The three Rustler ski models are all constructed similarly, but have different personalities. Whereas the 9 and 10 skirt their own party lines of frontside versus all-mountain/freeride, the 11 leaves no doubt. This is a freeride ski pure and clean. At 114 mm underfoot, the Rustler 11 thrives in fresh and soft snow, and in that regard, the ski is a total beast. For not having a full sheet of metal, it is super stable and solid. The titanium sheet doesn’t extend all the way to the tips and tails, and therefore makes the ski very playful and fun for a big stick. Our testers marveled at how the stable nature of the ski seamlessly meshed with its playful character. All testers skied the 188 cm version.
Justin Perry didn’t leave a lot of comments, but his one takeaway was that the Rustler 11 is a “Big powder ski, but handles like it isn’t.” I guess we should picture a lifted pickup truck on a formula one track. Justin had a very enthusiastic overall impression of the Rustler 11, and unsurprisingly, his lowest score was for quickness and maneuverability. That being said, for a big stick, it’s pretty quick.
Marcus Shakun didn’t give a score less than a 4 in any category for the Rustler 11. Stability, versatility, and overall impression were his high marks. As such, he calls it a “big ski, but nice and playful. Beyond stable, never a question at high speeds, and also digs nice trenches.” Given the wider waist width of the ski, one would think it would be sluggish, but as Marcus says: “at 114 (mm underfoot) it still can transfer edge to edge easily with the tip rocker.” Marcus definitely touches on some valuable points by remarking how, for a big ski, the quickness is pretty impressive.
Bob St. Pierre clicked into the Rustler 11’s and had a “great, stable experience.” The skis are simply impressive. He gave high marks for flotation and stability, and had an overall impression score of 4 out of 5. Continuing on with the praise: “Burly and stiff, but carves great turns. Not as snappy as the Nordica Enforcer 110 (a common comparison) but a pleasurable experience nonetheless. It felt more serious and advanced than the Enforcer 110.” The notion that the Rustler 11 can be both big and floaty as well as quick and playful is no small feat performed by the Blizzard design and construction team, and we salute them for that.
Mike Aidala is a big fan of the Rustler series as a whole—owning and skiing a Rustler 10 pretty much all the time. He is a great resource for information on this particular product. He scored the 11 top marks in flotation, stability, torsional stiffness, and overall impression. Sounds like he likes the ski. “The Rustler 11 in the 188 cm is the big mountain ski of choice in the freeride category. Pivots very easily and is ready to charge. The 188 is usually a bit long for me, but it turns very easy. Such a solid performance.” That’s some great feedback from Mike, and it echoes what Blizzard has been trying to get across for the past few years—that a ski with big dimensions and big mountain capabilities does not have to be pigeonholed into that category.
The 2019 Blizzard Rustler 11 is going to be a go to ski for big mountain fans for sure. Not only will it destroy wide open bowls and chutes, but also will dance around trees and bumps with the best of them. Our testers loved the stability and versatility of the ski and those two qualities cannot be understated.
