BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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’s Holiday Gift Guide 2024 — Stocking Stuffers
‘Tis the season for giving, and our reviewers are here to help. We are kicking off our annual Holiday Gift Guides with some top stocking stuffer ideas for the bikers, skiers, snowboarders, campers, hikers, travelers, and just about any other type of person on your list.
North Shore Billet Idler Pulley (Norco Range HP)
Idler pulleys on high-pivot bikes lead rough lives. They’ve generally got fairly low tooth counts, are heavily loaded, often with not much chain wrap, and bear the brunt of whatever cross-chaining is happening at any given moment. North Shore Billet has a range of aftermarket options to replace worn-out stock idlers, and we’ve spent a full year on their Norco Range version to see how it holds up.
Win Tickets to Blister Summit 2025
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get 2 passes to our upcoming Blister Summit 2025! The Blister Summit is a one-of-a-kind event in the snowsports world and we’re so excited to bring it back for its fifth year, from February 23–27, 2025.
Gear Quiz, Ski Recycling, & Circular Business w/ Powder7 (Ep.321)
It’s time to quiz our Blister Recommended Shop, Powder7, to see which gear has them most excited for the season and hear all their hot takes; we also dive into the backstory of their circular business model, from its garage-born roots to their expansive current setup.
Yeti ASR
It had been seven years since Yeti produced an ASR — but now their XC race bike is back. And while the new ASR is undoubtedly a competitive modern XC race bike, its appeal will extend beyond the race course for some folks. Check out our Full Review for all the details.
Deep Dive: Yeti ASR
We compare the Yeti ASR to the Cannondale Scalpel, Commencal T.E.M.P.O, Yeti SB120, Pivot Trail 429, Niner Jet 9 RDO, Revel Ranger, SCOR 2030, Specialized Epic Evo, and Trek Top Fuel.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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XC Race Bikes for Everyday Riders? | Yeti ASR vs. Cannondale Scalpel Video
Modern XC race courses keep getting more technical, and modern XC bikes have adapted as a result. Simon and Dylan have been logging a whole lot of miles on two of those bikes, the Cannondale Scalpel and Yeti ASR, to not only see how they compare to each other, but also how practical they are for riders who are *not* racing against the clock. Here’s their Head-to-Head video review.
3-Board Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
We’ve recently been talking a lot about quivers of skis, but now it’s time for boards. We asked several of our snowboard reviewers to assemble their ideal 3-board quivers — check out their picks.
Reviewing the News w/ Dylan Wood, October 2024 (Ep. 247)
Simon and Dylan recap the latest happenings in the bike world, including the historic Red Bull Rampage women’s competition; they give their take on the men’s competition; cover plenty of good and bad industry news; plus some new eMTBs Simon is really excited about.
MTB Pant Roundup — 2024
We’ve been testing a whole bunch of MTB pants from ultra-lightweight summer options to fully waterproof winter options. Check out our latest roundup to get the rundown.
2-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (24/25)
Wrapping up our reviewers’ 2-ski quiver selections, Jonathan Ellsworth and Paul Forward add their picks. Check it out to see which skis our various reviewers have chosen this year, and let us know how you would go about assembling your own 2-ski quiver!
Yu Sasaki on Big-Mountain Skiing, Deep-Powder Skiing, & Running a Successful Food Truck (Ep.52)
We talk with professional skier, Yu Sasaki, about deep powder skiing; what it takes to start — and maintain — a successful food truck; his beautiful short film, Home From Home; moving from Hokkaido, Japan, to Revelstoke; and more.
Deep Dive: Cannondale Scalpel
We compare the Cannondale Scalpel to the Yeti ASR, Commencal T.E.M.P.O, Revel Ranger, Yeti SB120, Niner JET 9 RDO, Pivot Trail 429, SCOR 2030, Specialized Epic Evo, and Trek Top Fuel.
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.)
Cannondale Scalpel
Has Cannondale changed the recipe for one of the most iconic XC race bikes of all time by adding a dash of versatility, or is the new Scalpel just as focused on winning races as ever? Check out our Full Review for our take.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.)
Braydon Bringhurst on the Concept, Format, and Goals of the Hard MTB League (Ep. 254)
Mountain bike racing is going through a lot of upheaval at the moment, and Braydon Bringhurst has founded a new racing format to, among other things, lower the barriers of entry to elite-level racing. Hear all about the concept and plan from the man himself.
10 Quick Things: ‘Jet Lag & Lost Passport’ Edition (Ep.338)
Jet lag, losing his passport (and advice for how to replace a lost passport), skiing in Switzerland, updates for THE HUNDRED, pizza reviews, and more — that’s what we’ve got for you in Jonathan Ellsworth’s latest edition of ‘10 Quick Things.’
2024-2025 Faction La Machine 4 Massive
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for one of Faction’s touring powder skis, the La Machine 4 Massive.
2024-2025 Blizzard Black Pearl 88
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Blizzard Black Pearl 88.
2024-2025 HEAD Supershape e-Magnum
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the HEAD Supershape e-Magnum.