BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
2025 Orbea Wild
Orbea has refreshed their Wild eMTB. It’s a story of incremental rather than radical change, but also includes the new Bosch Performance Line CX motor — plus there’s now a shorter travel ST model. Read on for our First Look.
Making Skis in a Ski Town | 2025 Romp Ski Lineup | Blister Summit Video
Few ski companies make their skis as close to the slopes as Romp, and at Blister Summit 2024, we sat down with Romp’s Eligh Purvis to discuss the ins and outs of operating a ski factory in Crested Butte, CO; Romp’s fully custom vs. “Romp Ready” ski options; some new models they rolled out for the 24/25 season, and more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2024-2025 Armada ARV 106
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated Armada ARV 106.
2024-2025 Blizzard Black Pearl 84
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Blizzard Black Pearl 84.
Win Carv’s Digital Ski Coach System
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the Carv 2 Ski Coach system as well as a Carv Season Pass!
Ski Racing, Ski Tuning, & State of the Bike & Ski Industry w/ Sturtevant’s Olin Glenne (Ep.325)
Today we’re talking ski racing, ski tuning, ski finishing, ski-base flatness, and the state of the bike & ski Industry w/ Sturtevant’s Olin Glenne.
2024-2025 Head Crux 105 Pro
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Head Crux 105 Pro touring ski.
2024-2025 Elan Ripstick 100 W
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the women’s Elan Ripstick 100 W.
Küat Piston Pro
We’ve spent a year with Kuat’s Piston Pro hitch rack, including plenty of winter use and hauling lots of heavy eMTBs, so it’s time to weigh in on how it performed.
2024-2025 HEAD Supershape e-Rally
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated HEAD Supershape e-Rally.
Flash Review: 24/25 Head Supershape e-Rally
We’ve been spending time on the new Head Supershape e-Rally, and directly comparing it to the outgoing version. Check out our initial thoughts.
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Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, November 2024 (Ep.251)
Simon welcomes Mike Ferrentino back into the studio and they discuss the seemingly limitless discounts across the bike industry; the history of bike multitools; bike theft and how to protect your bikes; old trucks; and a whole lot more.
2024-2025 Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti.
Viking Ski Shop
Viking has been a stronghold and a big part of the outdoor community in the Chicago area and beyond for over 50 years. While the industry has changed and evolved, Viking’s dedication to offering the best products, services, and prices in the greater Chicago area has remained the same.