Blizzard Rustler 10 Ski Review (2023/2024)

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Blizzard Rustler 10 Ski Review (2023/2024)

Рет қаралды 5,900

Жыл бұрын

Blizzard revises the Rustler 10 for Fall 2023, adding camber and more carved-turn credibility--at the cost of some of the original version's soft-snow magic. From the 2023 WWSRA on-snow demo at Mammoth Mountain, California.

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@westqueenwesthomes7717 Жыл бұрын

I’m encouraged by this review and am excited to see blizzard move ahead with more innovations. Bought my son the 9s last year and they are great for him. Aside from just hungering to ski more locations, I’ve enjoyed tracking how creative and fun the actual skis can be. Living vicariously through testers like you, as most of us don’t get the chance to ski so many different skis and get that new car smell/experience feel out of a ski. Seeing skis in a store just isn’t the same as sitting in a new car though. So thanks for the fantasy. We don’t always watch so we can make buy choice. Some times it just makes us excited to get out there. Cheers

@hoov165x Жыл бұрын

I don’t know if the Blizzard folks watch this channel but kudos to them for taking care of my delam issue so quickly. I’ve NEVER had such good customer service. The rep contacted me immediately and sent a new pair out that day, even before I sent the defective pair back. AWESOME job Blizzard!! The new pair skis better for sure. I’d like to make a simple comment on the ski though. When they moved the rocker points on the ‘24, they made a mistake. The ski does work very well in a certain type of venue, but is lacking in others. So, if the old ski was a one trick pony, this one is as well, only in a different way. I’m not going to write a dissertation on why or where, but the fun is certainly lacking in the venues where the old ski was not. I’d like to ask one question: Name one ski Blizzard makes that is a not-so-serious, fun ski. I’ll answer that- there isn’t one. Not for ‘24. Andrew is right- if you need a serious all mountain charger then look no further than the Bonafide. Why try to make the Rustler 10 more Bonafide like?

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

if the Blizzard folks are watching this channel, please tell them to send me more pairs of Zero G's. :) And thanks for sharing your thoughts -- I think you put it perfectly.

@nzheliking1278 Жыл бұрын

Interesting. 23/24 could be a sweet spot for many..credible carver on trail, for 102 underfoot, but looser and softer off trail/ soft/ spring conditions. I've got the Bonafide 97 plus the Declivity 102 and the 24 rustler 10 might be worth a look. Just easier going in general than the other two with some firm and soft snow chops.

@chrisgravel7157 Жыл бұрын

Not many reviews on these so thanks Andy for sharing yoru thoughts! R10/ Sheeva 10 in 2021-22 has decent camber already so I guess you mean more of it and tweaked rocker profiles? Wife owns the Sheeva 10 and has a bad factory tune, its fixed now and shes really enjoying them powder, off piste and soft groomers. surfy, playful, smooth and pretty powerful - she hates light skittish skis. I own the 2022-23 R11 and its a superb ski and belies its width on piste. It's a beautiful balance of playful, easy and high performance. Its an uncanny ski but arguably bit more serious than the R10 which made me think the 23-24 update made sense for many but maybe the ruined the magic formula? The R10-11 and Sheeva 9-10 along with the QST's are THE most popular skis at Whistler Blackcomb. You will loose count of how many you see on any soft snow day.

@dougclark9917 11 ай бұрын

I also own the old R 10 and it improved my skiing ability and confidence. For a 59 yr old only been skiing for 4 yrs now I can go with confidence in areas that I wasn't able to before and learned the word" smerie"

@yueguo1732 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the great review, Andy. You seemed way more excited about the Ranger 102. Curious how the new Rustler 10 compare to the Ranger. My read from your comments is that even though the Rustler is now more directional and maybe have a better edge hold than the Ranger due to more metal, the Ranger is still a more capable Carver?

@AndyLewicky 4 ай бұрын

I think to be honest I was a little bit horrified that they had compromised the original's Rustler's standout ability -- its soft snow surfy playfulness -- in an attempt to make it compete with directional skis like the Bonafide, Ranger, Enforcer etc. If that's what you want, you get the Bonafide, or the Ranger, or the Enforcer, etc. The '24 Rustler, in my opinion, isn't competitive with those more dedicated all-mountain carvers--and it gave up something really special in an attempt to be more like them. :(

@simongloutnez589 6 ай бұрын

Who needs the old Rustler when we have the Blade Optic ? ;)

@Coconautify Ай бұрын

"Not quite the playful beast the original Rustler was'... sorry, I'm just seeing this now in my YT algorithm feed because I'm looking at a new ski. However I think the playfulness aspect is picked up the Hustler series, so this redesign adds more distinction between the two. One thing I'm interested in is how skis perform at the middle or end of the day after a big dump of powder... in other words how does it go cutting through all that chunked up snow and crud....the playful skis are quite often not quite so playful in this very common scenario, which is where a more solid and heavy skis do better. I think this is where the Rustler 9 and 10 are quite well positioned... with the Rustler 9 more en-piste oriented and the 10 being more off-piste - but both able to do reasonably well across all conditions. Fair assessment?

