BLISTER — Outdoor Gear Reviews, Podcasts, Buyer’s Guides, Giveaways

BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

Blister reviews the 2025 Orbea Wild

2025 Orbea Wild

Orbea has refreshed their Wild eMTB. It’s a story of incremental rather than radical change, but also includes the new Bosch Performance Line CX motor — plus there’s now a shorter travel ST model. Read on for our First Look.

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David Golay reviews the Schwalbe Radial Tire Casings + New Albert & Shredda Tires for Blister

Flash Review — Schwalbe Albert Tires

Schwalbe says that their new radial casing tires offer a very different feel from more conventional tire constructions, and we’ve started to put those claims to the test. Here are our 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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Blister reviews the Kavenz VHP G2

Kavenz VHP G2

The Kavenz VHP G2 takes their latest VHP V7 design and adapts it to a gearbox application, with broad compatibility across Pinion and Effigear systems. We’ve walked through Kavenz’s latest creation in our First Look.

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Blister reviews the Santa Cruz Vala

Santa Cruz Vala

Santa Cruz’s new Vala brings a full-power Bosch motor to the Santa Cruz lineup, but the biggest surprise here is perhaps the move away from VPP toward a more typical four-bar suspension layout. There’s a lot more to the Vala though, so join us as we walk through the details.

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BLISTER — Outdoor Gear Reviews, Podcasts, Buyer’s Guides, Giveaways

Stuff We Like: September 2024

This edition of our ‘Stuff We Like’ series is all about apparel — from ultralight rain shells to versatile baselayers, cozy insulators, bike shorts, and much more. Check it out to learn more about the standout products our reviewers have been testing.

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Blister reviews the Ohlins DH38 & RXF38 Coil Spring Kits

Flash Review — Ohlins RXF38 m.2 Coil Kit

Ohlins’ Coil Spring Kit is easy to install, doesn’t add too much weight, and, unlike kits for other forks, still allows you to go back to an air spring later. So, what’s it like to ride? We have some initial thoughts in our Flash Review.

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.

(If you’re already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)

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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

Next up in our 2024 Gift Guide series, we’re sharing the items that our reviewers think will make for awesome additions beneath the tree this holiday season. Check it out for more gift ideas for any of the outdoor enthusiasts in your life.

Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2024 — Under the Tree

Next up in our 2024 Gift Guide series, we’re sharing the items that our reviewers think will make for awesome additions beneath the tree this holiday season. Check it out for more gift ideas for any of the outdoor enthusiasts in your life.

Blister reviews Transition's 2025 youth bikes

2025 Transition Youth Bikes

Kids’ bikes have gotten awfully nice in recent years, and Transition is unveiling a full new lineup of sweet rides for young rippers. Check out the new Bandit, Ripcord, and Scout in our First Look.

Valhalla Pure Outfitters, Revelstoke – Our Blister Recommended Shop in Revelstoke, BC

Valhalla Pure Outfitters – Revelstoke

Valhalla Pure Outfitters – Revelstoke is a centerpiece of this heritage ski town. It is a shop dedicated to service and experience, year-round, with an emphasis on skiing. They seek to differentiate themselves with a high level of customer service and curated product selection focused on their adventure-filled backyard.

Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2024 — Stocking Stuffers

Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2024 — Stocking Stuffers 

‘Tis the season for giving, and our reviewers are here to help. We are kicking off our annual Holiday Gift Guides with some top stocking stuffer ideas for the bikers, skiers, snowboarders, campers, hikers, travelers, and just about any other type of person on your list.

Noah Bodman reviews the North Shore Billet Idler Pulley for the Norco Range for BLISTER

North Shore Billet Idler Pulley (Norco Range HP)

Idler pulleys on high-pivot bikes lead rough lives. They’ve generally got fairly low tooth counts, are heavily loaded, often with not much chain wrap, and bear the brunt of whatever cross-chaining is happening at any given moment. North Shore Billet has a range of aftermarket options to replace worn-out stock idlers, and we’ve spent a full year on their Norco Range version to see how it holds up.

BLISTER — Outdoor Gear Reviews, Podcasts, Buyer’s Guides, Giveaways

Win Tickets to Blister Summit 2025

The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get 2 passes to our upcoming Blister Summit 2025! The Blister Summit is a one-of-a-kind event in the snowsports world and we’re so excited to bring it back for its fifth year, from February 23–27, 2025.

Gear Quiz, Ski Recycling, & Circular Business w/ Powder7 (Ep.321)

Gear Quiz, Ski Recycling, & Circular Business w/ Powder7 (Ep.321)

It’s time to quiz our Blister Recommended Shop, Powder7, to see which gear has them most excited for the season and hear all their hot takes; we also dive into the backstory of their circular business model, from its garage-born roots to their expansive current setup.

Dylan Wood and Simon Stewart review the Yeti ASR for Blister

Yeti ASR

It had been seven years since Yeti produced an ASR — but now their XC race bike is back. And while the new ASR is undoubtedly a competitive modern XC race bike, its appeal will extend beyond the race course for some folks. Check out our Full Review for all the details.

Dylan Wood and Simon Stewart review the Yeti ASR for Blister

Deep Dive: Yeti ASR

We compare the Yeti ASR to the Cannondale Scalpel, Commencal T.E.M.P.O, Yeti SB120, Pivot Trail 429, Niner Jet 9 RDO, Revel Ranger, SCOR 2030, Specialized Epic Evo, and Trek Top Fuel.

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.

(If you’re already logged in and a member in good standing and seeing this message in error, please refresh this page in your browser.)

BLISTER — Outdoor Gear Reviews, Podcasts, Buyer’s Guides, Giveaways

XC Race Bikes for Everyday Riders? | Yeti ASR vs. Cannondale Scalpel Video

Modern XC race courses keep getting more technical, and modern XC bikes have adapted as a result. Simon and Dylan have been logging a whole lot of miles on two of those bikes, the Cannondale Scalpel and Yeti ASR, to not only see how they compare to each other, but also how practical they are for riders who are *not* racing against the clock. Here’s their Head-to-Head video review.