BLISTER Gear Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles
Norco’s New DH Race Bike (Ep.219)
Norco hasn’t been shy about the fact that they’re working on a new DH race bike, and we sat down with Norco engineers Adrian Ward and Kirk McDowall to hear all about it.
Deep Dive: Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay
We compare the Instinct Powerplay to the Pivot Shuttle AM, Specialized Turbo Levo, Orbea Wild, and Norco Fluid VLT 130.
Blister’s Flash Reviews and Deep Dives are accessible to those who purchase one of our paid subscriptions
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Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay
Lightweight, lower powered eMTBs are having a bit of a moment, but the Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay makes a strong case for a full-power motor, even on a mid-travel Trail bike. Check out our full review for our take.
24/25 Romp Oso 105
We’ve been logging time on one of the newest — and most different — skis in Romp’s stock lineup. Here are our initial thoughts on the Oso 105.
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 Maiden 102
Icelantic overhauled their longstanding Maiden and Nomad skis for 24/25, including longer lengths options for the women’s Maiden series, and we spent the season testing the new Maiden 102 against its competition to see where it falls in the all-mountain market. Read all about it in our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Icelantic Maiden 102
We compare the Icelantic Maiden 102 to the Nordica Unleashed 98 W, Moment Sierra, Blizzard Sheeva 10, Faction Dancer 3X, Zag Slap 104, Armada ARW 106 UL, Nordica Unleashed 108 W, Atomic Maven 103 CTI, Fischer Ranger 102, Nordica Santa Ana 102, K2 Mindbender 99Ti W, Volkl Secret 102, DPS Kaizen 105, Line Optic 104, K2 Mindbender 106C W, Folsom Cash 106, & Salomon QST Stella 106.
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 a 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.)
Devinci E-Troy Lite
We’ve been seeing a lot of new lightweight eMTBs hitting the market lately, and Devinci has made a very interesting one with their new aluminum, made-in-Canada E-Troy Lite. Dig into our First Look for all the details on the new bike.
Deep Dive: Ibis HD6
We compare the Ibis HD6 to the Yeti SB165, Orbea Rallon, Yeti SB160, Pivot Firebird, Norco Sight, Propane Tyee, Santa Cruz Nomad, Chromag Lowdown, Kavenz VHP 16, Specialized Enduro, and REEB Steezl.
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 a 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.)
Ibis HD6
Ibis set out to make a modern Enduro race bike and came up with the HD6 — the longest travel bike they’ve ever made. We’ve been spending a lot of time on the HD6, and it has proven to be an interesting take on the genre. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see what we mean.
2024-2025 K2 Reckoner KF
Karl Fostvedt and K2 have been working on a ski that suits Karl’s uniquely playful but hard-charging style, and the new Reckoner KF is the result. It’s an uncommon take on a modern all-mountain-freestyle ski, but for certain skiers, it’ll be a ton of fun. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to learn more.
Deep Dive: K2 Reckoner KF
We compare the K2 Reckoner KF to the K2 Reckoner 110, K2 Reckoner 124, K2 Reckoner 112, Moment Wildcat, Line Bacon 115, DPS Koala 111, Armada ARV 112, Icelantic Nomad 112, RMU Apostle 114, Head Oblivion 116, RMU Professor 111, Rossignol Blackops 118, Moment Deathwish, Rossignol Sender Free 110, Meier Leeper, Faction Studio 3, Prior Northwest 116, Black Crows Anima, Blizzard Rustler 11, Volkl Revolt 114, Line Optic 114, & Salomon QST Blank.
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 a 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.)
A Brief-ish History of Blister with Jonathan Ellsworth and Michael Clarke (Ep.306)
So who was really behind the creation of BLISTER, and did the whole thing get started because of a misunderstanding over a couple of beers? Today, we dive into the origins story of Blister, with the two people most responsible for it.
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.
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 a 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.)
BLISTER Reviews, Podcasts, & Articles:
Norco’s New DH Race Bike (Ep.219)
Norco hasn’t been shy about the fact that they’re working on a new DH race bike, and we sat down with Norco engineers Adrian Ward and Kirk McDowall to hear all about it.
Deep Dive: Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay
We compare the Instinct Powerplay to the Pivot Shuttle AM, Specialized Turbo Levo, Orbea Wild, and Norco Fluid VLT 130.
Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay
Lightweight, lower powered eMTBs are having a bit of a moment, but the Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay makes a strong case for a full-power motor, even on a mid-travel Trail bike. Check out our full review for our take.
24/25 Romp Oso 105
We’ve been logging time on one of the newest — and most different — skis in Romp’s stock lineup. Here are our initial thoughts on the Oso 105.
2024-2025 Icelantic Maiden 102
Icelantic overhauled their longstanding Maiden and Nomad skis for 24/25, including longer lengths options for the women’s Maiden series, and we spent the season testing the new Maiden 102 against its competition to see where it falls in the all-mountain market. Read all about it in our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons.
Deep Dive: Icelantic Maiden 102
We compare the Icelantic Maiden 102 to the Nordica Unleashed 98 W, Moment Sierra, Blizzard Sheeva 10, Faction Dancer 3X, Zag Slap 104, Armada ARW 106 UL, Nordica Unleashed 108 W, Atomic Maven 103 CTI, Fischer Ranger 102, Nordica Santa Ana 102, K2 Mindbender 99Ti W, Volkl Secret 102, DPS Kaizen 105, Line Optic 104, K2 Mindbender 106C W, Folsom Cash 106, & Salomon QST Stella 106.
Devinci E-Troy Lite
We’ve been seeing a lot of new lightweight eMTBs hitting the market lately, and Devinci has made a very interesting one with their new aluminum, made-in-Canada E-Troy Lite. Dig into our First Look for all the details on the new bike.
Deep Dive: Ibis HD6
We compare the Ibis HD6 to the Yeti SB165, Orbea Rallon, Yeti SB160, Pivot Firebird, Norco Sight, Propane Tyee, Santa Cruz Nomad, Chromag Lowdown, Kavenz VHP 16, Specialized Enduro, and REEB Steezl.
Ibis HD6
Ibis set out to make a modern Enduro race bike and came up with the HD6 — the longest travel bike they’ve ever made. We’ve been spending a lot of time on the HD6, and it has proven to be an interesting take on the genre. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to see what we mean.
2024-2025 K2 Reckoner KF
Karl Fostvedt and K2 have been working on a ski that suits Karl’s uniquely playful but hard-charging style, and the new Reckoner KF is the result. It’s an uncommon take on a modern all-mountain-freestyle ski, but for certain skiers, it’ll be a ton of fun. Check out our Full Review & Deep Dive comparisons to learn more.
Deep Dive: K2 Reckoner KF
We compare the K2 Reckoner KF to the K2 Reckoner 110, K2 Reckoner 124, K2 Reckoner 112, Moment Wildcat, Line Bacon 115, DPS Koala 111, Armada ARV 112, Icelantic Nomad 112, RMU Apostle 114, Head Oblivion 116, RMU Professor 111, Rossignol Blackops 118, Moment Deathwish, Rossignol Sender Free 110, Meier Leeper, Faction Studio 3, Prior Northwest 116, Black Crows Anima, Blizzard Rustler 11, Volkl Revolt 114, Line Optic 114, & Salomon QST Blank.
A Brief-ish History of Blister with Jonathan Ellsworth and Michael Clarke (Ep.306)
So who was really behind the creation of BLISTER, and did the whole thing get started because of a misunderstanding over a couple of beers? Today, we dive into the origins story of Blister, with the two people most responsible for it.