BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Win a MTB Fork from Manitou
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Mattoc 29 Pro mountain bike suspension fork from Manitou!
Flash Review: 24/25 Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti
Dynastar updated many of their directional freeride skis for 24/25, and we logged several days on the new M-Pro 94 Ti — here are our initial thoughts.
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Reviewer Reports: So Many New Bikes (Ep.218)
It’s been an insanely busy last few weeks for new bike launches, and we’ve been riding a whole lot of them. We sat down to chat about our early impressions of a *lot* of new bikes, from the Specialized Epic Evo to the Yeti SB165, and a whole bunch in between.
TIME’s Refreshed Pedal Lineup
TIME is refreshing its popular clipless pedal range to include new sizes and axle materials, with options to suit all disciplines from Downhill to Cross Country. Join us as we dig into the details of the new lineup.
Flash Review: 24/25 Salomon Shift Alpha BOA 130
Salomon overhauled their freeride-touring boots for 24/25, and the new Shift Alpha BOA 130 was reportedly inspired by Salomon’s iconic MTN Lab. Here are our initial thoughts on the new boot.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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2024-2025 Atomic Maven 103 CTI
For 24/25, Atomic widened their women’s all-mountain lineup with the addition of the Maven 103 CTI, and the new ski achieves the rare feat of standing out both on piste and in powder — but that’s not the whole story. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive Comparisons for the full rundown on the Maven 103 CTI.
Deep Dive: Atomic Maven 103 CTI
We compare the Atomic Maven 103 CTI to the Fischer Ranger 102, Nordica Santa Ana 102, K2 Mindbender 99Ti W, Volkl Secret 102, Blizzard Sheeva 10, DPS Kaizen 105, Line Blade Optic 104, K2 Mindbender 106C W, Folsom Cash 106, Faction Dancer 3X, Salomon QST Stella 106, Nordica Unleashed 108, & Majesty Vadera Ti.
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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Industry Nine SOLiX M Hubs and Wheels
Industry Nine’s Hydra hubs have been ubiquitous in high-end wheels for years, but now they’ve got a new, lighter, faster-rolling option for XC and Trail use — and they’re offered both as standalone hubs and in a range of new wheelsets. Meet the SOLiX M lineup.
Blister Summit 2025: What, When, & How to Join
Join us at Blister Summit 2025 this February 23–27! We’re extremely excited to once again host our annual Blister Summit next winter in Mount Crested Butte — here are the details.
RockShox Psylo and Domain Forks
RockShox is resurrecting the Psylo and refreshing the Enduro-focused Domain, with both forks getting the new Isolator RC damper alongside other updates. Check out our First Look for all the info.
2025 Fox Transfer
Fox has overhauled their Transfer dropper post with more (and adjustable) travel, full user serviceability, and more. Here’s our First Look for the new version.
2024-2025 Folsom Completo 100
The Completo is one of the longest-standing shapes in Folsom’s collection, designed to be highly maneuverable, accessible, and versatile. Two of our reviewers have been testing the Completo 100 in their pre-built “Signature Series” construction and are now ready to weigh in — check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Folsom Completo 100
We compare the Completo 100 to the Folsom Cash 106, Salomon QST 98, Salomon QST Lumen 98, RMU Apostle 96 Ti, RMU Valhalla 107, Line Optic 96, Renoun Endurance 98, Shaggy’s Mohawk 98, ZAG Slap 104, ZAG Slap 104 Lady, DPS Wailer 100, DPS Kaizen 105, Romp Zorro 100, Blizzard Rustler 10, Blizzard Sheeva 10, Black Crows Atris, Black Crows Camox, Nordica Unleashed 98, Armada Declivity 102 Ti, Armada Reliance 102 Ti, J Skis Masterblaster, Salomon Stance 102, Fischer Ranger 102, Fischer Nightstick 97, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Volkl M6 Mantra, Volkl Secret 96, Nordica Enforcer 99, Nordica Santa Ana 98, & Majesty Havoc 100 Ti.
