About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the skis, which I purchased with my own money in February of 2020.

My take

The Blizzard Rustler 10 is a high-quality powder ski that is super fun on the soft snow, holds a decent edge on the hardpack, and is extremely playful. This is a great all-around ski for the intermediate skier who wants a playful ski or for the advanced skier who wants to add a versatile powder ski to the quiver.

About the gear

• Model: 2019 Blizzard Rustler 10
• Size: 188cm, 104mm underfoot, and a turning radius of 19m

About me

• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 183lbs
• Experience: 30+ years of snowboarding, 7 years of skiing

Test conditions

• When I bought these: February 2020
• Days tested: Over 100
• Mount position: Center
• Boots: 2020 Technica Cochise 120
• Boot Size: 26.5
• Bindings: 2020 Salomon Shift (blue)
• Where I’ve used it: Inland Northwest
• Terrain: All mountain, Powder, Packed Powder, Groomed, Park, Sidecountry, Backcountry

How they perform

What I was looking for

When I purchased these skis, I was looking for something that would allow me to advance my skiing ability and be more forgiving than the monster powder skis I had previously purchased secondhand. I also wanted to be able to travel in the side and backcountry. I wasn’t too concerned about the weight of a powder ski for backcountry because I saw it mostly as a fitness activity anyway.

Why I chose this gear

I narrowed down my options to a few different skis. The Rossignol Soul 7, DPS Wailer, and Dynstar Legend were on my list. Ultimately, I went with this ski because the local shop had it on sale and in stock. With hindsight approaching 20/20, I’m glad that I ended up with this ski versus the others because this ended up being exactly what I was looking for.

What I love about them

• Edge hold: I knew I would be writing this review, so I tested these skis in various conditions, from hardpack and sun-affected snow to powder. The traditional camber shape between the tip and tail holds an edge amazingly well. I have no difficulty holding an edge on any terrain.
• Turns: While these skis have an early rise, rockered tip, and rocked tail to make turn initiation feel effortless, these do best with just a bit of speed.
• Groomers: With superb edge hold and a nimble underfoot feeling, I’ve never encountered a powder ski that handles groomed turns so well.
• Powder: Not to brag, but most of my skiing is in the powder. These skis make powder skiing effortless. They have plenty of float with the early rise rocketed tip and the perfect camber to make turning fun.
• Moguls: I have been pleasantly surprised at how much fun these skis are in the moguls. The camber allows plenty of pop out of turn. In addition, the skis are flexible enough to load and store energy over the bump. I also appreciate their forgiveness for if/when I’ve made mistakes.
• Park: I am not someone who uses the park often, but the few times I have hit park jumps or done box slides, I found good pop-off of the jumps and great dampening upon landing. It is not too hard to press these skis into the box, as they are quite playful.
• Backcountry: I purchased these skis with backcountry riding in mind. It’s a highly versatile ski that can ride all conditions; it’s what drew me in. I can attest that these perform well in the backcountry and have been trustworthy in all scenarios. However, next time I purchase a backcountry ski, I will choose one that isn’t quite so heavy.
• Durability: I’ve got over 100 days on these skis. I know that I’ve hit some rocks and tons of tree branches. I even clipped the metal edge of a fence that I jumped over in the backcountry recently. It has incurred little to no base damage. The topsheet has taken a beating, yet it is holding up nicely, with only two small chips on the side that do not affect performance at all. However, I’m not concerned about these particular chips either because they do not appear to be the type that will contribute to delaminating or messing up the edge in the future.
• Switch riding: As a twin-tipped ski, riding switch is as easy as riding switch can be. I appreciate how forgiving these skis are when riding backwards, because it isn’t something that I’m particularly skilled at.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Speed: There is a really fast base on these skis and an excellent camber that makes me feel really comfortable riding this ski fast. It will also blast through any chunder. Unfortunately, the playfulness of this ski is a definite drawback to the stability at high speeds on these skis. I have encountered some chatter, but not enough to deter me from riding fast.
• Trees: While these skis handle all terrain well, I find that the 188 length is a bit tedious in tight trees. This ski will turn best when maintaining some speed, and that is a bit faster than I prefer to ride the tight/steep trees. Gladed, lower-angle tree slopes and my ability level combo are ideal for this ski.
• Weight: If and when I decide to purchase a new ski, I will choose a lighter-weight ski. This is largely partly because I am using them as touring skis, which will not make any difference when riding chair lift-accessible terrain.
• Any workarounds? I could have sized these down one size. I don’t suspect that would have altered the performance too much and would have been easier to maneuver in the trees. It would reduce the weight by over 240 grams (approximately ½lb) and mitigate my complaint about their bulk being challenging in the tight/steep trees.

Favorite moment with this gear

When I first purchased this ski, I was an early intermediate skier at best and had two sets of skis: a front-side carving ski and a monster powder ski. This bridged the gap, and I immediately saw my skiing performance improve. I found confidence in groomers quickly, learned to ski moguls more effectively, and felt like I could play around on this ski more than ever. I’ve had them for three seasons now, and I can ski any terrain and condition with them. I recently took these skis on a backcountry ski adventure that required a challenging boot pack through an icy section. I skied a steep powder chute, an icy mid-section, and a densely treed area at the bottom of the run to get back to the trailhead. I’ve never been so proud of my skiing or so pleased with a piece of equipment.

Value for the money vs. other options

I wanted the Rossignol Soul 7s, but I went with these because the local shop had a great sale. I am glad I chose the Blizzard Rustler 10 because it was cheaper and provided better stability. This great all-around ski could be said to be a quiver killer. This has incredible value, holding up to the quality of the top dollar skis like the DPS Wailer.

Final verdict

Given the opportunity to repurchase this ski or any other ski on the market, I’d probably buy the Blizzard Rustler 10 again. Still, as mentioned, I will size it down to a 180. I love how it floats on the powder yet can carve aggressively. It is one of the most versatile skis on the market and has been more durable than I’d ever imagined.