BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2024-2025 Dynastar M-Cross 88
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, flex pattern numbers, and more info on the widest model in Dynastar’s all-mountain collection, the M-Cross 88.
Adrian Ballinger on Everest, Ethics, & Unexplored Places (Ep.313)
We talk with Adrian Ballinger about the multiple sides of Everest, the many different ways to approach it, the culture of high-altitude mountaineering, and more.
Deep Dive: 2024 Norco Sight
We compare the Norco Sight to the Trek Slash, Kavenz VHP 16, Norco Range, Norco Optic, We Are One Arrival 152, Santa Cruz Bronson, Propain Tyee, Pivot Firebird, Deviate Highlander II, Orbea Rallon, Ibis HD6, and REEB Steezl.
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2024 Norco Sight
Norco has been one of the pioneers in the recent resurgence of high-pivot bikes, but their decision to move their mid-travel Sight to the layout still came as a bit of a surprise. But has it paid off? We’ve been spending a lot of time on the updated Sight and are ready to weigh in.
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!
The Life of a Ski Engineer + 24/25 LINE & K2 Skis (Ep.302)
Sean Fearon, ski development engineer for LINE & K2, helped design over a dozen of the brand’s new 24/25 skis, and he gave us the full backstory on LINE’s overhauled Pandora and Vision series; the new K2 Reckoner and Omen lines; working with Karl Fostvedt on his unique pro model; what life as a ski engineer actually entails, and more.
Flash Review — EXT Storia V4
Check out our early impressions of the EXT Storia V4 and how it compares to the previous version of the shock.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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EXT Storia & Arma V4
EXT hasn’t been shy about the fact that new V4 iterations of their Storia and Arma rear shocks were on the way, but now they’re here. Check out our First Look for all the info on their new offerings, and our Flash Review for our early impressions of the Storia V4.
Cannondale Habit
In a market full of generalist Trail bikes that strive to do well at a little of everything, the Cannondale Habit occupies a clear niche that is bound to excite the right rider. Check out our Full Review for the whole story, and our Deep Dive comparisons to see how it stacks up to several other Trail bikes.
Deep Dive: Cannondale Habit
We compare the Cannondale Habit to the Pivot Trail 429 Enduro, Niner JET 9 RDO, Yeti SB120, Esker Rowl, Commencal T.E.M.P.O., Trek Fuel EX, and Santa Cruz Hightower.
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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The Wild Tale of Constru-Bikes & Their Massive Bike Theft and Trafficking Ring (Ep.227)
Thousands of high-end bikes have been stolen across the Western US and wound up in Jalisco, Mexico. The story behind the trafficking ring and how Bryan Hance of Bike Index uncovered it is a *wild* one — hear all about it on this episode.
2025 RockShox Flight Attendant Forks & Shocks
Right on the heels of RockShox launching their new Vivid Coil shock and Charger 3.1 fork damper, they’ve released new electronically-controlled Flight Attendant versions of all the above (and the air-sprung Vivid). Check out what they’ve come up with.
Stuff We Like: June 2024
This month’s edition of our Stuff We Like series includes tons of warm-weather and travel-friendly apparel, bike tools, camera gear, hair-care products, and more. Check it out to see what gear our reviewers have recently been digging.
Coffee Gear, Pt. 4: “Hero Espresso” & Jonathan’s Current Setup (Ep.43)
Today’s the day. Simon Stewart and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss the coffee gear Jonathan ended up going with on his quest to create daily doses of ‘hero espresso’.
Flash Review — Shimano GRX Di2 2 x 12-Speed Drivetrain
Shimano’s new semi-wireless GRX Di2 drivetrain brings a lot of interesting new functionality to the table, and we’ve started spending time on it. 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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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Stuff We Like: September 2024
This edition of our ‘Stuff We Like’ series is all about apparel — from ultralight rain shells to versatile baselayers, cozy insulators, bike shorts, and much more. Check it out to learn more about the standout products our reviewers have been testing.
Mountain Gazette’s Mike Rogge on ‘His’ New Ski; Baseball & Skiing; MG Issue #202; & More (Ep.326)
Mountain Gazette owner & editor Mike Rogge is back to talk about good skis and bad gear reviews; put Shohei Ohtani’s accomplishments in skier terms; discuss a growing new development in the outdoor industry; & more.
Flash Review — Ohlins RXF38 m.2 Coil Kit
Ohlins’ Coil Spring Kit is easy to install, doesn’t add too much weight, and, unlike kits for other forks, still allows you to go back to an air spring later. So, what’s it like to ride? We have some initial thoughts in our Flash Review.
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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Does the Color of Your Jacket Affect Its Performance? Blister Labs Apparel Testing Update (Ep.315)
For this Blister Labs update, we talk with Dr. Jeni Blacklock about exploding fabrics, microwaving hotdogs, and whether the color of your jacket affects its performance.
Lightest Avalanche Airbags? | Ortovox LiTRIC 2025 Packs | Blister Summit Video
Ortovox’s new line of LiTRIC avalanche airbags includes some of the lightest models on the market, and in this video, we get all the details on their development; how the supercapacitor-based system works; why Ortovox prioritized ease of use in its design; the various pack models, and more.
Win Puffy Jackets From Wild Rye
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get the Payette Jacket or Payette Pullover from Wild Rye!
Reviewer Reports: Lightweight eMTBs, XC Race Bikes, and Slack Head Angles (Ep.241)
Dylan and Simon discuss the bikes they’ve been comparing in our upcoming head-to-head videos, which cover everything from Enduro eMTBs like the Cannondale Moterra SL to XC bikes like the Yeti ASR — which doesn’t have a motor but almost feels like it does.
How HOJI Designs His Skis + New 4FRNT Nevar | Blister Summit Video
Eric ‘Hoji’ Hjorleifson has his own unique skiing style, and his own approach to ski design. So we sat down with Hoji to hear all about it, including how he and 4FRNT developed his current signature series of skis, the brand-new (and cambered!) 4FRNT Nevar, and more.
2025 Devinci Troy & Troy ST
The new Devinci Troy is here, and it has arrived with a new sibling in the Troy ST. Both bikes get all new Canadian-made frames, updated geometry, and ample adjustment — check out our coverage of Devinci’s new pair of Trail bikes.
In Praise of Ski Movie Season w/ Drew Petersen (Ep.24)
We’re celebrating the start of Ski Movie Season by talking with Drew Petersen about the impact that ski movie screenings had on him; his all-time favorite ski movies; and the Salomon Quality Ski Time Film Tour that kicks off tonight!
Flash Review — Fox DHX Live Valve Neo
We’ve been logging miles on Fox’s new DHX Live Valve Neo shock, and it’s been an interesting — and very highly customizable — new electronic suspension offering. Our Flash Review covers 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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Fox Live Valve Neo Electronic Shocks
Fox’s original Live Valve electronically controlled suspension has been around for quite a while now, but it never became a common sight on the trails. So, Fox went back to the drawing board and came up with Live Valve Neo — a wireless, dramatically streamlined second generation. Check out what they’ve come up with.