BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2025 Sea Otter Classic Recap
Check out a bunch of the most interesting, compelling, and just plain odd stuff we’ve seen at Sea Otter this year.
Gear Testing Tips & Tricks w/ Hoji, Ted Ligety, Anne Wangler, & Jess Tennyson (Ep.342)
How do the pros — Hoji, Ted, Anne, and Jess — go about assessing and testing ski and snowboard gear, and what advice do they have for the rest of us? Plus, you’ll hear Ted share one of his favorite (but questionable??) ways of testing skis.
Win Apparel From Le Bent, Party Shirt International, & Curious Creatures
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a sweet prize pack that includes a Men’s or Women’s Midweight Crew Base Layer from Le Bent, a Sun Hoodie from Party Shirt International, & a Cottonwood Long Sleeve Tee from Curious Creatures!
2024-2025 ON3P Woodsman 100 Tour
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the ON3P Woodsman 100 Tour.
Lal Bikes on the Supre Drive & Katana Trail Bike (Ep.269)
Rear derailleurs have been around in their current general form for many decades now, but Lal Bikes thinks there’s a better way, and the Supre Drive is their answer. Now, they’ve got their own bike to go with it: the Katana. So we sat down with Lal Founder, Cedric Eveleigh, to hear all about it.
Lal Katana
Lal Bikes turned a lot of heads when they launched the Supre Drive a few years ago, and now they’re launching their own bike built around it. Meet the Katana.
Flash Review: 25/26 Faction Dancer 79
Faction is expanding their Dancer collection of directional, metal-laminate all-mountain skis, and we’ve started getting time on the newest and narrowest ski, the Dancer 79.
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2025-2026 Faction Dancer 79
Faction is adding a narrower option to their metal-laminate Dancer collection. Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the brand-new Faction Dancer 79.
DT Swiss 350 Ratchet DEG Hubs & Pure Carbon Rims
DT Swiss is bringing their faster-engaging Ratchet DEG freehub design to their more affordable 350 hubs, along with some flashier color options than their standard black. They’re also now offering their top-tier carbon MTB rims on their own. Check out what’s new from DT Swiss.
RAAW Yalla!! V2
Revamped for 2025, the RAAW Yalla!! V2 gets a lot more than just an extra exclamation point in the name. The new frame doesn’t deviate too far from the original but gets mixed wheel compatibility, redesigned adjustable dropouts, updated tubing and protection details, and a bunch of other tweaks. Check out RAAW’s updated DH bike in our First Look.
Flash Review: 25/26 FullSend Max K 106
We’ve been testing two versions of FullSend’s do-everything all-mountain ski, including a fully rockered model and a cambered version with a swallowtail. 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 FullSend Max K 106
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for two versions — fully rockered and cambered with a swallowtail — of the new FullSend Max K 106.
Tinctures, Traditions, & Taste: the Bitters Creation Process w/ Bennett Bitters (Ep.65)
Bitters have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, and in cocktails for centuries, but they receive far less attention than the spirits in our glass. So we talk with the founders of Bennett Bitters about bitters in general, and the complex process they use to produce some of the best bitters on the market.
Allied Cycle Works ABLE Gen 2
Allied Cycle Works has revamped the ABLE, their race-oriented Gravel bike. The original elevated chainstay design is no longer, but it gets even more clearance for big tires, a new in-frame storage design, and updated geometry. Check out the details in our First Look.
Revel Ritual and ReRun
Hot on the heels of the Rascal SL launch, Revel is dropping two more bikes on the other end of the spectrum — including their first eMTB. Check out the new Ritual and electrified ReRun.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2025-2026 Head Kore 112 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Head Kore 112 Ti.
Breaking News: Revel Bikes is Back — and So is Revel Founder, Adam Miller (Ep.275)
After announcing just a few weeks ago that it was shutting down operations, Revel Bikes is back. And Revel’s founder, Adam Miller, is back. So, how did this all happen? And what happens next? Jonathan Ellsworth talks with Adam Miller to get the whole story.
Revel Bikes is Back
Revel Bikes announced their impending closure a month ago, but founder Adam Miller swept in and bought the brand back from the group he sold it to in 2021, with plans to resume regular operations, including full warranty support and production of their newly-launched models.
‘The Eiger Sanction’ w/ Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.38)
Cody and Jonathan discuss The Eiger Sanction, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this week; it stars Clint Eastwood, the biggest movie star in the world at the time; and, importantly, Alex Honnold has called this the most realistic climbing film that Hollywood has ever produced. So … is Alex right? And how does the rest of the film hold up?
Flash Review: 25/26 Ellis Kanso 106
Ellis is one of the newest ski brands to hit the market, and their new Kanso 106 is meant to be a versatile and playful all-mountain option. 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 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.
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 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
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.)
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!