BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
5 Years of Prototypes: AlpenFlow Ski Bindings Origins & Overview
In the first of our videos from Blister Summit 2025, we sit down with AlpenFlow Designs to get the whole story on how and why they decided to make a ski-touring binding; how their prototypes of the AlpenFlow 89 have evolved over the first 5 years of development; what they believe sets it apart from the rest of the market; how it actually works; and more.
Win a Helmet & Goggles from Pret
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Pret Fury or Vision Helmet, as well as a pair of Pret Effect Goggles!
Best Skis of the Century from Each Brand, Part 2 (Ep.365)
In Part 2 of our series on the Best Skis of the Century, Luke Koppa and Sascha Anastas join Jonathan Ellsworth to dive into the best skis from 23 more brands, and we also discuss some of the best and most notable women-specific skis of the past 25 years.
Propain Sresh SL
Propain’s lightweight Sresh SL eMTB has proven to be an option that’s hard to define, but easy to get along with in a wide variety of settings. Check out our Full Review for our takeaways after 3 months aboard this mid-travel eMTB.
Deep Dive: Propain Sresh SL
We compare the Propain Sresh SL to the Yeti MTe, Pivot Shuttle SL/AM, Pivot Shuttle SL, Norco Fluid VLT 130, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Trek Fuel EXe, and Mondraker Dune XR.
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.)
Rocket Ramps on Building Trails, Ramps, and Action Sports Infrastructure (Ep. 296)
Simon catches up with Henry Lanman of Rocket Ramps about the crazy big lines they built for the bike park in Picuris Pueblo, the sustainability of their ramps, their passion for building action sports infrastructure, and more.
Giro Chamber III Shoes
Giro’s new Chamber III went on a bit of a diet, but remains a fairly aggressive, gravity-focused clip shoe. We’re ready with a Full Review after five months of trail time.
‘Pressure Drop’ + 30 Years of TGR w/ Todd Jones & Nick McNutt (Ep.54)
Jonathan talks with TGR co-founder, Todd Jones, then pro skier, Nick McNutt, about the past, present, & future of Teton Gravity Research, and their excellent new 30th-anniversary film, Pressure Drop.
Inside the Minds of Pro Skiers: Competition, Careers, & Close Calls w/ Dane Tudor, Todd Ligare, Amy Jane David, & Stinius Skjøtskift (Ep.378)
Dane Tudor, Todd Ligare, Amy Jane David, and Stinius Skjøtskift joined us for a wide-ranging conversation on skiing, competition, and career-defining moments — recorded live at the Blister Summit 2025.
EXT Vecta
The EXT Vecta brings most of the features of their flagship Storia V4 coil shock to a much more affordable package, but how does its performance stack up? We’ve spent the summer finding out. Here’s what we found.
Best Skis of the Century from Each Brand, Part 1 (Ep.364)
Today, we are kicking off a new series, where we will debate and try to identify the best skis of the 21st Century from over 30 ski brands. Jonathan Ellsworth, Luke Koppa, Paul Forward, and our great friend, Rob Dickinson, kick off the conversation.
Win Touring Bindings and Climbing Skins from G3
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get any pair of ski touring bindings and any pair of climbing skins from G3!
Reform Tantalus Heat Moldable Saddle
Heat molding is ubiquitous for snowsports boots, but bike saddles? Not so much. The Reform Tantalus makes a strong case for its value in customizing your saddle fit.
Flash Review: Wolf Tooth CTRL Clip Pedals
Wolf Tooth just launched their first clip pedals, and we’ve started riding their unique, Trail-focused CTRL design. Our Flash Review has 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.
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.)
Wolf Tooth CTRL, ALT, and DEL Clip Pedals
Wolf Tooth just dropped their first clip pedals — three of them — and there are some clever features to talk about. Our First Look runs through the new CTRL, ALT, and DEL pedals.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Hashing Things Out: Lincoln Knowles, Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.379)
Cody and Jonathan have been talking about Lincoln Knowles, the climber, free soloist, and content creator who has been making waves in the climbing world. And today, Lincoln joins them to hash things out and discuss some big topics that have implications for the entire outdoor industry.
Pivot Firebird V5
The latest 5th-generation version of the Pivot Firebird is still an impressive take on a go-fast Enduro race bike, but pigeonholing it into that one role would sell it short. Here’s our take on what makes the new Firebird a compelling option for a surprisingly wide array of riders.
Deep Dive: Pivot Firebird V5
We compare the Pivot Firebird V5 to the Pivot Firebird V4, Yeti SB160, Yeti SB165, Rocky Mountain Altitude, Propain Tyee, Santa Cruz Megatower, Santa Cruz Nomad, and Ibis HD6.
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.)
5 Years of Prototypes: AlpenFlow Ski Bindings Origins & Overview
In the first of our videos from Blister Summit 2025, we sit down with AlpenFlow Designs to get the whole story on how and why they decided to make a ski-touring binding; how their prototypes of the AlpenFlow 89 have evolved over the first 5 years of development; what they believe sets it apart from the rest of the market; how it actually works; and more.
Win a Helmet & Goggles from Pret
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Pret Fury or Vision Helmet, as well as a pair of Pret Effect Goggles!
Best Skis of the Century from Each Brand, Part 2 (Ep.365)
In Part 2 of our series on the Best Skis of the Century, Luke Koppa and Sascha Anastas join Jonathan Ellsworth to dive into the best skis from 23 more brands, and we also discuss some of the best and most notable women-specific skis of the past 25 years.
Propain Sresh SL
Propain’s lightweight Sresh SL eMTB has proven to be an option that’s hard to define, but easy to get along with in a wide variety of settings. Check out our Full Review for our takeaways after 3 months aboard this mid-travel eMTB.
Deep Dive: Propain Sresh SL
We compare the Propain Sresh SL to the Yeti MTe, Pivot Shuttle SL/AM, Pivot Shuttle SL, Norco Fluid VLT 130, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Trek Fuel EXe, and Mondraker Dune XR.
Rocket Ramps on Building Trails, Ramps, and Action Sports Infrastructure (Ep. 296)
Simon catches up with Henry Lanman of Rocket Ramps about the crazy big lines they built for the bike park in Picuris Pueblo, the sustainability of their ramps, their passion for building action sports infrastructure, and more.
Giro Chamber III Shoes
Giro’s new Chamber III went on a bit of a diet, but remains a fairly aggressive, gravity-focused clip shoe. We’re ready with a Full Review after five months of trail time.
‘Pressure Drop’ + 30 Years of TGR w/ Todd Jones & Nick McNutt (Ep.54)
Jonathan talks with TGR co-founder, Todd Jones, then pro skier, Nick McNutt, about the past, present, & future of Teton Gravity Research, and their excellent new 30th-anniversary film, Pressure Drop.
Inside the Minds of Pro Skiers: Competition, Careers, & Close Calls w/ Dane Tudor, Todd Ligare, Amy Jane David, & Stinius Skjøtskift (Ep.378)
Dane Tudor, Todd Ligare, Amy Jane David, and Stinius Skjøtskift joined us for a wide-ranging conversation on skiing, competition, and career-defining moments — recorded live at the Blister Summit 2025.