Reviews

Blister Brand Guide: Santa Cruz / Juliana Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020

June 16, 2020September 19, 2019 by Dylan Wood

Santa Cruz and its sister brand, Juliana, have garnered a strong following over the years, and they make a wide range of mountain bikes. Check out our Brand Guide for an overview of their entire lineups.

Blister Brand Guide: Salomon Running Shoe Lineup, 2019

July 13, 2020September 18, 2019 by Maddie Hart

From shoes designed to help Kilian Jornet dance up technical terrain, to studded winter spikes and everyday road and trail shoes, Salomon makes a really wide variety of running shoes. Check out our Salomon Brand Guide to quickly get clear on their whole lineup and figure out which shoes might work best for you.

Eric Freson reviews the Specialized Enduro for Blister

2019 Specialized Enduro 27.5

September 17, 2019September 17, 2019 by Eric Freson

Specialized recently released a new Enduro, but whether you're looking at the resale market, don't love the new Enduro's geometry or 29er-only design, or are just looking for a versatile Enduro / Trail bike, we think the Enduro 27.5 still deserves strong consideration. Check out Eric Freson's full review, and Luke Koppa also adds his thoughts from the perspective of a newcomer to the sport.

CushCore Pro Tire Inserts

September 16, 2019 by Noah Bodman

We recently published Noah Bodman's take on CushCore's Pro tire inserts, and now David Golay adds his thoughts. Check them out here.

Blister Mountain Biking 101: Fit & Geometry; how to interpret a mountain bike geometry chart

Biking 101: Bike Fit & Geometry — Part 1

September 17, 2019September 15, 2019 by Noah Bodman

Selecting the “right” bike means selecting the right *size* bike — and understanding how a bike’s “geometry” affects that. So check out our Bike Fit & Geometry 101 article to learn more about a bike’s geometry and how it affects both fit and performance.

Blister Brand Guide: Altra Lineup, 2019

September 20, 2019September 12, 2019 by Gordon Gianniny

Timp 1.5 vs. Lone Peak 4. Paradigm 4.5 vs. Duo 1.5. What sets Altra’s shoes apart from one another, and which is the best shoe for you? Check out our Brand Guide for an overview of their entire road and trail lineup.

Blister Brand Guide: Specialized Mountain Bike Lineup, 2020

July 6, 2020September 11, 2019 by Dylan Wood

In our new “Blister Brand Guide” series, we go over the entire product lineup of a brand, highlight how each product stands out from the rest of the lineup, and help you figure out quickly and easily which one might be best for you. First up on the MTB side: Specialized.

2020 Ibis Ripmo AF

September 10, 2019 by David Golay

Today Ibis announced the brand-new Ripmo AF, as in “aluminum frame.” As in, the first all-aluminum Ibis bike since they reopened shop in 2005. But there’s a whole lot more to this new Trail / Enduro bike than just being made of metal — check out our First Look for more info.

Blister Brand Guide: Hoka One One Lineup, 2019

October 16, 2019September 9, 2019 by Maddie Hart

There are so many products and options available from so many different companies, it can be difficult to know where to even begin, or to figure out the differences between products in a brand’s own lineup. So we’re introducing our new “Blister Brand Guide” series, where we’ll go over the entire product lineup of a brand, highlight how each product stands out from the rest of the lineup, and help you quickly and easily figure out which one might be best for you. First up: Hoka.

Blister's 2019 everyday backpack roundup

Everyday Backpack Roundup — 2019

November 22, 2021September 8, 2019 by Luke Koppa

Need a new everyday backpack? We've rounded up 10 of our favorite options, with everything from clean, simple bags that are great for work or school to packs that can also work for casual hikes and travel.

Sunglasses Roundup — 2019

October 18, 2021September 1, 2019 by Luke Koppa

End up breaking or losing your sunglasses this summer? Still looking for a new pair of shades? We’ve just updated our sunglasses roundup with even more options, several of which are on sale now.

Jonathan Ellsworth and Luke Koppa review the DPS Foundation Koala 119 for Blister

2020-2021 DPS Foundation Koala 119

December 16, 2020August 30, 2019 by Luke Koppa

UPDATE: After we published our review of the DPS Koala F119, Dash Longe — who had a large role in the creation of the ski — shared his assessment of our review, then offered his own take on the ski and its purpose. Check out what Dash had to say.

Shorts Roundup — 2019

October 18, 2021August 28, 2019 by Luke Koppa

Companies are now making lots of shorts that not only look great, but that can also handle days on the trails, wall, water, or bike. We’ve collected a number of our favorite options for men and women — check them out here.

Sam Shaheen reviews the La Sportiva TX3 for Blister

La Sportiva TX3 Shoe

August 21, 2019 by Sam Shaheen

Approach shoes vary a lot, from casual sneaker styles to others that are basically toned-down mountaineering boots. So where does La Sportiva's TX3 fall, and how does it compare to the competition? Check out our full review.

David Golay reviews the BTR Ranger 27.5 for Blister

2019 BTR Ranger 27.5

August 20, 2019August 20, 2019 by David Golay

“Enduro Hardtail” — sound like an oxymoron? Well BTR, a custom builder out of England, makes them, and one of our reviewers has spent the past 2 years riding their long and slack steel hardtail, with some surprising conclusions. Check out the full review of the BTR Ranger.

Hoka One One Challenger ATR 5

August 20, 2019August 19, 2019 by Maddie Hart

A lot of running shoes are marketed as being good for “all terrain,” though few actually deliver. But we think the Hoka Challenger ATR5 truly does, and you can check out our full review to see where this shoe shines in particular.

David Golay reviews the Nicolai / Geometron G16 Mojo Special Edition bike for Blister

2019 Nicolai / GeoMetron G16

August 19, 2019August 13, 2019 by David Golay

Every brand is now making longer and slacker bikes, but few have taken this approach to the extremes of Nicolai. So, how does their ultra-long and ultra-slack G16 Enduro bike actually perform on trail, and how does it compare to the more moderate competition? Check out our full review of the G16.

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