BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
RockShox’s New 2025 Forks & Shocks
RockShox is giving their suspension lineup another big overhaul, with updated dampers, revised air springs, a new Vivid Coil shock and a bunch more. Check out what they’ve come up with.
2024-2025 Volkl Secret 96
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, flex pattern numbers, and some more info about the updated Secret 96.
Flash Review: 24/25 Volkl Secret 96
The Secret 96 (and its brother ski, the Mantra) has been a reference ski for years, and Volkl tweaked both of them for the 24/25 season. Check out our Flash Review for more info and our initial thoughts on how the new ski compares.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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JING Tea founder, Ed Eisler, on Tea, Trust, & the Art of Loving Anything (Ep.42)
Jonathan Ellsworth and Ed Eisler discuss all things tea (and skis); agriculture as art; and the qualities of a great tea.
‘Bicycle Thieves’ with Jonathan Ellsworth & Simon Stewart (Ep.14)
‘Bicycle Thieves’ is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made. Today, we discuss why it still matters, and why we believe that everyone who loves bikes ought to see it.
2024 Pivot Switchblade
The Pivot Switchblade got overhauled for 2024, so is the new one still a super-versatile do-it-all Trail bike or something else entirely? Check out our Full Review for our take.
2024-2025 RMU Apostle 114
Here are our measured specs, flex pattern numbers, and rocker profile pictures for the new RMU Apostle 114 Wood.
Flash Review: 24/25 RMU Apostle 114
The Apostle 114 is RMU’s new “directional big-mountain ski” that replaces the previous North Shore 114 — here are our initial impressions and thoughts on how the new ski compares.
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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Mike Hattrup: A Life in Skiing (Ep.311)
We talk with U.S. Ski Hall of Famer, Mike Hattrup, about his days as a competitive mogul skier; being featured in iconic ski films like ‘The Blizzard of AAHHH’s’; his decades working in gear testing and development; and his latest role with Eleven Experience.
DT Swiss 240 Ratchet DEG Hubs
DT Swiss has launched a new version of their venerable 240 hub with 90 points of engagement. Check out the 240 Ratchet DEG.
2024-2025 Line Optic 88
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, flex pattern numbers, and some more info on the newest and narrowest ski in Line’s metal-laminate Optic collection.
Flash Review: 24/25 Line Optic 88
For 24/25, Line is rebranding their Blade Optic collection as simply “Optic,” and the Optic 88 is a brand-new model that effectively replaces the previous Blade Optic 92 as the narrowest option in the series. Here are some of our initial thoughts on the new ski.
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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Runways, Race Courses, & Riding Gear: Curious Creatures’ Unique Origin Story (Ep.300)
Launching your own outdoor apparel company is no small feat, especially if it’s a one-woman operation. But with Curious Creatures, that’s exactly what Tasha Woodworth has done, and we sat down with her to hear all about her unique path to where she is today, as well as the ups, downs, and key takeaways from the journey.
Win Summer Shirts From Oleu
The THREE winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a UPF 50+ boardshirt from Oleu!
2024-2025 ZAG Slap 98
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the ZAG Slap 98.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Win Camping Gear From Luno
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the AIR+FOAM PRO Vehicle Mattress and Packable Camp Pillow from Luno!
Alex Showerman on ‘Coming Home’ and Finding One in Women’s Freeride (Ep.240)
Alex Showerman’s new short film ‘Coming Home’ tells the story of her journey to women’s freeride, and explores what a home is — in more than just the literal sense of a place to live. We sat down with her to hear all about it.
Deep Dive: 2024 Rocky Mountain Instinct
We compare the Rocky Mountain Instinct to the Orbea Occam LT, Trek Fuel EX, Transition Smuggler, Revel Rascal V2, SCOR 2030, Norco Optic, Norco Sight, Santa Cruz Hightower 3, Yeti SB135, Spot Mayhem 140, Forbidden Druid V2, REEB Steezl, and Deviate Highlander II.
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.)
2024 Rocky Mountain Instinct
It’s no big surprise that Rocky Mountain is touting the versatility of their 140mm-travel Trail bike, the Instinct — but what they’ve cooked up is pretty interesting, and it stands out from the do-it-all Trail bike market in some interesting ways. Check out our Full Review and Deep Dive comparisons to discover what sets it apart.
Hugo Harrisson, Ingrid Backstrom, & Mark Abma on the 20th Anniversary of ‘Yearbook’ (Ep.23)
20 years ago, ‘Yearbook,’ one of the most star-studded ski movies of all time, was released. So last week we talked with Matchstick’s Murray Wais and Scott Gaffney about the making of the film, and today, we’re talking with three of the stars of the film, Hugo Harrisson, Ingrid Backstrom, and Mark Abma.
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.
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.)
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.