BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(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.)

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’s Holiday Gift Guide 2024 — In the Garage
In Part Three of our annual Gift Guide series, our reviewers offer some ideas for those looking to splurge a bit on the skier, snowboarder, mountain biker, or other outdoor fan in their lives. Check out their recommendations for bigger gift ideas that you might need to hide in the garage.

Win a Sweet Prize Package From Gregory
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get an Alpaca Gear Box 2 Pack, Alpaca Gear Basket 70, and Alpaca Gear Tote 30 from Gregory Mountain Products!

Good Idea or Bad Idea? Dreams, Doorknobs, & Binding Innovations w/ Austin Smith (Ep.322)
Recently, Austin Smith posted a video of a prototype of a snowboard binding that rotates. So Jonathan talks with Austin about the idea, his prototyping process, the testing process, and his predictions for whether we’ll see a development like this come to market.

Privateer 161 Gen 2
Privateer made a name for themselves making burly, focused go-fast Enduro race bikes at a remarkably good price with the original 161, and while the 161 V2 continues that lineage, it’s a big departure from the original in a lot of other ways. Check out our Full Review to find out how.

Deep Dive: Privateer 161 Gen 2
We compare the Privateer 161 Gen 2 to the original 161, RAAW Madonna, Chromag Lowdown, Contra MC, Trek Slash, Nicolai G1, Rocky Mountain Altitude, Orbea Rallon, Yeti SB160, Pivot Firebird, Yeti SB165, and Ibis HD6.
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.
(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.)

Matthew Fairbrother on His Self-Supported NZ Rally Win, the North Shore Triple Triple Crown, & More (Ep.248)
Matthew Fairbrother has made a name for himself by reeling off one mind-bending feet of endurance after another on a mountain bike. We sat down with him to get the rundown on some of his recent exploits.

Blister’s Holiday Gift Guide 2024 — Under the Tree
Next up in our 2024 Gift Guide series, we’re sharing the items that our reviewers think will make for awesome additions beneath the tree this holiday season. Check it out for more gift ideas for any of the outdoor enthusiasts in your life.

2025 Transition Youth Bikes
Kids’ bikes have gotten awfully nice in recent years, and Transition is unveiling a full new lineup of sweet rides for young rippers. Check out the new Bandit, Ripcord, and Scout in our First Look.

Valhalla Pure Outfitters – Revelstoke
Valhalla Pure Outfitters – Revelstoke is a centerpiece of this heritage ski town. It is a shop dedicated to service and experience, year-round, with an emphasis on skiing. They seek to differentiate themselves with a high level of customer service and curated product selection focused on their adventure-filled backyard.

Ted Ligety on the 24/25 World Cup Ski Racing Season: Major Storylines, Massive Rumors, & More (Ep.332)
Jonathan talks with Ted Ligety about this World Cup season’s major storylines, massive rumors, biggest battles, and some behind-the-scenes secrets of the World Cup.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:

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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(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.)

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.
If you’re already an active member, please log in.
(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.)

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.

2024-2025 Coalition Snow Lil’ Honey Yum Yum Baby Cakes Nasty Snack
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Coalition Snow Lil’ Honey Yum Yum Baby Cakes Nasty Snack (aka, the ‘Lil’ Nasty’).

2024-2025 RMU Professor 111
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the RMU Professor 111.

Reviewer Reports: Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.328)
Luke and Jonathan discuss some of the frontside skis they’ve been on; why choosing the right frontside ski requires as much consideration as any other type of ski; and they give an update on how they’ve been using the CARV system (so far) to enhance their ski reviews.

Win Skis & More From Scott
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the SEA 98 ski, SEA Poles, and Shield AMP Pro Goggles from Scott!

2024-2025 Armada Declivity X 108
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Armada Declivity X 108.

2024-2025 Blizzard Black Pearl 94
The Black Pearl series has defined Blizzard’s women-specific lineup for decades, but what’s changed with the 24/25 skis, and how does the widest model in the collection slot into the current all-mountain market? Here are our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons for the brand-new Black Pearl 94.

Deep Dive: Blizzard Black Pearl 94
We compare the Blizzard Black Pearl 94 to the Blizzard Black Pearl 97, Nordica Santa Ana 92, Volkl Secret 96, Volkl Secret 102, Blizzard Sheeva 9, Armada Reliance 92Ti, Peak 98 by Bode, K2 Mindbender 99Ti W, Salomon QST Lumen 98, 4FRNT MSP CC, & Majesty Havoc 100 Ti.
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.
(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.)