BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2023 Devinci E-Troy
The E-Troy is a mid-travel eMTB with notably aggressive geometry, and the on-trail results are pretty special. Check out the full review to find out what Devinci has cooked up.
Flash Review: 24/25 Kästle MX88 & MX84
We’ve been testing two of Kästle’s redesigned all-mountain skis — here are our initial thoughts on how the new MX88 and MX84 compare to each other and their respective competition.
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Win MTB Gear from WTB
The TWO winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a mountain bike accessory package from WTB!
SCOR 6080 Z
SCOR has cooked up a bruiser of an eMTB in the new 6080 Z. With 180 mm of rear travel, a full power Bosch motor and big 750 Wh battery, the new SCOR 6080 Z is a big bike in all respects. Let’s take a look under the hood for all the details on SCOR’s new electrified freeride machine, the 6080 Z.
EXT’s New Storia and Arma V4 Shocks (Ep.224)
EXT is updating their (already impressive) Storia and Arma rear shocks, so we sat down with their founder, Franco Fratton, to hear all about the new dampers; the potential for truly “active” suspension systems in the bike world; tease some upcoming EXT products, and more.
Forge+Bond 30 AM Wheels
Forge+Bond’s original MTB wheel offering, the 30 EM, impressed us with its especially smooth ride feel — but what about its lighter Trail-oriented sibling, the 30 AM? We’ve now spent several months riding it and you can check out our Full Review to see how they stack up.
Gnomes – The Ski Experts
Gnomes is our highly recommended shop in the Christchurch / Canterbury region of New Zealand.
Flash Review: 24/25 Armada Declivity X 102
Armada updated a lot of their directional freeride skis for the 24/25 season, including a favorite of our managing editor, the Declivity 102. Here are his initial thoughts on how the new Declivity X 102 compares.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Flash Review — Formula Belva
Update 5/28/2024: We’ve spent a lot more time on the Formula Belva dual-crown Enduro fork, and have been experimenting with its swappable compression valves. Check out how our thoughts on the Belva have evolved.
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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Flash Review: 24/25 Icelantic Nomad 112
The Nomad 112 is the widest option in Icelantic’s overhauled freeride collection — here are our thoughts on where it slots into the powder-ski class and how it compares to the rest of the Nomad series.
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 Icelantic Nomad 112
Here are our measured specs, rocker profile pictures, and flex pattern numbers for the new Icelantic Nomad 112.
Author Eric Blehm on Craig Kelly & ‘The Darkest White’ (Ep.309)
Our guest is Eric Blehm, author of The Darkest White, which is a book that every snowboarder and skier should read.
Flash Review — Pivot Shuttle SL
How does one of the original lightweight eMTBs stack up in an increasingly crowded market? Check out our early 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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Outdoor Photography: Tips, Tricks, & Gear with Taylor Ahearn (Ep.299)
Taylor Ahearn has been photographing skiing, snowboarding, biking, and day-to-day life in the Gunnison / Crested Butte Valley for many years now, and in this conversation, Luke Koppa chats with him about how he turned that into a career; their favorite camera-related gear; tips to help *you* capture better photos next time you’re outside, and more.
Win MTB Packs from High Above
The TWO winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get High Above’s made-in-Washington Venture hip pack + a water bottle to go with it!
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Teton Village Sports
Teton Village Sports has been at the base of the fabled Jackson Hole tram since it opened for skiing. They are a full-service ski shop offering top-tier bootfitting and custom footbeds, large demo ski rental fleet that matches their retail ski offering, and an award-winning tune and repair shop offering overnight tunes ready for first chair the next day.
2025 Rocky Mountain Element
The Rocky Mountain Element was an early example of a cross-country bike with more aggressive geometry, and the new Element makes some refinements without messing with that winning recipe. Read all about it in our First Look.
‘The Hard Way’ w/ Paul Forward & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.27)
Jonathan talks with our friend and longtime Blister reviewer, Paul Forward, about a beautiful new series of three short films about Paul, called The Hard Way, that delve into Paul’s lifelong passion for traditional bow hunting, and the ethics that guide Paul’s practice.
Manitou Mara Pro PB
Manitou’s rear shocks aren’t necessarily a common sight on the trails, but the updated Mara Pro PB makes a strong case for why that should change. Our Full Review chronicles our findings after a few months of heavy use.
Mondraker Dune
The Mondraker Dune XR is exceptionally good at going downhill and adds the impressive Bosch SX drive system to help bring it back up for more. Check out the Full Review to see what Mondraker has done to make the Dune XR so unique.
Deep Dive: Mondraker Dune XR
The Mondraker Dune XR is one of the more unique light-assist eMTBs we’ve tested, and as such there aren’t many direct comparisons, so we’re including some full-power eMTBs that match up a bit closer as well.
We compare the Mondraker Dune to the Pivot Shuttle LT, Orbea Wild, Devinci E-Troy, Canyon Torque:ON CF, and Trek Slash+.
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.)
Team USA Snowboarder, Bea Kim (Ep.328)
At the age of 17, not many of us find ourselves competing for World Cup titles, or speaking in front of the United Nations. But then there’s Bea Kim, and you’re definitely going to want to get to know her and her story.
Vorsprung Smashpot V2 Coil Spring Fork Conversion Kit
Vorsprung’s new Smashpot V2 still lets you convert your fork to a coil spring, but V2 offers increased tunability, a wider range of travel and fork compatibility options — including dual-crown ones — and a new dual-rate progressive spring setup for longer-travel configurations. Check out our First Look for all the details.
Formula Nebbia
The Nebbia is Formula’s first air shock, with a strong focus on tunability and ease of service. After a few months of testing, we have gotten a good sense of how it performs — and the results are even more interesting than expected.
GEAR THERAPY: Elite Football Player Gets Back into Skiing (Ep.317)
BLISTER+ member, Pete Brantley, talks about getting back into skiing; playing football for the Oregon Ducks (and Chicago Bears!); poses his most-pressing gear questions; and gets Jonathan’s best recommendations.
Win an IR Waxer From mountainFLOW
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get an Infrared (IR) Waxer from mountainFLOW!
The Design, Development, & Testing of Enve’s new M-Series Wheels (Ep.243)
Enve’s new M-Series wheels are the result of a very long and involved development process, and they don’t look, or ride, anything like M-Series wheels of old. So we sat down with Jake Pantone of Enve to get the whole story behind their development.