BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Win a Pack from RMU
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get the Core Pack 15L from RMU!
Deviate Cycles on High-Pivot Bikes, Onshoring Production, & the Lowlander Prototype (Ep.177)
High-pivot Trail bikes are becoming increasingly common, but Deviate Cycles was a pioneer of that trend, and we sat down with Deviate co-founder Ben Jones to talk about why they went that direction when few companies were; gearboxes & mass adoption of new ideas; onshoring production & their wild Lowlander 3D-printed titanium and carbon fiber prototype; & a whole lot more.
2023 Specialized P.Series
Specialized has overhauled its longstanding P.Series line of Dirt-Jump bikes, and the lineup now includes versions for the whole family, with wheel sizes ranging from 20’’ to 27.5’’.
Flash Review – Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0
The Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 is an ultra high-end women-specific Enduro bike that we’ve been spending time on — Blister Members can now read our initial on-trail impressions.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Yeti SB160
The Yeti SB150’s geometry was notably radical when it launched back in 2018. Since then, the mountain bike landscape has changed a lot, and the SB150’s successor, the SB160, no longer stands out as much on paper. On trail, though, it’s still an especially game-on Enduro race bike — and a damn good one for folks with the right approach and preferences.
2023-2024 Nordica Dobermann 5 S
Here are our measured specs, photos, and a quick rundown of Nordica’s race-inspired boot, the Dobermann 5 S, as well as details about the entire 5th generation of the Dobermann lineup.
Art & the Outdoors (Ep.267)
Why do we need centers of art in mountain towns and places of great natural beauty? It’s a question that any of us who live in or visit mountain towns ought to consider, and Jonathan discusses it with Courtney Gilbert, the curator of the Sun Valley Museum of Art.
Flash Review — Canfield One.2 Super Enduro
Enduro bikes have gotten longer-travel and burlier in recent years, but the Canfield One.2 Super Enduro still stands out, with 190 mm at both ends. So is it a long-legged Enduro bike, more of a pedalable DH rig, or something else entirely? We’ve started spending time on it to find out, and Blister Members can now read our early findings.
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 Apparel from WNDR Alpine
The winner of our Gear Giveaway this week will get a complete Phase Series kit from WNDR Alpine!
Athletes & Product Design (Ep.252)
When it comes to gear, how do you balance the specific needs of world-class athletes with those of average skiers and riders? In this conversation from Blister Summit 2023, McKenna Petersen (K2 athlete), Drew Peterson (Salomon athlete), Tyler Curle (Moment athlete & ski builder), and Jed Yeiser (K2 engineer) discuss exactly that, plus a whole lot more.
EXT Aria
We’ve been very impressed by a number of EXT’s coil shocks over the years, and having now spent a lot of time on the Aria — their first air-sprung MTB rear shock — we’re ready to weigh in on how it stacks up to EXT’s own Storia, as well as the modern crop of high-volume, beefy air shocks.
Women’s Bike Bib & Chamois Roundup
If you spend any time in the saddle you’ll know that a proper chamois, butt, and saddle interface is essential for sustained comfort during rides. In this roundup, we discuss a variety of bib and chamois options that one of our female reviewers has been logging a lot of saddle time in recently.
Scott Kinabalu 2
A dependable, predictable option is an invaluable addition to any shoe quiver, especially one already loaded with terrain- and distance-specific models. After testing, the Scott Kinabalu 2 is giving strong indications of being just that. Check out our full review to learn more.
Anna Newkirk and Abby Hogie on Beyond Racing, the Contra DH Bike, & More (Ep.176)
Most of us have probably had a pipedream of starting something big with a friend, though far fewer people actually make it happen. But Anna Newkirk and Abby Hogie have done just that with their self-run Beyond Racing World Cup team, and their story is a great one.
Stuff We Like: June 2023
For June’s edition of Stuff We Like we feature everything from daypacks to heavy-duty backcountry packs, shorts, lightweight mountain bike and ski apparel, bike helmets, espresso machines for on-the-go, river shoes, & more. Check it out to see all the latest stuff our reviewers have been digging.
