BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Xan Marshland
Age: 30 | Vitals: 5’10”, 160 lbs. | Years Riding: 20 | Current Residence: Salt Lake City, UT | Instagram: @xanmarshland For as long as I can remember, I’ve never been very interested in team sports. I wasn’t against competition, but I was a weird
The Pro’s Gear: Marcus Goguen, 2025 Freeride World Tour Champion (Ep.355)
Jonathan talks to the FWT champ, Marcus Goguen, about the gear he skis on to film, rip around the resort, and yes, win the FWT. We also talk about his new YouTube series (it’s must-see-TV), and Marcus breaks news about his new project that comes out in October.
Flash Review: HEL Advocate Brakes
HEL is a new brand to the bike world, so how do their Advocate brakes stack up? Here’s our preliminary 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.
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.)
HEL Advocate Brakes
HEL Performance has a long history in motorsport, but they’re new to the MTB world. So, how have they gone about designing their first MTB brake — the gravity-oriented Advocate — and what are our initial thoughts on its performance? Check it all out here.
Win Shoes From Bert
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will both get a pair of pre- and post-activity shoes from Bert!
Santa Cruz Bullit 4
Did the Santa Cruz Bullit dethrone its stablemate, the Santa Cruz Vala, as Simon’s favorite eMTB so far this year? Check out our Full Review to find out, and why we think full-power eMTBs with a small battery and a range extender offer the most versatility for a lot of folks.
Deep Dive: Santa Cruz Bullit 4
We compare the Santa Cruz Bullit to the Cannondale Moterra SL, Trek Slash+, Mondraker Dune XR, Devinci E-Troy, and Orbea Wild.
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.)
BTR’s Paul ‘Burf’ Burford on Rat Bikes & Making Affordable UK-Built Frames (Ep.282)
Building frames by hand in the UK is expensive. But Paul ‘Burf’ Burford, the man behind BTR Fabrications, has an ambitious plan to make solid, simple ones at very affordable prices. So we sat down with Burf to hear all about Rat Bikes, how and why he wants to do it, and much more.
Knives & Knifemaking w/ Jamison Chopp of Acre Forge (Ep.77)
Jonathan talks about the ancient craft of knifemaking with Jamison Chopp, a bladesmith who works with a group of individual knife makers at Acre Forge, in Portland, Oregon.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, June 2025 (Ep.364)
Cody and Jonathan are back to review the news, rate your takes, and share what we’ve been reading & watching.
Devinci E-Spartan Lite
Devinci’s made-in-Canada eMTB family just got bigger. With the release of the new E-Spartan Lite, Devinci has also pushed further into the more aggressive Enduro side of the eMTB spectrum. Let’s dig into what this new bike is all about.
‘180° South: Conquerors of the Useless’ w/ Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.44)
What film has had the greatest impact on Blister’s managing editor, Luke Koppa? This one. It details the adventures, friendship, & philosophies of Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tomkins; it documents Jeff Johnson’s attempt to retrace their 1968 trip to Patagonia; & more.
Specialized Stumpjumper 15
The Specialized Stumpjumper might be the most recognizable mountain bike of all time, and it’s long been known for being especially versatile and adaptable. However, what that actually means has changed a lot over the decades, and Specialized made some interesting changes to the latest Stumpjumper 15. So, is it still worthy of its popularity? Check out our Full Review for our take.
Deep Dive: Specialized Stumpjumper 15
We compare the Specialized Stumpjumper 15 to the previous Stumpjumper EVO, Santa Cruz Hightower 4, Ibis Ripmo V3, Santa Cruz Bronson 5, Yeti SB140, Cannondale Habit, Spot Mayhem 140, Transition Sentinel V3, Kona Process 153, and Norco Sight.
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.)
OneUp Components Clip Pedals
OneUp’s flat pedals have been extremely popular for quite some time now, so does their first clipless offering — the creatively named Clip Pedal — deserve similar acclaim? Here’s our take.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Santa Cruz Vala AL
The new Vala AL brings the first aluminum frame to the Santa Cruz eMTB lineup. Many of the details are the same as the carbon Vala, but there are some differences, beyond just a lower price. Check out our First Look to see what they’ve come up with.
Ups, Downs, & Unspoken Aspects of Pro Skier Life w/ Noah Gaffney, Anne Wangler, Mallory Duncan, & Jake Hopfinger (Ep.366)
At Blister Summit 2025, we sat down with professional skiers Mallory Duncan, Anne Wangler, Noah Gaffney, and Jake Hopfinger. What followed was a very candid conversation about how they present themselves during hard times, the personal financial aspects of being a pro, career longevity, and much more.
Flash Review: Propain Sresh SL
We’ve been riding Propain’s first light-assist eMTB, the Sresh SL, equipped with TQ’s latest HPR60 drive system. Check out our initial on-trail impressions, including comparisons to the Yeti MTe and Pivot Shuttle SL/AM.
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.)
Win Bike Care Kits From Formula 100
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will both get a bike care kit from Formula 100, including cleaners, lubricants, and more!
What is NNormal? NNormal’s CEO on Kilian Jornet, NNormal’s Name & Origin Story, & Company Principles (Ep.356)
Jonathan talks with Sito Luis Salas, the CEO of NNormal, about NNormal founder, Kilian Jornet, plus the NNormal name, its origin story, and its well-defined principles. NNormal is a company you’ll be hearing about more & more in the coming years, and today, you’ll see why.
Schwalbe Albert Radial
Schwalbe claims to have made a real leap forward in MTB tire construction with their new radial casings — but how does it actually pan out on the trail? And what about the new Albert tread pattern? We’ve spent a lot of time on the radial-casing Albert in a huge range of conditions and are ready to weigh in.
Bosch CX-R Motor & Software Upgrade for CX Drive Systems
Update 7.16.25: We’ve been putting a few more miles on our Santa Cruz Bullit now that we’ve installed Bosch’s new Performance Software Upgrade, and it makes an impressive difference in both power and torque, and adds some other compelling features.
Reviewer Reports: Enduro Bikes, Italian Suspension, & More (Ep.283)
David and Simon sat down to chat about a sampling of the stuff they’re currently testing, from the new Pivot Firebird to the EXT Vecta, Bosch’s higher-output software for their CX drive system, and a whole lot more.
What is ‘Amaro’ & Why is Bitter Better? Sennza Finne on a Spirit You Should Know (Ep.78)
Amaro is bitter, complex, and a little mysterious, and most people have no idea what it actually is. But you should, and in this conversation with the folks at Sennza Finne, a Seattle-based amaro producer, you’ll find out why.
Flash Review: Pivot Firebird V5
Update 7.16.25: We’ve got some more thoughts on the latest iteration of Pivot’s Enduro bike after spending some more time experimenting with the wheel size and geometry options.
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.)
Cannondale Moterra
Cannondale just launched the latest version of their Moterra eMTB in alloy frame options, featuring Bosch’s Performance Line CX drive system, a range of build kits that accommodate a variety of budgets, and more. Check out our First Look for all the info.
‘Inception’ w/ Ian McIntosh, Todd Ligare, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.45)
Pro skier, Ian McIntosh, was Leonardo DiCaprio’s stunt double for the ski scenes in ‘Inception’, and he’s got a bunch of fantastic behind-the-scenes stories to share. And pro skier, Todd Ligare, brings his own great questions for Ian and excellent answers for our film awards for this movie.