Review: Blizzard Rustler 10

Model year: 2023-2024
Sidecut: 134-102-123
Size: 180
Radius: 17.5 m
Technology: Wood core, full sidewall, tip and tail rocker, shaped titanal

About this ski

Blizzard’s Rustler line – the freeride skis – have been around for quite some time now. The Rustler 10 is the middle one in terms of waist width and use. For the 2023-2024 season, we are now on the third generation of this ski. And since its launch, the Rustler 10 has changed a bit.

The construction has remained roughly the same: wood core, full sidewall, some metal (though not complete sheets). About that metal: it was in the center of the ski before: in front and to the back of the binding section it tapered to the middle, and not extending quite towards the tip and tail of the ski. Now it’s only on the edges of the ski, but not in the middle. This has changed the character of the ski.

Power over ease

The Rustler 10 was that easy and intuitive to ski can-do-anything freeride ski. It could do groomers, but it excelled in chop, bumps and anything soft. Even though it never had the float of powder-only skis, it handled things great. It was therefore a ski for a very wide range of off-groomer conditions and a very wide range of skiers. 

That last bit has changed. The Rustler 10 now feels quite a bit more powerful compared to earlier versions. More geared towards fast and powerful skiers who want to drive the ski more actively. It has a higher performance ceiling and a noticeably higher instep speed and style as well. It is not intuitive or easy to ski anymore. It takes much more power, speed, and less finesse to ski it. About half of the old target group for this ski now has to look elsewhere for an easy-going but stable freeride offering in this width range.

Conclusion

The Rustler 10 has been beefed up significantly. It is now a dream for heavier, faster, more aggressive skiers. Anyone looking for an easy-access freeride ski has to move along. Its target audience shifted. It depends on where you are on the finesse-power scale to judge if this is positive for you as a potential buyer.

Characteristics

Playful		Stable
Forgiving		Punishing
Lively		Damp
Skidding		Carving
Low speed		High speed
Short turn		Long turn
Soft snow		Hard snow