BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Public Lands Update, More Peak Skis News, & New Gear We’re Reviewing (Ep.354)
Luke and Jonathan discuss the latest with respect to public lands and the revisions to the reconciliation bill; share more news about Peak Skis; and preview some new gear they’re going to be talking about and testing in the very near future.
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, June 2025 (Ep. 281)
Mike and Simon discuss the GOP’s withdrawal of the proposal to sell millions of acres of public lands, the merger of Industry Nine and We Are One Composites, lots of bike racing news, some Tour de France predictions, and more.
High Above Supernatural Vest Pack
High Above is primarily known for their US-made hip packs, so does their first vest pack, the Supernatural, hit the mark for folks who want more carry capacity? Our Full Review has our thoughts after a few months of heavy use.
Fermentation, the Key to Most of the Things You Love w/ Nile Zacherle, Eli Brown, & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.76)
Many of us love (and love talking about) coffee, wine, or beer, but few of us go around professing our love of fermentation. But after this conversation with Nile Zacherle, Eli Brown, and Jonathan Ellsworth, you’ll see why you should.
Flash Review: Salsa Blackthorn 145 C
Update 7.2.25: We have another reviewer spending time on the new Salsa Blackthorn 145 C, so check out our updated Flash Review for some more early impressions.
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‘Ski Party’ w/ Amie Engerbretson & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.43)
Today we are talking about a film that just celebrated its 60th anniversary: ’Ski Party’ came out on June 30, 1965; it stars a couple major actors and singers; and when we recently learned of its existence, we immediately knew who we needed to recruit to discuss: Amie Engerbretson.
Training for Outdoor Sports & the Current State of PT w/ Dr. Stephen Burkert (Ep.363)
Today, we are talking about training and outdoor-sports performance with Dr. Steve Burkert of Snow Beast Performance. We discuss best practices for training, the most common summer injuries, and some alarming trends in the physical therapy world that we all need to understand.
Outlier Void and Pendulum Pedals
Outlier’s Void and Pendulum pedals don’t look like anything else out there, so is their performance similarly quirky, just plain good, or somewhere in between? We’ve had multiple reviewers spend a lot of time on both versions and are ready to weigh in.
Stuff We Like: June 2025
In this edition of ‘Stuff We Like,’ our reviewers discuss a bunch of products that have stood out recently — from MTB tires that are dang near perfect for current conditions to a paper-airplane kit loved by kids and adults alike, classic summer apparel, and more.
Our Thoughts on Peak Skis & What Needs to Happen Next (Ep.353)
Jonathan lays out his thoughts about the Peak Skis debacle, Luke Koppa offers his perspective too, and we discuss what we think needs to happen going forward.
Win Apparel From Fjällräven
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the men’s or women’s Hoja Wool Tee, Hoja Hybrid Shorts, and Rider’s Wind Jacket from Fjällräven!
Flash Review: EXT Vecta
EXT has historically made very high-end suspension, and while their new Vecta coil shock isn’t cheap, it’s a lot more affordable than EXT’s other offerings. But how does it perform? We’ve got some 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.
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Update: Revised Public Land Sale Still a Terrible Idea
The Senate is still trying to sell more than a million acres of our public lands, and their revised proposal is still insultingly disingenuous — both to those who enjoy the outdoors and those seeking affordable housing. Here’s the latest, and why voicing your opinion is so urgent and important.
Portland Design Works’ Erik Olson on Making Products for the Everyday Cyclist (Ep.280)
In today’s conversation, Simon talks with Erik Olson, founder of Portland Design Works, about designing simple, elegant products for everyday riding; bike commuting with his dog; sustainability; speaking Chinese, and more.
Mondraker Level
The new Mondraker Level is still a burly electrified aluminum eMTB, but it gets the Bosch Gen 5 motor treatment, a big 800 Wh battery, mixed wheels, and new geometry. Let’s check it out.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Flash Review: Propain Tyee 6.1 CF
Propain gave the Tyee some tweaks that look good on paper, but has our take on their Enduro bike changed much? Here’s the early version.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review: Revel Ritual
Revel has been through a lot since launching their Ritual Enduro bike. But they’re back, and the Ritual is available — so how does it ride? We’ve been spending time on it to find out. Check out our initial on-trail 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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‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ w/ McKenna Peterson & Jed Yeiser, Blister Book Club (Ep.365)
Back in 2022 on a ski-testing trip, K2 ski designer, Jed Yeiser; K2 skier, McKenna Peterson; and I agreed that we would one do have a conversation about ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide’. And this strange little book seems to only be gaining more relevance with each passing year.
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.
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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.
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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.