BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
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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.”
Deep Dive: ZAG Mata
We compare the ZAG Mata to the Line Blade, Black Crows Mirus Cor, Folsom Spar Turbo, Black Crows Octo, ZAG Harfang 96, Fischer The Curv GT 85, ZAG Slap 98, Nordica Steadfast 85 DC, Elan Wingman 86 CTi, Dynastar M-Cross 88, K2 Mindbender 90C, Salomon Stance 90, Wagner Summit 91, & 4FRNT MSP 91.
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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Stuff We Like: March 2025
In this month’s edition of Stuff We Like, our reviewers cover everything from multifunctional apparel to several gear-organization solutions, snowboard-boot liners, ski outerwear, snowsports backpacks, and more.
2026 Fox Float X2 and DHX2
Right on the heels of giving their fork lineup a big overhaul, Fox has new versions of their Float X2 and DHX2 gravity shocks. It’s a big refresh, too, including completely different damper architecture and a bunch more. Check out what’s changed.
2025-2026 Völkl Mantra 84 W
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the women’s Völkl Mantra 84 W.
2024-2025 Atomic X9S Retro ARC 735 RS
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Atomic X9S Retro ARC 735 RS.
2024-2025 ON3P Jeffrey 92
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the ON3P Jeffrey 92.
Ted Ligety on Ski Tuning, World Cup Racing, & the Art of Going Fast (Ep.340)
As part of the 5850 Fest at the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, Jonathan talked with Ted Ligety about the tricky conditions and the very challenging course here in Sun Valley for the Super G and GS races, and the incredibly demanding business of going fast.
Win Running Apparel From Path Projects
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a Graves PX Shell Jacket, Kessler LS Tee, and Graves PX shorts from Path Projects! Enter before Friday, April 4th for your chance to win.
2025-2026 Völkl Peregrine 72
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Völkl Peregrine 72.
Atherton Bikes on Their Development Process, Gearboxes, & the A.200.G (Ep.267)
Gearbox bikes are popping up all over the World Cup Downhill circuit, and Atherton Bikes have joined those ranks with the new A.200.G. So we sat down with Atherton’s Head of Design, Rob Gow, to hear all about the bike, its development, the trajectory of gearboxes, and a lot more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
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
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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Flash Review: 25/26 RMU Professor 101
We’ve been spending time on the new Professor 101, which expands the freestyle-friendly Professor collection to a more versatile and all-mountain-friendly width. Here are our initial 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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2025-2026 RMU Professor 101
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the RMU Professor 101.
Flash Review: 25/26 Majesty Vanguard 108 Ti
The Vanguard 108 Ti is the latest addition to Majesty’s freeride collection, but this metal-laminate ski is designed for a more playful approach to the mountain. Here’s what we’ve learned about it so far.
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 Majesty Vanguard 108 Ti
Majesty is introducing a new playful, metal-laminate ski for freeriders who want something narrower than the Vanguard 118 Ti. Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Vanguard 108 Ti.
Vorsprung Telum
The Telum coil shock may be Vorsprung’s first standalone suspension product, but they’ve got a long and impressive track record of suspension upgrade parts and tuning work to draw from. So does the Telum live up to expectations? Here’s our take.
When Sh!t Hits the Fan / How to Recreate Responsibly, with Nick Russell, Bjarne Salen, Drew Petersen, & Dr. Gloria Beim (Ep.354)
Today, an all-star lineup of guests share their stories of times when things went wrong in the mountains, and also share some of their best advice and tips to respond to such moments — or, ideally, avoid them altogether. If you recreate in the mountains, please listen.