsets. Now there’s a cheaper way to convert a mechanical Transmission setup to the GX wireless version.
2024-2025 ON3P Woodsman 92
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the ON3P Woodsman 92.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, June 2025 (Ep. 281)
Mike and Simon discuss the GOP’s withdrawal of the proposal to sell millions of acres of public lands, the merger of Industry Nine and We Are One Composites, lots of bike racing news, some Tour de France predictions, and more.
High Above Supernatural Vest Pack
High Above is primarily known for their US-made hip packs, so does their first vest pack, the Supernatural, hit the mark for folks who want more carry capacity? Our Full Review has our thoughts after a few months of heavy use.
Fermentation, the Key to Most of the Things You Love w/ Nile Zacherle, Eli Brown, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.76)
Many of us love (and love talking about) coffee, wine, or beer, but few of us go around professing our love of fermentation. But after this conversation with Nile Zacherle, Eli Brown, and Jonathan Ellsworth, you’ll see why you should.
Flash Review: Salsa Blackthorn 145 C
Update 7.2.25: We have another reviewer spending time on the new Salsa Blackthorn 145 C, so check out our updated Flash Review for some more early impressions.
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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‘Ski Party’ w/ Amie Engerbretson & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.43)
Today we are talking about a film that just celebrated its 60th anniversary: ’Ski Party’ came out on June 30, 1965; it stars a couple major actors and singers; and when we recently learned of its existence, we immediately knew who we needed to recruit to discuss: Amie Engerbretson.
Training for Outdoor Sports & the Current State of PT w/ Dr. Stephen Burkert (Ep.363)
Today, we are talking about training and outdoor-sports performance with Dr. Steve Burkert of Snow Beast Performance. We discuss best practices for training, the most common summer injuries, and some alarming trends in the physical therapy world that we all need to understand.
Outlier Void and Pendulum Pedals
Outlier’s Void and Pendulum pedals don’t look like anything else out there, so is their performance similarly quirky, just plain good, or somewhere in between? We’ve had multiple reviewers spend a lot of time on both versions and are ready to weigh in.
Stuff We Like: June 2025
In this edition of ‘Stuff We Like,’ our reviewers discuss a bunch of products that have stood out recently — from MTB tires that are dang near perfect for current conditions to a paper-airplane kit loved by kids and adults alike, classic summer apparel, and more.
Our Thoughts on Peak Skis & What Needs to Happen Next (Ep.353)
Jonathan lays out his thoughts about the Peak Skis debacle, Luke Koppa offers his perspective too, and we discuss what we think needs to happen going forward.
Win Apparel From Fjällräven
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the men’s or women’s Hoja Wool Tee, Hoja Hybrid Shorts, and Rider’s Wind Jacket from Fjällräven!
Flash Review: EXT Vecta
EXT has historically made very high-end suspension, and while their new Vecta coil shock isn’t cheap, it’s a lot more affordable than EXT’s other offerings. But how does it perform? We’ve got some 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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Update: Revised Public Land Sale Still a Terrible Idea
The Senate is still trying to sell more than a million acres of our public lands, and their revised proposal is still insultingly disingenuous — both to those who enjoy the outdoors and those seeking affordable housing. Here’s the latest, and why voicing your opinion is so urgent and important.