BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
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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.
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.
Win Jackets From Strafe
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the men’s or women’s Highlands Shirt Jacket from Strafe!
2024 Pivot Phoenix
The new Pivot Phoenix has dropped the lugged construction from the prototype versions but kept their wild six-bar, dual-idler, high-pivot suspension layout, and the result is awfully interesting. Check out the latest iteration of Pivot’s DH bike.
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, September 2024 (Ep.242)
On the latest episode of Reviewing the News, Mike and Simon dig into what may have happened to close the doors of one of the biggest retail bike stores in the country; why selling Rad Power bikes in Best Buy stores is a terrible idea; the exciting inaugural Lake Placid XC World Cup; plus a bunch more and the usual banter you don’t want to miss.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: 24/25 Black Crows Octo
Update 12.2.24: Luke Koppa adds his thoughts on the new Black Crows Octo after spending some of his first days of the season aboard it.
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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2-Board Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
Following their 3-board quivers, our reviewers chime in with which snowboards and splitboards they’d select for their personal 2-board quivers.
Reviewer Reports + a Shop Talk First (Ep.324)
Luke and Jonathan offer their early-season reviewer reports, then Jonathan talks to Bangtail Bike & Ski’s new owner about why he did something that no other shop in the world has done — but why others might want to.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, November 2024 (Ep.335)
Cody and Jonathan are back to review some of the news of November; rate your takes; offer some mountain town advice; share what we’re reading & watching; and more.
2024-2025 K2 Omen 90
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the K2 Omen 90 freestyle ski.
2024-2025 Völkl Blaze 104
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Völkl Blaze 104.
Flash Review: 24/25 Ferreol Explo 86
Ski season is officially underway at our home base, and the Explo 86 is one of the first skis we got back on this winter. Here, Luke Koppa shares his initial take.
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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Forbidden Druid V2
There are more high-pivot Trail bikes than ever before, but the Forbidden Druid V2 is still one of the shortest-travel options. So, has Forbidden come up with a coherent short(ish) travel bike with a suspension layout more typically of Enduro and DH sleds, or does it feel caught between those categories? What we’ve found is pretty interesting.
Deep Dive: Forbidden Druid V2
We compare the Forbidden Druid V2 to the Transition Smuggler, Chromag Darco, Norco Optic, Norco Sight, Deviate Highlander II, and Orbea Rallon.
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.
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Win Baselayers from Arms of Andes
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the men’s or women’s Alpaca Wool Long Sleeve Shirt and Leggings from Arms of Andes!
Reviewer Reports: Lightweight eMTBs, Ultra-Adjustable Enduro Bikes, Electronic Suspension Battle & More (Ep.250)
Simon Stewart and David Golay give the rundown on a ton of bikes and other gear we’ve been testing, from a wide range of Trail bikes to a couple of lightweight eMTBs, the ultra-adjustable Geometron G1, and more — including a head-to-head comparison of Fox Live Valve Neo and RockShox Flight Attendant.
No, Thank YOU
In our latest Open Mic piece, Brendan Leonard tells us how to deal with a world full of F@!% Yous.