BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Win Any Pret Helmet & Goggle
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get their pick of any Pret Helmet, as well as their choice of any pair of Pret Goggles!
Blister Holiday Gift Guide 2024 — Kids & Parents Edition
Rounding out our Holiday Gift Guide series this year is a collection of gift ideas that we think would be great for outdoor-oriented kids and parents — or those who are looking for new ways to spend more time outside with their little ones.
Fox DHX Live Valve Neo Electronic Shock
Fox took their time developing the new wireless version of their electronically-controlled Live Valve bike suspension. We’ve been testing the DHX Live Valve Neo since early summer, and it’s clear that Fox has come up with something pretty interesting.
Risk, Consequence, & an 8-Step Checklist
In this Open Mic piece, Hadley Hammer offers lots of food for thought, and an 8-Step checklist that each of us would do well to act on.
PeopleForBikes CEO, Jenn Dice, on Assessing, Advocating For, & Building Better Bike Infrastructure (Ep.249)
Getting more people on bikes more regularly is a laudable goal, and building better bike infrastructure is key to making it happen. PeopleForBikes does a whole lot to make that happen all over the US, and we sat down with their CEO, Jenn Dice, to hear all about it — and we dive into off-road bike access & advocacy, the specter of increased tariffs on bikes (and a lot of other stuff), and a whole bunch more.
Flash Review — EXT Vaia
EXT’s new Vaia is an inverted dual-crown fork with additional features and design details that set it apart from most of the DH fork market — at least on paper. But how does it stack up on the trail? Check out our early thoughts.
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EXT Vaia Fork
EXT’s first dual-crown DH fork is here, and per usual for the brand, they’ve come up with some interesting ways to do things their own way. Check out what they’ve come up with.
Studio Shed w/ Mike Koenig (Ep.53)
Sheds and Accessory Dwelling Units (aka, ADUs) are a great way to provide extra room for outdoor gear, remote work offices, or even additional living spaces. And in today’s conversation, we sit down with Studio Shed’s co-founder Mike Koenig to discuss their unique approach to designing prefabricated backyard structures that are well-built, eco-friendly, and stylish.
CAST Freetour 2.0 Pivot Ski-Touring Binding
CAST was the first to make a touring binding that got you alpine-binding performance on the way down and a tech toe for the way up, and the Freetour 2.0 is the latest iteration of their system. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Flash Review — Kona Process 153
We were impressed by the new Kona Process 134 when we reviewed it recently, but how about its bigger sibling, the Process 153? We’ve started spending time on the longer-travel member of the family and have some early thoughts to share.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2025 Mondraker Arid Carbon
Mondraker has dropped their first non-motorized Gravel bike — the Arid Carbon. With a clean aesthetic and a feature set designed to please both racers and more casual adventurers, the Arid prioritizes versatility. Let’s see what Mondraker has cooked up.
1-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
That’s a wrap — we’ve now had all of our reviewers share which skis they’d pick if they were to ski a whole season on a single setup. Check out what everyone selected this year.
Flash Review — Canyon Spectral:ONfly
The new lightweight light-assist Canyon Spectral:ONFly looks like a smart, well-timed addition to their Trail bike eMTB lineup. We’ve started spending time on the Canyon Spectral:ONFly and are ready to weigh in with some initial thoughts on Canyon’s take on this hot category.
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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10 Quick Things: ‘Testing Skis w/ an Olympic Gold Medalist’ Edition (Ep.333)
Jonathan talks about skiing with an Olympic gold medalist on his first day back on snow; Mikaela Shiffrin vs. Santa Claus; the outdoor sports equivalent of Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul; and more. Give it a listen, then let us know your thoughts and ideas.
Bluebird Mountain Sports
Bluebird Mountain Sports is the place to go for ski gear and tuning, bootfitting, and more in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Deep Dive: Rossignol Sender Soul 102
We compare the Rossignol Sender Soul 102 to the Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, Armada Declivity X 102, Nordica Enforcer 100, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, Salomon QST 98, Line Pandora 99, J Skis Masterblaster, Folsom Completo 100, Icelantic Nomad 100, DPS Wailer 100, Fischer Ranger 102, Liberty Scope 104, ZAG Slap 104, Blizzard Rustler 10, Line Optic 104, Black Crows Atris, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, & Salomon Stance 102.
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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2024-2025 ON3P Jeffrey 108
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the ON3P Jeffrey 108.
2025 Gnu Hyper, 160 cm
The Gnu Hyper has roots in freestyle while promising all mountain versatility in varied conditions. We’ve spent a good deal of time getting acquainted with the Hyper, and it seems quite appealing for a broad category of riders. Check out our Full Review for the details.
Deep Dive: Marin Alpine Trail XR
We compare the Marin Alpine Trail to the original Alpine Trail, Yeti SB165, Santa Cruz Nomad, Propain Tyee, Privateer 161 V2, RAAW Madonna V3, Chromag Lowdown, Orbea Rallon, Yeti SB160, Ibis HD6, Kavenz VHP 16, and Banshee Titan.
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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Marin Alpine Trail XR
The refreshed Marin Alpine Trail XR still brings excellent value but feels like a much more modern and well-rounded take on a modern Enduro bike than the old one. Our Full Review explains why it’s a standout.
Our Reviewers’ 2024 Craft Obsessions & 2025 Curiosities (Ep.55)
Today, we are sharing the craft categories that most captivated some of our Blister reviewers in 2024, and revealing some of the categories they are most curious about heading into 2025.
5 New Films: ‘Circle of Madness’; ‘Grown’; ‘White Gold’; ‘Blue Hour’; & ‘Variable’ w/ Mike Rogge & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.33)
Mike and Jonathan talk about the state of snowsports films today, and make the case for 5 new films from 2024 that deserve your attention. So check out these films, let us know what you think of them, and let us know what else you think were some of the standout films of 2024.
2024-2025 HEAD Supershape e-Titan
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated HEAD Supershape e-Titan.
Flash Review — EXT Arma V4
We’ve been quite impressed with the EXT Storia V4 shock — so what about its bigger sibling, the Arma? Check out our thoughts so far.
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: 24/25 Nordica Enforcer 94
Jonathan shares his initial thoughts on the latest version of the Enforcer 94, how it compares to prior iterations, and where it feels most at home vs. the wider Enforcers.
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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2024-2025 Nordica Enforcer 94
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated Nordica Enforcer 94.
Our Reviewers’ 2024 Highlights & 2025 Resolutions (Ep.339)
For our final Blister Podcast of 2024, we are once again sharing some of the highs, the lows, and the lessons learned by our team this past year, and revealing some of our reviewers’ plans and resolutions for 2025.