Manitou Mara Pro PB
Manitou’s rear shocks aren’t necessarily a common sight on the trails, but the updated Mara Pro PB makes a strong case for why that should change. Our Full Review chronicles our findings after a few months of heavy use.
Mondraker Dune
The Mondraker Dune XR is exceptionally good at going downhill and adds the impressive Bosch SX drive system to help bring it back up for more. Check out the Full Review to see what Mondraker has done to make the Dune XR so unique.
Deep Dive: Mondraker Dune XR
The Mondraker Dune XR is one of the more unique light-assist eMTBs we’ve tested, and as such there aren’t many direct comparisons, so we’re including some full-power eMTBs that match up a bit closer as well.
We compare the Mondraker Dune to the Pivot Shuttle LT, Orbea Wild, Devinci E-Troy, Canyon Torque:ON CF, and Trek Slash+.
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Team USA Snowboarder, Bea Kim (Ep.328)
At the age of 17, not many of us find ourselves competing for World Cup titles, or speaking in front of the United Nations. But then there’s Bea Kim, and you’re definitely going to want to get to know her and her story.
Vorsprung Smashpot V2 Coil Spring Fork Conversion Kit
Vorsprung’s new Smashpot V2 still lets you convert your fork to a coil spring, but V2 offers increased tunability, a wider range of travel and fork compatibility options — including dual-crown ones — and a new dual-rate progressive spring setup for longer-travel configurations. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Formula Nebbia
The Nebbia is Formula’s first air shock, with a strong focus on tunability and ease of service. After a few months of testing, we have gotten a good sense of how it performs — and the results are even more interesting than expected.
GEAR THERAPY: Elite Football Player Gets Back into Skiing (Ep.317)
BLISTER+ member, Pete Brantley, talks about getting back into skiing; playing football for the Oregon Ducks (and Chicago Bears!); poses his most-pressing gear questions; and gets Jonathan’s best recommendations.
Win an IR Waxer From mountainFLOW
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get an Infrared (IR) Waxer from mountainFLOW!
The Design, Development, & Testing of Enve’s new M-Series Wheels (Ep.243)
Enve’s new M-Series wheels are the result of a very long and involved development process, and they don’t look, or ride, anything like M-Series wheels of old. So we sat down with Jake Pantone of Enve to get the whole story behind their development.
Enve’s Fifth-Generation M-Series Wheels
Enve has launched the fifth-generation versions of their flagship M-Series mountain bike wheels, promising a very different ride feel from past M-Series wheels. The data they’ve provided to quantify that is pretty eye-popping, and there’s a lot of interesting stuff going on with their design — including new, Enve-designed hubs. Check out what they’ve come up with.
Flash Review — Enve M6 Wheels
Enve says that their new M-Series wheels ride very differently from Enve wheels of old, and we’ve started putting those claims to the test with their new Trail bike wheels, the M6. Check out 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.
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.)
How Do You Know How “Safe” Your Helmet Is? | Blister Summit Video
Testing standards are hugely important, but when it comes to ski/snowboard and cycling helmets, the current ones have limitations. In this clip, Steven Kennedy, Sr. Director of R&D at Giro, shares some thoughts on Giro’s in-house testing approach, the Virginia Tech helmet testing standards, and more.
‘A Sunday in Hell’ w/ Joe Parkin & Simon Stewart (Ep.26)
We revisit the 1977 film ‘A Sunday in Hell,’ often regarded as one of the greatest bike racing films of all time. To do it justice, Simon Stewart is joined by former pro cyclist Joe Parkin, who raced Paris-Roubaix himself in 1988, and knows what it takes to suffer through “The Hell of the North.”
Trek Slash+
The Trek Slash+ combines big travel with a little motor — a pairing that sets it apart from the rest of the market. We have logged plenty of miles on the Slash+ this summer and have a lot to say about its impressive performance — and some tradeoffs that come with it.
When & WHY Should You Replace Your Helmet? | Blister Summit Video
How do you know when or why you should replace your ski, snowboard, or bike helmet? It's not a simple or easy question to answer, but at Blister Summit 2024, we got some insight from Steven Kennedy, Frederik Kjellberg, Drew Petersen, and Sascha Anastas.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, September 2024 (Ep.327)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the release of Cody’s first FIFTY+ film; some big controversies in the world of FKT’s & running; a great edition of Blevin’s Corner; mountain guides and the often confusing practice of tipping; what they’re reading & watching; … and more.
DT Swiss XMC 1501 Wheels & Ratchet DEG Hubs
DT’s new Ratchet DEG hubs are the fastest-engaging ones they’ve offered to date, but have they kept the traits that made the original 240s popular in the first place? We’ve been testing the Ratchet DEG hubs on DT’s XMC 1501 wheels and have thoughts.
2024 Ski Movie Tours & Premieres | A Guide
We know we’re not the only ones itching to get back on snow. Thankfully, film tours and movie premiers are not only a great way to relive past seasons, they’re also excellent community events — you get to join friends new and old to share in the pre-season stoke. Here’s a guide to where and when you can attend one near you.
ON3P Skis 24/25 Lineup with Scott Andrus (Ep.316)
We talk to ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, about their 24/25 lineup, and we dive into the weeds about numerous aspects of ski design and ski manufacturing that you really won’t hear about anywhere else.
ZAG’s ‘Next-Gen Carver’ + 2025 Ski Lineup | Blister Summit Video
Across its 20-year history in the freeride, touring, and all-mountain worlds, Chamonix-based ZAG has continued to refine their lineup, whether through design or efforts to reduce their environmental footprint. In this video, we get the details on that history — plus the brand’s 2025 ski lineup — from ZAG’s Théo Voinchet and ZAG athlete, Teton Brown.