@AndyLewicky Ай бұрын

My position is less nuanced: don't ruin a great ski. The original Rustler was undeniably great. The new Rustler is undeniably more versatile. Yes, there's been an empty space in between the Rustler and the Bonafide (which is too stiff for most riders) for a while, but I would have much preferred they tampered with the Bonafide to fix that. I still think the Hustle is a bland ski that doesn't really fill any niche. That said: the new Rustler should add some of that late-date-chop management you're looking for. Give it a try and let us know what you think! :)

@co457 Жыл бұрын

What!!! Why!!!! The old Rustler 10 (I have the '21 version) did plenty well enough on groomer with metal under foot. I never felt squirely on super hard pack or ice. It does just fine. Give me the old version all day long. Now I may have to buy a second rustler 10 old verson brand new just to keep on hand. It is perfection to me.

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

truly, it was a very special ski

@nzheliking1278 Жыл бұрын

Just purchased the old version..wont be many left soon!

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

@@nzheliking1278 I may have to do the same! :)

@thomasmedeiros5722 Жыл бұрын

I agree with your assessment. I also own the original version and weighing 145lbs.and it is perfect for me.I skied the new Rustler and was disappointed. It felt more like my Nordica Enforcers than the lively playful Original Rustler. Definitely keeping my original model.

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

I think if you've never tried the Rustler before, it makes sense as another all-rounder in the AM space. But I do think the original Rustler is pure magic in soft snow, and that's been lost.

@SideSwipePB Жыл бұрын

@@AndyLewicky I think that maybe depends on weight. The old rustler was a bit squirrelly in chop for me. I’m 200lbs. It would also bend the tip and tail in between tree runs and hard to drive. The new one is much stiffer and easier to navigate in these conditions. I think it’s a step in the right direction. It’s still a very playful ski, just a bit less soft in all the right ways. The character is still very much the same.

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

@@SideSwipePB What do you think of the Bonafide? At your size, that should be a solid choice for you.

@SideSwipePB Жыл бұрын

@@AndyLewicky the bonafide lacks the agility and nimbleness I like in the rustler. Plus I don’t always want speed, sometimes just ripping in between trees which the rustlers are great at. But if the trees are steeper and more travelled their will be ruts that the old ones would fold inwards on. Then it would be a bear to get out.

@SideSwipePB Жыл бұрын

@@AndyLewicky I agree with you on all your points in the video, it is more versatile on a lot of varied conditions/terrain I will see on a week long trip. It’s still plenty fun on powder, more capable. But it’s a glass half or half empty, type of situation. I think the changes are positive. I ski with snowboarders usually and I would find that on technical terrain I would be trying to catch up and skiing within the ability of the ski vs my own ability. Don’t get me wrong, on a wide open run with powder, I love how poppy and playful they were. I felt the enforcer lacked that. The rustler was love at first sight for me. I actually talked to someone who demoed the prototypes before buying one of the first few sets for sale of the 2024 since there were no reviews really. I told him all my complaints with the outgoing and he told me they basically addressed all the issues I had and that he would take a return if I wasn’t satisfied.

@glennda5id Жыл бұрын

How did these do in the conditions you tested them in at the top of Mammoth? How would they compare to the old Rustler 10 at Mammoth top? How do they compare to the Declivity 102 you recently tested? Thank you and nice to see some reviews of skis on Mammoth!

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

less fun off the top, in my opinion, due to the rocker changes, which make the ski more directional and less surfy/pivoty. Probably a better choice compared to the Declivity if you are a high-level skier, particularly if you have a technical (racing) background; otherwise, I'd guess the Declivity might be a better fit. Hope that helps!

@RiyuAtila535 8 ай бұрын

Hello mate ! Thank you for the review. I have actually the Rustler 10 2019 (flat camber), I come from snowboard and I learnt to ski on these one, and in 1 year I go heavy on powder, the skis carve so well, they are so polyvalent and go everywhere. I want to keep going with Blizzard, my Rustler 10 2019 are a bit old and passed, I want a ski playful, which goes on every snow, but I prefer freeride than groomed, maybe 80% freeride for 20% groomed. What would you recomand ? I'm 6 feet / 155 pds Rustler 9 ? (I think it will be more playful but less enjoyable on the deep snow) Rustler 10 ? (Will be an upgrade or what I have, with a camber instead of flat camber) Bonafide ? (Ppl says it is really good but I don't know the + and - compare to the rustlers) I may change this year or the next one, so I will go for the 2024 or 2025 version. Thank you ! And sorry for my langage (from France)

@AndyLewicky 8 ай бұрын

I would think the new Rustler 10 would be worth trying. Coming from snowboarding, I'd think the Bonafide would just feel stiff and lifeless to you, but that's just a guess. Good luck!

@amazoneric1 Жыл бұрын

Does the ski have less rocker? Or the just more/higher camber with the same amount of rocker? How does it compare to the Enforcer 104 free?

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

not sure how to answer that, but the change in camber is very noticeable.

