BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
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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.
Flash Review: 25/26 RMU Zephyr 88
The Zephyr 88 is RMU’s most piste-oriented ski, and we’ve logged our first few days on it. Here are our initial takeaways.
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2025-2026 RMU Zephyr 88
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, flex pattern numbers, and some more info about RMU’s carver, the Zephyr 88.
2025-2026 Rossignol Sender Free 118
The Rossignol Blackops 118 was the all-time favorite ski of our managing editor, and many other skiers around the globe. When we got word that Rossignol was replacing it, some of us held our breath while others sharpened their pitchforks. Now, we’re ready to weigh in on its successor, the Sender Free 118. Sit down and strap in for one of our longest (and most entertaining?) Full Reviews.
Deep Dive: Rossignol Sender Free 118
We compare the Rossignol Sender Free 118 to the Rossignol Blackops 118, Moment Wildcat, Rossignol Sender Free 110, Dynastar M-Free 112, Head Kore 118 Ti, Prior Northwest 116, ON3P Jeffrey 118, ON3P Billy Goat 118, Black Crows Anima, Line Optic 114, K2 Reckoner 124, Völkl Revolt 121, Völkl Revolt 114, 4FRNT Renegade, 4FRNT Inthayne, Atomic Maverick 115 CTI, Atomic Bent Chetler 120, Nordica Unleashed 114, Line Bacon 115, Icelantic Nomad 112, Salomon S/Lab QST Blank, Blizzard Rustler 11, and Head Oblivion 116.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Your Questions: Our Favorite Skis This Season; Big vs Small Brands; Quiver Overlap; & More (Ep.348)
Jonathan and Luke answer your questions, including our go-to backpacks for ski-touring; how a given brand’s size, location, and ethos factor into our own purchasing decisions; what skis to get if you’re spending a lot of time cruising slow-speed groomers; how we view “Quiver Overlap”; and one of the most frequent questions we get: what were our favorite skis this season?
Win Cycling Gear From Lezyne
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Super Drive 1800+ Smart Front Bike Light, Saddle Ai Alert 250 Rear Bike Light, & Pocket Drive Pro Bike Hand Pump from Lezyne!
2026 Orbea Rallon
FMD Racing unveiled the prototype Orbea that they’ve been racing on at the Bielsko-Biala DH World Cup last weekend, and it turns out that it’s the new Rallon — historically Orbea’s Enduro bike. The new version is meant to fill double duty as both a DH and Enduro rig, with a big range of adjustments to suit, and looks to be a massive departure from the Rallon of old. Check it all out here.
Reading Culture: Books, Reading, & Indie Bookstores Today w/ Arvin Ram, Owner of Townie Books (Ep.70)
Jonathan talks books, book recommendations, the state of independent bookstores, the art of reading, and the craft of writing, with Arvin Ram, who is a writer, avid reader, owner of the indie bookstore, Townie Books, and the director of the Mountain Words Festival.
Flash Review: 25/26 Head Kore 112 Ti
The new Kore 112 Ti features many of the same updates as the rest of the overhauled Kore collection, but the 112 (and 118) offer something a bit different on snow. Here are our initial thoughts on how the Kore 112 Ti compares to the Kore 118 Ti, the previous Kore 111, and the narrower Kore Ti models.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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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
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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.