BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2024-2025 K2 Mindbender 96C
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the K2 Mindbender 96C.
Flash Review — Forbidden Druid V2
High-pivot Trail bikes are a lot more common than they were back when Forbidden launched the original Druid — so how does the Druid V2 stack up in that ever-growing class? Check out our early impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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The 10th Anniversary of the Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide: Why We Started It, How It’s Evolved, & What’s in the Latest One (Ep.310)
Since we’re releasing soon the 10th edition of our Really Big Book, Jonathan talks with Luke and Kara about what’s in this latest one, how it’s evolved, and of course, we talk about that super sexy cover photo….
2024-2025 J Skis Escalator
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the J Skis Escalator.
Win Running Shoes From La Sportiva
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the Prodigio or Prodigio Women’s trail running shoe from La Sportiva!
Time Speciale 10 and Speciale 12 Pedals
It’s always worrisome when a longtime favorite product gets revised, and Time’s new Speciale pedals were the latest to give us “did they screw it up?!” anxiety. So, have these pedals been meddled with under Time’s new SRAM ownership, or is it business as usual with the Speciale 10 and 12? We have thoughts.
Devinci Recalls Chainsaw Frames
Devinci is issuing a voluntary recall of some Chainsaw frames. Here’s what you need to know.
Propain Spindrift 5
The fifth-generation Propain Spindrift 5 is still a 180 mm travel Freeride bike but has more configuration options than ever. With multiple wheel size options, single or dual crown builds, and a host of new features, there’s a lot to cover — join us as we dig in with our First Look.
Commencal T.E.M.P.O.
Commencal’s aluminum-only T.E.M.P.O. leans into its burly nature in many ways while still retaining the practicality that is necessary to be a competitive short-travel Trail bike in today’s market. Check out our Full Review to read on how that plays out on the trail.
Deep Dive: Commencal T.E.M.P.O.
We compare the Commencal T.E.M.P.O to the Cannondale Habit, Pivot Trail 429 Enduro, Revel Ranger, Revel Rascal, Niner JET 9 RDO, Yeti SB120, Scor 2030, & Yeti ASR.
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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Liv Cycling’s Ludi Scholz on Women-Specific Bikes, Suspension Tuning, & More (Ep.236)
Few companies still make truly women-specific mountain bikes, but Liv Cycling is leading the charge there — we sat down with Off-Road Category Manager Ludi Scholz to talk about what Liv does and why.
Flash Review — Cane Creek Tigon
We’ve started testing Cane Creek’s novel Tigon “air-charged coil” shock. Check out our early impressions.
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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‘Rocky’ with Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.20)
Brendan and Jonathan discuss the 1976 movie, Rocky, because Brendan has made the bold claim that Rocky is the greatest running movie of all-time. Tune in to see if you agree.
Flash Review — Fox Transfer Neo
We’ve already logged quite a bit of time on the new Fox Transfer Neo. Check out how it’s working 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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Kona Remote 160 DL & Remote X
Kona has drawn up two burlier versions of the Remote eMTB with the Remote 160 DL and Remote X. Our First Look has all of the details on the new frame design, refreshed geometry, and bigger batteries of these new additions.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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’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
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.
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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.