BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles

Fox Podium Inverted Fork
The Fox Podium is heavy and expensive — but it also delivers truly standout performance in some key ways. Here’s our take on what it does (and doesn’t) do best after a whole lot of time on trail.

2025-2026 Romp Zorro 100
Romp has redesigned a ski that has been a staple of their lineup since Day 1. Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the updated Romp Zorro 100.

Flash Review: 25/26 Romp Zorro 100
Following a few laps on a prototype back at Blister Summit 2025, we now have the production version of Romp’s updated Zorro 100 in for long-term testing, and we’re off to a good start. Here’s what has stood out so far.
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25 Years: The Evolution of The North Face Summit Series w/ Sage Cattabriga-Alosa & TNF’s Head of Innovation, Cory Olson (Ep.377)
The North Face’s iconic Summit Series collection has had a major impact on the outdoor apparel industry, and today, we dive into its backstory, major milestones, and standout pieces with The North Face’s Head of Innovation, as well as TNF athlete, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa.

Deep Dive: Specialized Turbo Levo 4
We compare the Specialized Turbo Levo 4 to the Santa Cruz Vala, Cannondale Moterra, Cannondale Moterra SL, Norco Sight VLT, and Pivot Shuttle AM.
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Specialized Turbo Levo 4
Specialized has been a pioneer in eMTB technology, and the latest 4th generation Turbo Levo gets more power, a bigger battery, in-frame storage, and more. But has that evolution created a unduly heavy, complex bike, or is it still at the top of the full-power eMTB category?

Fox Transfer Neo Dropper Post
Fox now has a 225 mm drop version of their Transfer Neo electronically-actuated dropper post. Check out what’s new, and our review of the Transfer Neo.

Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino & Simon Stewart (Ep.308)
The lads go through some of the new year’s bike news, plus Mike drops his opinion on 32” wheels and tells the story of thinking he was in a Quentin Tarantino film while getting his teeth sorted in “Molar City,” Mexico.

Our Reviewers’ 2025 Craft Obsessions & 2026 Curiosities, Part 2 (Ep. 96)
Jonathan talks with Blister managing editor Luke Koppa, reviewer Paul Forward, and bike editor, David Golay, about the craft categories that captivated them this past year, and what they are most curious about heading into 2026.

2025-2026 K2 Cortex 140 Zonal BOA
K2’s new Cortex collection represents a very significant change to their ski boot lineup, and after many days with the flagship Cortex 140, we’re excited about it. Here’s our Full Review.

Flash Review: 25/26 Head Kore 88 Ti
The Kore 88 Ti is the narrowest offering in Head’s overhauled freeride collection. So, is it some sort of fat carver, a narrow all-mountain option, or something in between? Here are our initial thoughts.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2025-2026 Head Kore 88 Ti
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the brand-new Head Kore 88 Ti.

Enve M8 & M9 Pro Wheels
Enve arguably did more than any other brand to spearhead carbon fiber wheels for mountain bikes, but their latest M8 and M9 Pro wheels are a big departure from Enve designs of old — with some very big performance claims to go with them. Here’s our take on Enve’s flagship gravity offerings.
1-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (25/26)
A true, do-everything, 1-ski quiver is the holy grail for many skiers and ski manufacturers. But what that looks like varies a ton from person to person. Here, we’ve asked a bunch of our reviewers which skis they’d pick, and why. Check them out, then let us know which skis you’d select!
Flash Review: 25/26 Heritage Lab AM100
Heritage Lab’s AM100 blends elements of traditional chargers with modern, freestyle-friendly models, and the results have been very interesting so far. Here are our initial thoughts on the AM100.
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:

Flash Review: 26/27 Atomic Redster Q9.8 Revoshock S & Redster Q7.8 Revoshock C
Jonathan recently spent time A/B/C testing a few of Atomic’s latest carving skis — with the help of Daron Rahlves — over at Deer Valley. Here are his initial impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Win Fully Custom Skis From Wagner
Fully custom skis from Wagner are way too good a giveaway for just one week, so we’re extending it for another one! Enter before January 23rd for your chance to win.

Peak Skis is Back; New Gear Reveals; Current Product Reviews; & Best Snowboard Gear of the Century w/ Powder Hound AK’s Eric Helmbrecht (Ep.378)
Jonathan reacts to the stated return of Peak Skis, then Powder Hound AK’s Eric Helmbrecht joins to discuss several big new product announcements; review some current ski & snowboard gear; and then Eric shares his top 10 list of the most important developments in snowboard gear of the century.

Flash Review: 26/27 Nordica Promachine 3 130
What’s actually new with Nordica’s revised low-volume alpine boot? Here’s what we’ve found so far in our initial testing.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2026-2027 Nordica Promachine 3 130 S
The Promachine series has been a staple in Nordica’s alpine ski boot lineup for many years now. Today, Nordica revealed the latest generation of this low-volume boot collection, and they’re calling it a “ground-up evolution.” Here are the details.

Reviewer Reports: Chain Dampers, Gearboxes, High-Pivots & More (Ep.309)
Is pedal kickback real? How does the efficiency of conventional drivetrains stack up against gearboxes — and how do belt vs. chain drives factor in? How lively and responsive can you really make a high-pivot bike? We’ve got updates on a whole bunch of bikes we’ve been testing, and wade into those questions and more along the way.

Atomic & Salomon Announce New 16-DIN Shift2 Hybrid Ski Binding
Today, Atomic & Salomon revealed the newest version of the Shift2 hybrid binding, aimed at aggressive all-mountain and big-mountain skiers. Here’s what we know so far about the new Shift2 16 MN.

The Science – and Politics – of ‘Functional Beverages’ w/ Fabric founder, Tom Eddleston (Ep. 97)
Functional beverages (specifically THC-infused drinks) have experienced a meteoric rise, yet the category is still shrouded in misinformation. So Eli talks with Fabric founder, Tom Eddleston, about what goes into crafting functional THC-beverages with real intention.

Chain Damper Roundup: Ochain, Rimpact, and DT DEG DF
Chain damper devices are a popular — and pricey — upgrade, but with several options now on the market, how’s a person to choose? We’ve been testing Ochain, Rimpact, and DT Swiss’ offerings and have answers.

Flash Review: 26/27 Salomon S/Pro Alpha C BOA 115 W
The new S/Pro Alpha C BOA 115 W promises a lot on paper, but what about on snow? Here are our initial thoughts, including how it compares to Salomon’s S/Pro Race 110.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2026-2027 Salomon S/Pro Alpha C BOA 115 W
Salomon’s new alpine boots are quite different from most of the other options on the market. Here are all the details on the new S/Pro Alpha C BOA collection, and the stiffest women’s model, the S/Pro Alpha C BOA 115 W.
2026-2027 Salomon S/Pro Alpha C BOA 130
Today, Salomon revealed their newest collection of alpine ski boots, and they’re far from conventional. Here are all the details on the new S/Pro Alpha C BOA boots as a whole, and the stiffest men’s model, the S/Pro Alpha C BOA 130.


