BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2015 SRAM X01 DH 7-Speed Drivetrain
SRAM’s X01 DH 7-Speed Drivetrain offers the best available performance, but there are other factors to consider, too.
Sterling Evolution Helix 9.5 Rope
The Sterling Evolution Helix is a top performer in the do-it-all, single rope category, and proves that ropes aren’t merely about weight vs. diameter.
Outdoor Research Cirque Pants
The Outdoor Research Cirque is a versatile, multi-season softshell pant.
Wolf Tooth DropStop (V2) 32T Chainring
The redesigned Wolf Tooth narrow/wide chainring is the best option we’ve tested for 1x drivetrains.
Outdoor Research Splitter Gloves
The Outdoor Research Splitter gloves are a promising alternative to athletic tape for splitter crack climbs.
WTB Riddler Tire
The WTB Riddler is a 27.5″ semi-slick tire that rolls fast while still cornering very well.
SRAM GX 1×11 Drivetrain
The SRAM GX 1×11 drivetrain is now the most affordable 1×11 drivetrain available for anyone looking to ditch their front derailleur.
Black Diamond B.D.V. Hoody and Pants
The Black Diamond B.D.V. pants and hoodie are the best rock climbing soft shells we’ve tested.
Wolf Tooth Components GCX 42T Replacement Cog
The Wolf Tooth Components GCX 42T cog is an affordable solution for worn out cassettes, and makes 1×11 drivetrains even more compelling.
Race Face SixC 35 Carbon Bar and Atlas DM 35 Stem
The Race Face SixC 35 Carbon Bar and Atlas DM 35 Stem offer the best combination of stiffness and vibration damping of any 35mm bar we’ve tested.
2015-2016 Amplid UNW8
The Amplid UNW8 delivers a stiff, responsive, and surprisingly durable ride that makes it a great one board quiver.
2015 Canfield Brothers 27.5 Jedi
The 2015 Canfield Jedi handles gnarly, rough trails better than any other bike we’ve been on.
Park Tool ATD-1 Adjustable Torque Driver
The Park ATD-1 Adjustable Torque Driver is a handy tool that makes setting precise bolt torques on expensive components easy.
Xan Marshland
Age: 24 | Vitals: 5’10”, 145 lbs. | Years Riding: 14 | Current Residence: Northern California | Instagram: @xanmarshland For as long as I can remember, I’ve never been too interested in team sports. It’s not that I’m against competition. Rather, I was just always
POC Joint VPD Air Knee Pads
The POC Joint VPD Air Knee Pads are comfortable enough for longer, hot trail rides, while still providing a useful amount of protection.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Five Ten Hellcat Pro
The Five Ten Hellcat Pro is a burly, downhill-oriented clipless shoe that’s designed to offer lots of protection and comfort while maintaining pedaling efficiency. And for that use, it’s one of the best options we’ve tried.
Deep Dive: Rossignol Experience 94 Ti
We compare the Experience 94 Ti to the Nordica Enforcer 93, DPS Foundation Cassiar 94, Atomic Vantage 97 Ti, Blizzard Brahma & Bonafide, J Skis Masterblaster, Volkl Mantra M5, and more…
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Kenda Hellkat Pro Tire
The gravity / DH tire category has been dominated by a few specific options for years, but Kenda aims to change that with their Hellkat Pro. So we spent a few months riding on the Hellkat Pro to see how it compares to options like the Maxxis Minion DHF, Maxxis High Roller II, and WTB Convict.
Win Men’s & Women’s Sunglasses from Smith
Need new shades? Enter now for your chance to win a pair from Smith.
2018-2019 K2 Pinnacle 95 Ti
Light, but pretty stable. Surfy, but can hold an edge. Forgiving, but supportive. The newest iteration of the K2 Pinnacle 95 Ti feels like a bit of a contradiction, but the result is a pretty versatile ski that we think a lot of skiers may enjoy. Check out our full review.
Alex Honnold & Maury Birdwell on the Honnold Foundation and filming Free Solo (Ep.15)
Alex Honnold is arguably the best and certainly the boldest climber in a generation, with a mind-bending free solo ascent of El Cap, and an unbelievable speed record on The Nose in under two hours. In this episode, we sat down with Alex and Maury Birdwell to talk about what may be an even more impressive accomplishment: the Honnold Foundation. (And, of course, we sneak in some talk about climbing, too.)
Race Face Next R Cranks
The Next R sits in the middle of Race Face’s high-end crank lineup, slotted between their burly DH cranks and lighter XC options. So how does the Next R differentiate itself from the many other options out there? Short answer: a lot of ways. Check out our full review.
2019-2020 ON3P Wrenegade 96
The brand-new ON3P Wrenegade 96 is the narrowest directional ski in ON3P’s lineup, but it definitely doesn’t look like some corduroy cruiser. So how does it compare to the Wren 98 it replaced, as well as other skis in its class? Check out our measured specs, rocker pics, initial impressions, and Flash Review.
18/19 ON3P Wrenegade 96
We spent a couple days on the brand-new Wren 96, and here you can check out our initial on-snow impressions and comparisons to the old Wren 98, and the Nordica Enforcer 100.
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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(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.)
Black Diamond Vector Helmet
Once upon a time, climbing helmets were pretty much all the same. Not anymore. There are ultralight helmets on one end, and durable but heavy options on the other. The Black Diamond Vector falls in between, making it a versatile option. Check out our full review, with comparisons to several helmets from Black Diamond, Petzl, and Mammut.
Suspension 101: Designs
Trying to figure out bike suspension designs – how they work and the pros & cons of each – can feel like you need an engineering degree. So we put together this article to clarify the differences between the various suspension designs on the market. Check it out.
Bikes vs. Skis, 1st Edition (2018): Part 2 (Ep.23)
We’re back with round 2 of Bikes vs. Skis, where we ask the question, “Which particular bike company is most like which particular ski company?”