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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Mountain Gazette owner, Mike Rogge on Feuds, Media Coverage, Movies, & More (Ep.305)
Mountain Gazette owner, Mike Rogge, is back to talk with Jonathan about their ongoing feud; media coverage of the eclipse; two stories from the soon-to-be-released MG #201; what they’re reading and watching; and more.
New Glade Goggles, Sunglasses, & Helmets | Blister Summit Video
Glade quickly made a name for themselves in the goggle market, offering versatile photochromic options that could be functional across a huge range of light conditions — and did so without eye-watering price tags. Since then, they’ve continued to refine their lenses, add new models, and expand into helmets and sunglasses. In this video from Blister Summit 2024, we got all the details on Glade’s newest collection of goggles, helmets, and sunglasses.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Forge+Bond Shift Series Wheels
Forge+Bond’s Shift wheels are one of the most affordable ways to get into a US-made carbon fiber wheelset — and use the same rims as Forge+Bond’s higher-end wheels — so is there a catch? Check out our Full Review to see how they’ve fared.
‘American Flyers’ with Jonathan Ellsworth & Simon Stewart (Ep.19)
Kevin Costner, bike racer? Yep. ‘American Flyers’ was released 39 years ago this week, and Costner would go on to make some of the best sports films of all time. So how well does this bike film hold up? And how does it compare to the other bike film written by Steve Tesich, ‘Breaking Away’? Jonathan and Simon discuss.
Flash Review — Privateer 161 V2
Privateer made a name for themselves by building super burly, affordable Enduro race bikes and we’ve started spending time on their latest take on that theme, the 161 V2. Check out our take on how it’s faring so far.
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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2024-2025 Meier Crosscut BC
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the Meier Crosscut BC.
Flash Review: 24/25 Armada Declivity X 108
Revamped for 24/25, the Declivity X 108 bridges the gap between Armada’s big-mountain Declivty X 115 and the more all-round Declivity X 102. So, which of its siblings does the new 108 most closely resemble? Here are our initial thoughts.
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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Rebecca Rusch & Carlos Perez on Mtn Biking, Gravel Riding, Rebecca’s Private Idaho, & More (Ep.320)
We talk with 7x world champion, Rebecca Rusch, and Bike Monkey founder, Carlos Perez, about mountain biking in the 2024 Olympics; whether gravel biking ought to be in the Olympics; the new Potato Olympics, and her signature event, Rebecca’s Private Idaho.
Hope XCR Pro X2 and E4 Brakes
Hope’s new pairing of their lightweight, bare-bones XCR Pro lever with the four-piston E4 caliper may seem like an incongruous one, but there are good reasons to consider the XCR Pro E4s besides just weight savings.
Reviewing the Reviewer: Zack Henderson (Ep.308)
We talk to Blister bike reviewer Zach Henderson about his gear preferences when it comes to bikes, skis, and snowboarders. We also start the episode by remembering our friend and fellow reviewer, Eric Freson.
Modern Gear for Traditional Skiing | Bishop Telemark 2025 Lineup Video
There are lots of passionate telemark skiers out there, but far fewer tele-specific gear companies. Bishop Telemark is one of those brands, and at Blister Summit 2024, we sat down with Bishop’s owner and engineer, Dave Bombard, to get the rundown on the current lineup, including their latest cross-compatible bindings; their collection of skis and how they designed them specifically for tele skiers; the San Juan Stick and its historical significance, and more.
Win MTB Handlebars From Forge+Bond
The two winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a F+B 25 MTN Bar from Forge+Bond!
Vermont Mountain Bike Association on Assessing, Funding, & Building Adaptive Trails (Ep.234)
Vermont Mountain Bike Association, in conjunction with Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, are building an impressive network of adaptive trails. So we sat down to find out what has made them so successful; what goes into adaptive trail building; and why other trail organizations should take a look at what they’re doing.
Rocky Mountain Altitude
The new Rocky Mountain Altitude doesn’t look anything like the old one, but how do the new suspension layout and overhauled geometry come together on the trail? Check out our Full Review for our take.