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Mic Williams was racing as a privateer when Covid hit, and racing went on hold. But instead of binging Netflix, he used his free time to start a very unusual bike company — Williams Racing Products. Mic has a whole lot of ideas for how to make bikes better, and WRP has offered a lot of out-there products, including what can only be described as the reincarnation of the Honda RN-01 downhill bike. So on our latest episode of Bikes & Big Ideas, we sat down with Mic to talk about all the big ideas he has for WRP; the Privateer Parts Program and privateer racing in general; and much more.

The Many, Many Big Ideas of Williams Racing Products (Ep.93)

December 9, 2021November 25, 2021 by David Golay

Few people have as many big ideas for the bike world as Mic Williams of Williams Racing Products, and even fewer have started their own companies to make them a reality. So we sat down with Mic to hear all about it, privateer racing at the top level, and more.

5-Ski Quivers: Reviewers’ Selections (21/22)

November 23, 2021November 23, 2021 by Luke Koppa

Check out Part Two of our reviewers' 5-ski quiver picks, with additions from Jonathan Ellsworth, Kristin Sinnott, Paul Forward, & David Golay.

Flash Review: 22/23 Nordica Enforcer Unlimited 104

January 21, 2025November 15, 2021 by Luke Koppa

We just spent a day skiing the new Enforcer Unlimited 104 — check out our initial impressions of this new touring ski.

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Sealant-based tubeless systems are now ubiquitous on mountain bikes, but how did we get here? On our latest episode of Bikes & Big Ideas we sat down with Mike Bush, the President of Stan’s, to talk about the early days of tubeless development; why we still use rim tape and sealant; rim profiles; tire inserts; sealant formulation and how it actually works; and a whole lot more. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts, or on our site.

Stan’s No Tubes on the Past, Present, & Future of Tubeless Tech (Ep.91)

December 15, 2021November 11, 2021 by David Golay

We go deep on tubeless tire systems with Mike Bush of Stan’s No Tubes, including the history of the rim tape and sealant design we all use today; rim and tire design for tubeless; how sealant actually works; and a whole lot more.

On our latest GEAR:30 podcast, you’ll hear the tale of how a couple of friends who were scheming to get some gear for their own adventures ended up creating a phenomenal outdoor shop in the process. We talk to Trygve Sande and Rune Kvalsnes about the origins of Vertical Playground; their trip with Hoji where the idea of the 4FRNT Raven was born; some of their favorite gear; and more.

Shop Talk: Vertical Playground, Oppdal Norway (Ep.169)

November 5, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Once upon a time, a couple of friends who were scheming to get some gear for their own adventures ended up creating a phenomenal outdoor shop. We talk to Trygve Sande and Rune Kvalsnes about the origins of Vertical Playground; their trip with Hoji where the idea of the 4FRNT Raven was born; some of their favorite gear; and more.

10 Barrel Brewing x Protect Our Winters: PRAY FOR POW

November 2, 2021November 2, 2021 by Jonathan Ellsworth

Here's our take on this great beer for a good cause.

Stuff We Like: October 2021

December 13, 2021October 30, 2021 by David Golay

Our latest Stuff We Like roundup features everything from paddleboards to beer, MTB tires to water bottles, a whole lot of apparel, and more.

Luke Koppa reviews the Wagner Summit 97 for Blister

2021-2022 Wagner Summit 97

October 30, 2021October 29, 2021 by Luke Koppa

Historically, Wagner has only offered fully custom skis. But last year they made four models for the Blister Summit, and those Summit skis are now available as stock, “factory” options. The Summit 97 is their take on a versatile and stable all-mountain ski, and we think it is an excellent execution of that concept. Check out our full review & Deep Dive comparisons.

Dylan Wood and Luke Koppa Blister mountain bike review on the Commencal Meta TR 29

2021 Commencal Meta TR 29

October 19, 2021October 19, 2021 by Luke Koppa

Two of our reviewers spent several months on Commencal's downhill-oriented Trail bike, the Meta TR 29. Check out our video & written full reviews for their thoughts on who it suits and how it compares to several other bikes in its class.

Vertical Playground

April 24, 2024October 14, 2021 by Kristin Sinnott

Vertical Playground is our recommended shop in Norway because of their widespread expertise on gear and services for everything from ski touring to mountain biking, climbing, hiking, whitewater kayaking, and more.

2022 Trek Top Fuel

January 3, 2022October 7, 2021 by David Golay

The Top Fuel has been in Trek’s lineup for nearly 20 years now, but they’ve just overhauled it and the 2022 model is a very different beast. Check out our First Look for all the details.

Just Announced: 21/22 is Final Season for Full Tilt

October 4, 2021October 4, 2021 by Luke Koppa

Today it was announced that the Full Tilt name and brand will be no more, starting in 22/23.

2022 Commencal Meta SX

October 4, 2021 by David Golay

Commencal’s Meta line has grown a mullet — check out our First Look for more info on the brand-new, mixed-wheel Meta SX.

Stuff We Like: September 2021

October 4, 2021September 29, 2021 by Kristin Sinnott

In this month's edition of our "Stuff We Like" series, we've got everything from stoves to beverages, gloves, headlamps, knives, & more.

Kieran Nay reviews the Hoka One One Mach 4 for Blister.

Hoka Mach 4

September 28, 2021 by Kieran Nay

The Hoka Mach 4 offers a rare combination of plush cushioning and springy efficiency that makes it great for a wide variety of road runs, but it's not quite a perfect do-everything shoe. Check out our review to see why, and if it'd make sense for you.

David Golay Blister mountain bike review on the Guerrilla Gravity Pedalhead

2021 Guerrilla Gravity Pedalhead

September 28, 2021 by David Golay

Guerrilla Gravity’s Pedalhead hardtail just got a major update, and we've been spending a whole bunch of time on it. Check out our full review for our thoughts on the bike that GG says is "built for everything from crushing singletrack miles to getting rad around town."

Alex Desmond is an engineer, and when a friend of his suffered a stroke and was no longer able to ride a bike, Alex decided to do something about it. Six years later, the fruits of that project are here — as the Orange Phase AD3. Not only is the end result remarkable, but the story of how it came to be might be even wilder, so we sat down with Alex to get the rundown on the project including a whole lot of the technical details; getting the likes of Martyn Ashton and Lorraine Truong involved; the limitations of other adaptive mountain bikes; and how Alex ultimately used the project to land a job at Orange.

Alex Desmond on Designing a Better Adaptive MTB (Ep.84)

December 9, 2021September 23, 2021 by David Golay

Alex Desmond is an engineer, and when a friend of his suffered a stroke and was no longer able to ride a bike, Alex decided to do something about it. Six years later, the fruits of that project are here — as the Orange Phase AD3. Not only is the end result remarkable, but the story of how it came to be might be even wilder, so we sat down with Alex to get the rundown on the project including a whole lot of the technical details; getting the likes of Martyn Ashton and Lorraine Truong involved; the limitations of other adaptive mountain bikes; and how Alex ultimately used the project to land a job at Orange.