@RudPlatt Жыл бұрын

What size Rustler 10 do you own and what did you ski here? Did you find that it skis longer with more camber/less rocker? Curious if the new 174 is closer to the old 180 in feel.

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

I own the original in a 170cm. I would emphasize that this is a major redesign--I don't think any length in the new version is going to particularly feel like the original. They probably could have named this as a new ski entirely.

@RudPlatt Жыл бұрын

@@AndyLewickyI have the 180 lengh of the old Rustler 10 and sometimes I think it's a smidge long for me especially in the tails. The 174 size sounds appealing, but I'm interested in a soft snow focused ski so I think I'll pass. So many reviewers are only willing to criticize the outgoing models, so thanks for your honest opinions.

@thomasmedeiros5722 Жыл бұрын

@@RudPlatt I own the original Rustler 9 and it is perfect for me. Being 165cm tall and 145 lbs. I ski the 172 cm length. I skied the new Rustler 9 in the new 174cm length. I totally agree with his assessment. It’s a totally different ski and not for me. However I did buy the new Hustle 10 model in the 172 cm which is basically a Rustler 10 with a carbon laminate instead of a Titanal laminate. I wanted a 102 mm underfoot ski that was light and lively for off piste and powder skiing. I have 9 days on it including 5 days in Utah at ParCity and Alta. It’s definitely not a one quiver ski but a good addition for softer snow conditions. The Hustle is as close as your going to get to the old Rustler series ski if that what you want.

@SideSwipePB Жыл бұрын

@@thomasmedeiros5722 I respectfully disagree with you. I’m 200lb/6ft and skied the outgoing r10 in a 180 and own the new one in a 180. The new one is a much more capable ski. What it lost in softness in the tips and tails, it gained in stability in rough/uneven conditions and maneuverability in trees/moguls due the tips not splaying backwards in dips. It could be our weight diff or maybe the feel has changed what length you need. But I know the old ones were a little wild when you tried to do more demanding things. These seem very similar but fixed the small gripes I had with the old ones.

@westqueenwesthomes7717 7 ай бұрын

Andy! Blizzard just delivered on your ask! Bye bye the unapproachable Brahma and Bonafide. Hello a whole new range of skis! Plus all the other brands are delivering new toys! Please resume your reviews for us!

@AndyLewicky 7 ай бұрын

I will be reviewing the new skis -- thanks for the heads up!

@MillsapsFan Жыл бұрын

Do they ski shorter? I hear they are truer to size whereas the old version skied short.

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

with more camber, the new Rustler is likely to feel closer to traditional length

@ThatPNWlyfe Жыл бұрын

How do you think this compares with an Elan Ripstick Black edition?

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

sorry have not ridden any Elan makes!

@Branko353 Жыл бұрын

Just get Hustle 10 and you will love them more than old Rustler. Hustle 10 was identical shape and profile to Rustler 10 with carbon instead of metal. So it was more dynamic but almost identical maneuverability. So it makes sense they wanted the metal ski to move more towards groomers.

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

They're very different skis, and good at different things. My opinion is the new Rustler basically nullifies the old Hustle but I believe the Hustle remains the lighter ski...

@hoov165x Жыл бұрын

Do you have the first generation or the second generation. I have the first generation and just bought the third generation’24 model. They ruined this ski in my opinion. I have plenty of serious skis if I need the backbone. The playfulness is gone. The fun is gone. Real bummer for this evolution.

@AndyLewicky Жыл бұрын

First gen (I think). I have to agree. In making the ski more versatile, they destroyed what was special about it.

@hoov165x Жыл бұрын

I have the old ones to my 16 year old son- I’m taking them back…….

@hoov165x Жыл бұрын

Skied it again today. I’m pretty sure this is the worst ski I’ve ever been on……. Harsh. Grabby even when Detuned more. I looked at the rocker profile compared to the old one and it’s considerably lower and starts later. If you like 102mm carvers, it works ok for that. But why? Really harsh and unforgiving feel. No dampness whatsoever. Weird. And disappointing. Off to Craigslist they go.

@hoov165x Жыл бұрын

@lassivaatamoinen9323 I did have them stone ground as they were very edge high. I checked them after skiing yesterday and it appears they need more work as they still weren’t flat. Had them worked over again and now they are flat! I’ll update after I ski them tomorrow. We will see but I think a good replacement for my old rustler 10’s would have been the enforcer 104 unlimited. The new 10’s rocker profile is to blame for the issues I think- at least in part.

@hoov165x Жыл бұрын

I’m standing by my original assessment- these are the worst ski I’ve ever been on. I’ve had them in the shop four times now and still only minor improvements. IF you’d like a 102 mm carving ski (why???) they will work. Otherwise a total bummer. I skied four of my other pairs of ski’s yesterday and found something positive about each one. I came back to the new Rustler 10 several times and couldn’t wait to get off of them. I can’t believe I actually paid money for these. I bought a ‘23 version last night to stockpile… I think most folks will look back on these in a couple of years and say “what was Blizzard thinking?”