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Deep Dive: Peak 104 by Bode
We compare the Peak 104 by Bode to the Peak 98 by Bode, Peak 104 by Dav, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, Fischer Ranger 102, Atomic Maverick 100 Ti, Armada Declivity 102 Ti, Salomon QST 106, K2 Mindbender 106C, Volkl Mantra 102, HEAD Kore 105, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Elan Ripstick 106, J Skis Hotshot, Blizzard Rustler 10, Black Crows Atris, Line Blade Optic 104, Volkl Secret 102, Rossignol Rallybird 104 Ti, & Nordica Santa Ana 104 Free.
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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Ski Boots: How to EASILY Put On & Take Off | Video
In this Blister “How To” video, Blister editor & Masterfit-Certified Bootfttter, Kara Williard, demonstrates how to effortlessly put on and take off ski boots. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned skier, learning these simple steps can save you time, spare you frustration, and improve the performance and longevity of your boots.
Our Reviewers’ 2023 Craft Obsessions & 2024 Curiosities (Ep.39)
Today we are sharing the craft categories that most captivated our reviewers in 2023, and the categories they’re most curious about heading into 2024. This is a fun one, and it fills out the picture of the people behind our reviews, videos, articles, podcasts, & Blister Summit events.
Flash Review: 23/24 Armada Reliance 92 Ti
We’ve been spending time on Armada’s women-specific, metal-laminate ski, the Reliance 92 Ti — check out our initial 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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Gear of the Year, 2023 (Ep.202)
David Golay, Simon Stewart, and Dylan Wood sat down to recap their favorite bikes and bike-related gear from 2023, argue about headset cable routing, and more.
Our Reviewers’ 2023 Highlights & 2024 Resolutions (Ep.292)
Once again, we are sharing some of our team’s highlights and new year’s resolutions. This is a fun one, and it certainly fills out the picture of the people behind all of our reviews, videos, articles, podcasts, and Blister Summit events. Happy New Year!
Flash Review Update: Blister Alpine Binding Shootout
We’ve been spending a lot of time A/B testing a whole bunch of different alpine bindings — all on the same model of ski. Check out our latest update, with new thoughts on bindings from Salomon, Marker, & Tyrolia.
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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2023-2024 Nitro Squash
Nitro recently updated the Squash, and say it offers “unparalleled float in the powder and a turn so nice it will make you never want to leave the groomers.” So just how well does it blend freeride inspiration with all-mountain versatility? Check out our full review.
2023-2024 Head Supershape e-Rally & Supershape e-Titan
The Supershape name is one of the most recognizable in the world of carving skis, and we’ve been testing the latest versions of the Supershape e-Rally & e-Titan to see how they compare to the current crop of piste-oriented models on the market. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Head Supershape e-Rally & Supershape e-Titan
We compare the Supershape e-Rally & Supershape e-Titan to the Supershape i.Rally, Supershape i.Titan, K2 Disruption 78Ti, K2 Disruption 82Ti, Fischer RC One 82 GT, K2 Disruption MTi, Fischer RC4 The Curv, Elan Wingman 86 CTi, Parlor Warbird, Renoun Atlas 80, Rossignol Forza 70D V-Ti, Blizzard Brahma 88, & Head Kore 87.
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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Blister Community Reviews Launch; How Much Info is Too Much or Too Little?; Defining Skier Ability Levels; & Other Contentious Topics (Ep.277)
We’ve launched our new Blister Community Reviews, so Luke and Jonathan discuss where it is today; how it will evolve; & some big questions like, how to best define the difference between an intermediate, advanced, & expert skier; rating scale debates; and more.
Flash Review: 23/24 Peak 88 by Bode
Given Bode Miller’s racing background, we were curious to try his take on a narrower all-mountain ski — check out our 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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