BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Ski vs Bike Industry, Part 2: State of Shops; Gear Wins & Fails; & the Future of Each (Ep.350)
Today, we take a look at the state of ski shops vs bike shops; what each industry is doing to grow participation and engagement in their sport; gear wins and fails; and our reviewers weigh in on which industry has the brighter future.
Ibis Oso 1.1
The Ibis Oso 1.1 got a few construction tweaks and a smaller price tag, but it’s still a very unique-looking offering on the eMTB market. It comes with a unique ride, too, but one that should appeal quite a bit to the right buyer. Read on to find out who the Oso might be for.
Win Apparel From SPC/LST
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Sapien Quilted Crew, Omega E-Waist Active 5.5” Short, and Range Beanie from SPC/LST!
Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, May 2025 (Ep. 277)
Mike and Simon discuss the exciting start to mountain bike World Cup DH racing, the fantastic Giro d’Italia, Christopher Blevins’ domination, Mathieu van der Poel’s rough day on a mountain bike, some good industry news, and a whole lot more.
2026 Orbea Occam SL & Occam LT
Orbea has updated the Occam SL and Occam LT Trail bikes, and while the changes aren’t massive, there are a couple of nice tweaks — including the option to forgo headset cable routing.
Salsa Blackthorn 125 C & Blackthorn 145 C
Salsa’s new Blackthorn siblings bring some interesting design details — and a ton of on-bike storage — to a new Trail / All Mountain platform with two different travel options on the same frame. Check out what they’ve cooked up, and our early impressions of the Blackthorn 145 C.
America’s Founding Spirit & the Most Important Distillery You’ve Never Heard Of (Ep.72)
Brandy doesn’t get the love that it deserves, given that it was America’s founding spirit, and no category has a bigger folk hero tied to it (Johnny Appleseed, anyone?). Today, we’re talking about all things brandy with Clear Creek Distillery.
Shimano XTR M9200 & M9220 Brakes
Alongside their new XTR Di2 drivetrain, Shimano also updated their longstanding and very popular XTR brakes, and we’ve been testing the Trail / Enduro version for the past few months. Here’s the design rundown on both of the new XTR stoppers, and our take on how the four-piston option has performed.
Shimano XTR M9200 Di2 Wireless Drivetrain & Wheels
Shimano’s long-awaited wireless XTR group is here. Here are all the details — and our long-term Full Review after spending several months with the new shifter, derailleur, cassette, cranks, and wheels.
Yeti MTe
Yeti just launched their second-ever eMTB, the MTe, a light-assist offering featuring TQ’s new HPR60 drive system. With design cues from Yeti’s 160E and their unpowered mountain bikes, Yeti has packed some familiar things into the MTe, as well as some new features. Check out our First Look for the whole story, and our Flash Review for our initial on-trail impressions.
Flash Review: Yeti MTe
We’ve been spending time on Yeti’s brand-new MTe, a mid-travel, light-assist eMTB that includes TQ’s new HPR60 drive system. Check out our initial impressions.
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Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, April / May 2025 (Ep.359)
Cody and Jonathan discuss Rob Katz’s return as the CEO of Vail; what’s going on with REI; the sale of Pieps; the latest way to speed up Mt. Everest; the Most Canadian News; the return of the Blister Book Club; what we’re reading & watching; and more.
Flash Review: 25/26 Atomic Hawx Prime XTD 130 BOA
Several of our reviewers have become big fans of Atomic’s low-volume Hawx boots, but what about the roomier ‘Prime’ version? Here are Luke Koppa’s initial thoughts on the freeride-touring Hawx Prime XTD 130 BOA.
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: Magura Gustav Pro
Magura’s Gustav Pro brakes promise consistency and heat management, so do they deliver? Our Flash Review has initial impressions from the first couple of rides with Magura’s latest stoppers.
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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Stuff We Like: May 2025
This month’s assortment of gear includes several impressive cycling components, coolers made from coconuts, some summer apparel favorites, and much more. Check it out to see what our reviewers have been liking lately.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Shimano Deore M6200 & XT M8200 Di2 Wireless Drivetrain and Wheels
Just two weeks after launching their first wireless MTB drivetrain at the flagship XTR tier, Shimano now has Deore and XT versions for folks who want wireless shifting at a more affordable price. Here are all the details.
Shimano XT M8200 & M8220 Brakes
Shimano’s XT brakes have gotten an overhaul to go with the new wireless XT Di2 drivetrain. Here’s what’s new, what isn’t, and the full rundown on the XT brake options.
Specialized Gravity Racing & Brembo Announce Partnership
The speculation about the prototype brakes that Specialized Gravity Racing has been racing on can be put to rest: they’re from Brembo. Here’s what we know so far.
‘Forrest Gump’ w/ Brendan Leonard & Jonathan Ellsworth (Ep.41)
Forrest Gump premiered on June 23, 1994, and Tom Hanks won the Oscar for Best Actor. But according to Brendan Leonard (semi-rad.com), the real story is that Gump introduced millions of people to ultrarunning. Brendan and Jonathan discuss that and a whole lot more.
Jib League & the Future of Freeskiing with Woodsy (Ep.361)
We talk with James Woods (aka Woodsy) about how he and fellow pro skiers, Ferdinand Dahl and Oystein Braaten, created Jib League to fill voids that they were noticing in the freeskiing world. The unique event series they created has been loved by athletes and viewers alike, and the story of how it came to be is just as interesting as all the absurd tricks put down by the riders at each stop.
Aenomaly Switchgrade 2.0 Evo Seat Angle Adjuster
The Aenomaly Switchgrade is a clever way to allow on-the-fly seat angle adjustment, but how beneficial is it in practice? We’ve been testing the updated Switchgrade Evo 2.0, and are ready to weigh in.
Flash Review: 24/25 ON3P Woodsman 92
Update 6.13.25: Jonathan Ellsworth adds his thoughts on the Woodsman 92, where it excels, and what sort of skiers ought to consider it.
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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Win Alpaca Apparel from Arms of Andes
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a $200 gift card from Arms of Andes!
The New Rules of Apparel: PFAS, What’s Changed, & What It Means for You (Ep.351)
In this panel discussion from Blister Summit 2025, we asked apparel designers from Patagonia, Flylow, Ortovox, and Rab to discuss what you should expect from the new generation of PFAS-free apparel; how it compares to what you’ve used in the past; and what you can do to make the most of it.
Deep Dive: Santa Cruz Bronson 5
We compare the Santa Cruz Bronson 5 to the Santa Cruz Bronson 4, Santa Cruz Hightower 4, Santa Cruz Nomad, Yeti SB165, Ibis Ripmo, Specialized Stumpjumper 15, Spot Mayhem 140, Esker Woodsy, Propain Tyee, Norco Sight, Transition Sentinel V3, and Kona Process 153.
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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Santa Cruz Bronson 5
The Santa Cruz Bronson has evolved a lot over the years, and while the updates to the latest Bronson 5 look relatively subtle on paper, it’s a very different bike from the Bronson 4. We’ve had multiple editors in different locations spend time on the Bronson and have a comprehensive Full Review to share.
Chris McCaffrey on Riding His Bike Around the World (Ep.278)
The day after he submitted his final college paper, Chris McCaffrey set off to ride his bike around the world. He made it back to his hometown of Boulder, CO, seventeen months later. The story of the trip is a wild, inspiring, beautiful one, and you don’t want to miss it.