BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Santa Cruz Hightower 4
The Hightower is still Santa Cruz’s do-everything 29er, but the latest version gets more travel and slacker geometry for improved descending prowess. But the updates don’t stop there — check out our First Look to learn more.
Nikolai Schirmer on Skiing & Surfing; the Most Norwegian News; Movies; & More (Ep.324)
Our guest today is Nikolai Schirmer, and we’re discussing skiing & surfing; skiing in Norway and the Most Norwegian News; movies — including how easy / hard it is for certain outdoor sports to translate on film; & more.
OneUp V3 Dropper Post
OneUp’s longstanding V2 dropper post might be the most widely used one out there — so have they managed to improve things with the V3 iteration, or messed up a great product? We’ve been riding the V3 for the better part of a year and are ready to weigh in.
Flash Review — Ibis Ripmo
We’ve been spending time aboard Ibis’ Ripmo, which is proving to be an exceptionally versatile Trail/Enduro bike. Check out our initial impressions.
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A Very Deep Dive on Bootfitting, Pt.7: The Pedorthist’s Perspective (Ep.313)
A Pedorthist is someone who is trained in the assessment of lower limb anatomy, biomechanics, and, of course – feet. Heather Van Gilder is both a Pedorthist and an experienced ski bootfitter who runs the women-owned and operated bootfitting operation, Boulder Orthotics, and we get her perspective on ski bootfitting, custom insoles, and much more.
Win MTB Rims From We Are One Composites
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get their choice of any pair of carbon fiber mountain bike rims from We Are One Composites!
Maxxis on the New High Roller, Tire R&D, & More (Ep.239)
We sat down with Maxxis’ Aaron Chamberlain to discuss their new High Roller tire; how Maxxis designs, develops, and tests mountain bike tires; why its lineup is so expansive, and a whole lot more.
Canyon Spectral:ONfly
The Spectral:ONfly is the newest addition to Canyon’s Spectral family, this time with a lightweight TQ HPR50 drive system. Walk through Canyon’s new Lightweight eMTB with us in our First Look.
2025 Fox 38 Grip X2
The most noticeable update to Fox’s latest fork lineup was its (optional) and un-subtle gold paint, but the showy exterior hides a new series of dampers, and we’ve been testing the Grip X2 version of the Fox 38 fork. Now we’re ready to offer our take on the results of the update, how the new 38 and Grip X2 damper fare against the competition, and whether they’d be a good fit for you.
20th Anniversary of ‘Yearbook’ w/ Murray Wais & Scott Gaffney (Ep.22)
20 years ago this week, ‘Yearbook,’ one of the most star-studded ski movies of all time, was released. So we talk with filmmakers Murray Wais and Scott Gaffney about the behind-the-scenes insanity; the in-front-of-the-camera surprises; the styles of Seth vs Hugo; and more.
2024-2025 Blister Digital Winter Buyer’s Guide
350+ skis, 65 boots, and 280+ pages of honest, accurate product reviews and comparisons. Order our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s Guide or become a BLISTER+ member to read the Digital Guide NOW.
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The Current State of Climate Science, Consensus, & Next Best Steps w/ Dr. Liz Burakowski (Ep.323)
So how are things actually going when it comes to climate change, carbon emissions, stuff like that? Are we making any real progress? For answers, we’re talking with Dr. Elizabeth Burakowski, who is on the Research Faculty at the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space at the University of New Hampshire.
Frameworks Enduro
Frameworks is releasing a limited first run of their Enduro frame. Drawing plenty of inspiration from the Downhill frame released last year, the US-made Enduro frame stands out from the crowd with unique construction details and intriguing geometry. Our First Look has the details.
Flylow’s Dan Abrams on Burrito Grease & PFAS; Slide Gliding; Palisades Tahoe; & More (Ep.312)
Dan Abrams is back to talk about toxic positivity, slide gliding, burrito grease, give his review of Palisades Tahoe, and more.
Win Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s Guide
The three winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a print and digital copy of our new 2024-2025 Winter Buyer’s Guide!
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2024-2025 K2 Omen 90
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the K2 Omen 90 freestyle ski.
Flash Review: 24/25 Ferreol Explo 86
Ski season is officially underway at our home base, and the Explo 86 is one of the first skis we got back on this winter. Here, Luke Koppa shares his initial take.
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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Forbidden Druid V2
There are more high-pivot Trail bikes than ever before, but the Forbidden Druid V2 is still one of the shortest-travel options. So, has Forbidden come up with a coherent short(ish) travel bike with a suspension layout more typically of Enduro and DH sleds, or does it feel caught between those categories? What we’ve found is pretty interesting.
Deep Dive: Forbidden Druid V2
We compare the Forbidden Druid V2 to the Transition Smuggler, Chromag Darco, Norco Optic, Norco Sight, Deviate Highlander II, and Orbea Rallon.
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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Win Baselayers from Arms of Andes
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the men’s or women’s Alpaca Wool Long Sleeve Shirt and Leggings from Arms of Andes!
Reviewer Reports: Lightweight eMTBs, Ultra-Adjustable Enduro Bikes, Electronic Suspension Battle & More (Ep.250)
Simon Stewart and David Golay give the rundown on a ton of bikes and other gear we’ve been testing, from a wide range of Trail bikes to a couple of lightweight eMTBs, the ultra-adjustable Geometron G1, and more — including a head-to-head comparison of Fox Live Valve Neo and RockShox Flight Attendant.
No, Thank YOU
In our latest Open Mic piece, Brendan Leonard tells us how to deal with a world full of F@!% Yous.
Flash Review: 24/25 Peak 104 by Dav
We recently spent a day touring on the lighter version of Peak’s 104 mm-wide ski, the Peak 104 by Dav. Check out our initial 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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James Bond, ‘The World Is Not Enough’ w/ Jonathan Ellsworth & Simon Stewart (Ep.29)
James Bond films have probably put skiing and snowboarding in front of more people than any other film series. So we discuss this, then, in honor of the 25th anniversary of ‘The World is Not Enough,’ we break down that film and its absolutely-all-time ski scene.
BCA Float E2-35 Avalanche Airbag Backpack
Avalanche airbag backpacks have come a long way, and one of our reviewers has tested most of them over the past decade. BCA’s newest option, the Float E2-35, is his current favorite — check out our Full Review to see why.
Maxxis High Roller
Maxxis says that the newest iteration of their High Roller is a gravity tire for conditions that are somewhat soft and loose, but not to the point of demanding a full-on mud spike. That’s a big departure from earlier iterations of the High Roller, but it would fill a real gap in Maxxis’ lineup (and the MTB tire market as a whole). So, is their description on point? We’ve ridden the High Roller in a wide range of conditions and are ready to weigh in.
Flash Review: 24/25 Volkl M7 Mantra
Last season we started spending time on Volkl’s newest Mantra (in two different lengths) to see just how much has changed between the M6 and M7. Here are some of our initial 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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