BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
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.
Propain Sresh SL
Propain has been teasing their new Sresh SL for the last few weeks; today, this new mid-travel, TQ HPR60-equipped eMTB from the German brand has officially been unveiled. Check out our First Look for all the details.
2026 RockShox SID SL & Reba
RockShox’s XC forks are getting an overhaul, and while the standard SID carries on unchanged, both the ultralight SID SL and budget-oriented Reba get new chassis and some other updates. Check out what’s new.
Craft N/A Cocktails & Why They Matter More Than You Think (Ep.75)
Craft N/A Cocktails are on the rise, but there is still much that needs to evolve in this space. Jonathan Ellsworth and our CRAFTED co-host (and professional mixologist) Eli Brown discuss, and you’ll learn why fast-growing whiskey company, Uncle Nearest, is so interested in the N/A space.
Hope EVO Brakes
Hope is giving their brake lineup an overhaul, and while the EVO name implies refinement rather than wholesale change, there’s a lot new here — including an updated lever, two new calipers, and more.
‘Unbreakable: The Western States 100’ w/ Cody Townsend & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.42)
Cody and Jonathan discuss what many regard as the greatest ultra film of all time, ‘Unbreakable.’ It documents the 2010 running of Western States, and the 2025 race happens this Saturday, June 28.
Flash Review: Fox Podium
The new Fox Podium doesn’t look like much else out there, and its on-trail performance stands out, too. Check out our take so far.
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Fox Podium Inverted Fork
In a big change for the brand, Fox has been developing an inverted fork, and there’s been plenty of speculation about what the production model would actually entail. Get all the answers here, and check out our early on-trail impressions of the new upside-down Fox Podium.
Shimano GRX Di2 1 x 12-speed Drivetrain
Shimano’s new wireless derailleur design has been adapted to the 1 x 12 Gravel use case with the new GRX RX827 rear derailleur. Our First Look digs into their first true wireless Gravel setup.
Flash Review: Formula Selva V
The new Formula Selva V stands out from the market for being lightweight and highly tunable via Formula’s CTS valve system, but how does its performance stack up next to other long-travel single-crown forks? We’ve got some early 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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Hoji, Marcus Caston, Nick Russell, & Chris Davenport: Life Updates, Mtn-Town Advice, Trip Reports, & More (Ep.362)
We brought together some legends of snowsports — Hoji, Marcus, Nick, & Dav — and asked them to share some life updates; their best mountain-town (and relationship) advice; trip reports & travel stories; & more.
Thule T2 Pro XTR
Thule’s T2 Pro XTR hitch-mounted bicycle rack is one of the more popular options on the market. And after testing it ourselves, we understand why. Check out our Full Review to find out how this rack performs, including direct comparisons to the Yakima StageTwo.
Southern Hemisphere Skiing, Sustainability, & Shop Strategies w/ Outside Sports (Ep.352)
Today, we head south to the snow, and back behind the counter at Outside Sports in New Zealand. We talk about the gear and innovations they’re stoked on; what it takes to keep a mountain town business thriving; sustainability from a local shop’s perspective, and more.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
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.
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.
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.