We catch up with Drew and Rachel Harding of our Blister Recommended Shop, Spokane Alpine Haus, to hear all about the exciting recent developments at the shop; how this news runs counter to a lot of what you see from local retailers these days; what ski / snowboard gear they’re excited about for the 24/25 season, and more.
Win Skis From 4FRNT
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the new NEVAR ski from 4FRNT!
High Above on US Manufacturing, Pack Design, Expanding Their Lineup, & More (Ep.244)
High Above has been making high-quality bike packs and accessories — in the US — for well over a decade. We sat down with them to get their thoughts on the value (and downsides) of US manufacturing; talk about their design and testing process; get some teasers of what they’re working on; and a whole lot more.
Cannondale Moterra SL vs. Mondraker Dune XR | Head-to-Head Video
The Cannondale Moterra SL and Mondraker Dune XR both offer lots of travel at fairly low weights for the eMTB category, but they accomplish that in very different ways. In this Head-to-Head video, Blister editors Simon Stewart and Dylan Wood compare and contrast these two eMTBs, discuss what sorts of riders will get along best with each one, and (try to) decide which one they'd each personally pick.
Cannondale Moterra SL
The groundbreaking Cannondale Moterra SL is claimed to be the lightest full-power eMTB on the market, but has it made too many compromises to get there, or does it deliver something truly unique? Check out our Full Review for our take.
Deep Dive: Cannondale Moterra SL
We compare the Cannondale Moterra SL to the Pivot Shuttle LT, Pivot Shuttle AM, Orbea Wild, Devinci E-Troy, Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay, and Mondraker Dune XR.
Wayfarer Vans w/ Andy Mullins (Ep.50)
Camper vans are everywhere, and in today’s CRAFTED conversation, Simon is joined by Wayfarer Van’s Andy Mullins to answer commonly asked questions about camping in — and building — vans.
Teton Village Sports
Teton Village Sports has been at the base of the fabled Jackson Hole tram since it opened for skiing. They are a full-service ski shop offering top-tier bootfitting and custom footbeds, large demo ski rental fleet that matches their retail ski offering, and an award-winning tune and repair shop offering overnight tunes ready for first chair the next day.
2025 Rocky Mountain Element
The Rocky Mountain Element was an early example of a cross-country bike with more aggressive geometry, and the new Element makes some refinements without messing with that winning recipe. Read all about it in our First Look.
‘The Hard Way’ w/ Paul Forward & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.27)
Jonathan talks with our friend and longtime Blister reviewer, Paul Forward, about a beautiful new series of three short films about Paul, called The Hard Way, that delve into Paul’s lifelong passion for traditional bow hunting, and the ethics that guide Paul’s practice.
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+.
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.
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.