BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Manitou’s New R8 Fork & Updated Mara Shocks
Manitou has launched a new R8 XC fork, overhauled their whole shock lineup, and added some new remote lockout / dropper controls. Here are all the details.
Flash Review – Liv Intrigue X
Liv recently introduced the Intrigue X as the new mid-travel option to their Trail / Enduro lineup. Check out our early impressions, and see how it compares to its big sibling, the Intrigue LT.
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SRAM S-1000 Transmission & DB8 Stealth Brakes
SRAM’s AXS Transmission continues to trickle down to more affordable groups — meet the new S-1000 group and updated DB8 brakes.
2024-2025 Kästle Paragon 101
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Kastle Paragon 101.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, May & June 2024 (Ep.314)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the two new action-sports leagues; the inclusion of women at Red Bull Rampage; the latest controversies re: Nims Purja; Spring Energy’s questionably awesome sauce?; new rulings on liability waivers; what we’re reading & watching; & more.
Flash Review — Cannondale Moterra SL
Cannondale’s new Moterra SL looks pretty wild on paper — it’s a very light, full-power, long-travel eMTB — but how does it come together on the trail? 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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2024-2025 Majesty Havoc 90 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for Majesty’s newest and narrowest freeride ski, the Havoc 90 Ti.
Flash Review: 24/25 Black Crows Corvus
A couple of our reviewers started spending time on the latest (and very different) version of the original Black Crows ski — here are their initial impressions on the new Corvus.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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24/25 Black Crows lineup, new Corvus, & more w/ co-founder Camille Jaccoux (Ep.303)
Camille Jaccoux, co-founder of Black Crows Skis, is back on GEAR:30 to discuss recent developments at the brand; the legacy of the iconic Corvus; how they overhauled it for 24/25; other new products they’re rolling out this winter; and a whole lot more.
Starling Mini Murmur
Starling has shrunken its Murmur into a short travel version dubbed the Mini Murmur. With a handmade steel frame and 120 mm of travel, the Mini Murmur prioritizes a responsive, fun ride. Take a peek at our First Look for more.
Win Packs and Radios From BCA
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get two all-season packs and two BC Link Mini radios from BCA!
Reviewer Reports: Specialized Epic Evo to the RAAW Madonna, Lots of Tires, & More (Ep.228)
We check in on a whole bunch of the bikes, tires, and other gear we’re currently testing, from the razor-sharp Specialized Epic Evo to the ultra-composed RAAW Madonna, and a wide range in between.
La Marzocco Product Designer, Stefano Della Pietra (Ep.44)
La Marzocco is the most iconic espresso-machine maker in the world, and last month, Jonathan spoke with their lead product designer, Stefano Della Pietra, about the history and core principles of the company; the task of taking La Marzocco into the future while staying true to the brand’s storied past; and more.
Magura Gustav Pro Brakes
The original Magura Gustav was known for being exceptionally powerful in an era when most MTB brakes were pretty wimpy by modern standards — and after a very long hiatus, it’s back. Check out what the modern Gustav has to offer.
Flash Review — Mondraker Dune
We recently started spending time on Mondraker’s lightweight long-travel eMTB, the Dune XR — here’s what we’ve found so far.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
The Design, Development, & Testing of Enve’s new M-Series Wheels (Ep.243)
Enve’s new M-Series wheels are the result of a very long and involved development process, and they don’t look, or ride, anything like M-Series wheels of old. So we sat down with Jake Pantone of Enve to get the whole story behind their development.
Flash Review — Enve M6 Wheels
Enve says that their new M-Series wheels ride very differently from Enve wheels of old, and we’ve started putting those claims to the test with their new Trail bike wheels, the M6. 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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Enve’s Fifth-Generation M-Series Wheels
Enve has launched the fifth-generation versions of their flagship M-Series mountain bike wheels, promising a very different ride feel from past M-Series wheels. The data they’ve provided to quantify that is pretty eye-popping, and there’s a lot of interesting stuff going on with their design — including new, Enve-designed hubs. Check out what they’ve come up with.
How Do You Know How “Safe” Your Helmet Is? | Blister Summit Video
Testing standards are hugely important, but when it comes to ski/snowboard and cycling helmets, the current ones have limitations. In this clip, Steven Kennedy, Sr. Director of R&D at Giro, shares some thoughts on Giro’s in-house testing approach, the Virginia Tech helmet testing standards, and more.
‘A Sunday in Hell’ w/ Joe Parkin & Simon Stewart (Ep.26)
We revisit the 1977 film ‘A Sunday in Hell,’ often regarded as one of the greatest bike racing films of all time. To do it justice, Simon Stewart is joined by former pro cyclist Joe Parkin, who raced Paris-Roubaix himself in 1988, and knows what it takes to suffer through “The Hell of the North.”
Trek Slash+
The Trek Slash+ combines big travel with a little motor — a pairing that sets it apart from the rest of the market. We have logged plenty of miles on the Slash+ this summer and have a lot to say about its impressive performance — and some tradeoffs that come with it.
When & WHY Should You Replace Your Helmet? | Blister Summit Video
How do you know when or why you should replace your ski, snowboard, or bike helmet? It’s not a simple or easy question to answer, but at Blister Summit 2024, we got some insight from Steven Kennedy, Frederik Kjellberg, Drew Petersen, and Sascha Anastas.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, September 2024 (Ep.327)
Cody and Jonathan discuss the release of Cody’s first FIFTY+ film; some big controversies in the world of FKT’s & running; a great edition of Blevin’s Corner; mountain guides and the often confusing practice of tipping; what they’re reading & watching; … and more.
DT Swiss XMC 1501 Wheels & Ratchet DEG Hubs
DT’s new Ratchet DEG hubs are the fastest-engaging ones they’ve offered to date, but have they kept the traits that made the original 240s popular in the first place? We’ve been testing the Ratchet DEG hubs on DT’s XMC 1501 wheels and have thoughts.
2024 Ski Movie Tours & Premieres | A Guide
We know we’re not the only ones itching to get back on snow. Thankfully, film tours and movie premiers are not only a great way to relive past seasons, they’re also excellent community events — you get to join friends new and old to share in the pre-season stoke. Here’s a guide to where and when you can attend one near you.
ON3P Skis 24/25 Lineup with Scott Andrus (Ep.316)
We talk to ON3P Skis founder, Scott Andrus, about their 24/25 lineup, and we dive into the weeds about numerous aspects of ski design and ski manufacturing that you really won’t hear about anywhere else.
ZAG’s ‘Next-Gen Carver’ + 2025 Ski Lineup | Blister Summit Video
Across its 20-year history in the freeride, touring, and all-mountain worlds, Chamonix-based ZAG has continued to refine their lineup, whether through design or efforts to reduce their environmental footprint. In this video, we get the details on that history — plus the brand’s 2025 ski lineup — from ZAG’s Théo Voinchet and ZAG athlete, Teton Brown.