BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
2024 Sea Otter Classic Recap, Part 2
We’ve got more dispatches from the 2024 Sea Otter Classic.
Flash Review — Yeti ASR
Yeti has re-entered the World Cup XC race arena with their new ASR, and our initial impressions on this lightweight full-suspension bike are quite positive.
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2023-2024 Moment Commander 92
Moment isn’t really known for their narrow skis, but should they be? We’ve been spending a lot of time on the narrowest ski to come out of the Moment factory in quite some time, and now you can check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons of the Commander 92.
Deep Dive: Moment Commander 92
We compare the Moment Commander 92 to the Moment Commander 102, Blizzard Anomaly 94, 4FRNT MSP 91, Blizzard Anomaly 88, Nordica Enforcer 94, Folsom Spar 88, Wagner Summit 91, Salomon Stance 90, Renoun Endurance 88, K2 Mindbender 89Ti, Peak 88 by Bode, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, J Skis Fastforward, Folsom Cash 93, Stockli Stormrider 95, Black Crows Serpo, Head Kore 93, Parlor Cardinal 90, & Volkl M6 Mantra.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Alaska’s Epic El Niño Season, Ski Bindings, & More with Powder Hound (Ep.294)
We’re back with Eric Helmbrecht, co-owner of Powder Hound in Girdwood, AK, to discuss Alaska’s banner El Niño season; the gear he enjoyed most; the gear Kara Williard brought to Girdwood; what’s changed at Alyeska Resort since joining the Ikon pass; the reliability of various AT & alpine bindings, and more.
2024 Sea Otter Classic Recap, Part 1
Simon Stewart is on site at the 2024 Sea Otter Classic. Check out some of the stuff that caught his eye on day one.
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.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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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
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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 Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
2024-2025 Blister Digital Winter Buyer’s Guide
350+ skis, 65 boots, and 280+ pages of honest, accurate product reviews and comparisons. Order our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s Guide or become a BLISTER+ member to read the Digital Guide NOW.
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The Current State of Climate Science, Consensus, & Next Best Steps w/ Dr. Liz Burakowski (Ep.323)
So how are things actually going when it comes to climate change, carbon emissions, stuff like that? Are we making any real progress? For answers, we’re talking with Dr. Elizabeth Burakowski, who is on the Research Faculty at the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space at the University of New Hampshire.
Frameworks Enduro
Frameworks is releasing a limited first run of their Enduro frame. Drawing plenty of inspiration from the Downhill frame released last year, the US-made Enduro frame stands out from the crowd with unique construction details and intriguing geometry. Our First Look has the details.
Flylow’s Dan Abrams on Burrito Grease & PFAS; Slide Gliding; Palisades Tahoe; & More (Ep.312)
Dan Abrams is back to talk about toxic positivity, slide gliding, burrito grease, give his review of Palisades Tahoe, and more.
Win Our 24/25 Winter Buyer’s Guide
The three winners of our Gear Giveaway this week will each get a print and digital copy of our new 2024-2025 Winter Buyer’s Guide!
Norco Fluid VLT
Norco’s Fluid VLT 130 pairs a responsive suspension platform, a lightweight build, and Bosch’s powerful SX drive system to create a unique offering in the light-assist eMTB category. Check out our Full Review and Deep Dive comparisons, as well as our “Head to Head” video comparing it to the Pivot Shuttle SL.
Deep Dive: Norco Fluid VLT 130
We compare the Norco Fluid VLT 130 to the Pivot Shuttle SL, Trek Fuel EXe, Santa Cruz Heckler SL, Canyon Neuron:ONfly, Mondraker Dune XR, and Cannondale Moterra SL.
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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Reviewing the News w/ Mike Ferrentino, August 2024 (Ep.238)
Mike Ferrentino is back handling the co-host duties on this episode of Reviewing the News. Simon admits to missing Mike during his absence, and the lads waste no time getting into recapping the UCI MTB World Championships; cross-country mountain bike courses getting too short; Mike’s take on the Specialized and Frameworks partnership; a belt drive lawsuit; and lots more.
Liv Intrigue X
The Intrigue X is the latest addition to Liv’s women-specific MTB lineup, and it claims to offer tons of versatility and adjustability for those who want to ride all sorts of trails on one bike. After several months with it, we’re now ready to weigh in on how accurate those claims proved to be — here’s our Full Review.
Chef Mark Connell on Craft & Trust; Tasting Menus; & Olive Oil Candy, Part 2 (Ep.49)
Mark Connell is the executive chef at PARC Aspen, and he’s back to talk about fine dining and the importance of tasting menus; what he learned at Alinea; the difference between striving for consistency vs. striving to be consistently good; and more.
Industry Nine SOLiX M TR300/290 DUO Wheels
Industry Nine’s new SOLiX M TR300/290 DUO wheels have a very long name and a very low weight — but how do they ride, and how have they held up to a summer of riding? Check out our Full Review to find out.
Reviewing the News w/ Cody Townsend, August 2024 (Ep.322)
Cody and Jonathan discuss summer skiing; the new FIS wildcard rule; some good news & dumb news re: national parks; art exhibits at ski areas; their top-3 mountain towns; & more.