2023 BLIZZARD HUSTLE SKIS - LINE OVERVIEW

We’re seeing a trend with the 2023 skis. Take an existing shape/model from an already popular line, make it lighter, and market it as a touring/hybrid/backcountry/resort ski. The Blizzard Hustle line, featuring a 9, 10, and 11 model for 2023 takes the omni-present Rustler line and gives it the “touring” treatment. Like we’ve asked so far this year with Nordica’s Unlimited or Elan Ripstick Tour, who are these skis best for, and have the companies done the ski justice? We’ve had some split decisions on the former, and now with the latter Hustle line, has Blizzard simply improved the Rustler or have they changed it enough to warrant a whole new ski lineup in the catalog? Can you put a regular alpine binding on the Hustle and just ski it in the resort? Is it better-suited to a pin-tech binding for backcountry-specific use? Or is the best application of the ski somewhere in-between?

Construction plays a big part in the equation, and that’s the biggest difference in the Rustler/Hustle split. In fact, the shaping, sizing, and profile of the skis are the same. At the beginning of the ski season, we were expecting the Rustlers to receive the TrueBlend treatment, as that line has returned virtually unchanged for years. We’re not complaining that it didn’t, but it seemed like a logical step to us. Instead, we get Blizzard’s introduction of the Hustle line, which builds off of a proven shape and style of ski, but takes the weight down a few notches for backcountry applications and touring accessibility. Now that companies like Tecnica make boots like the Cochise 120/130, and binding companies like Marker make everything from an Alpinist to a Duke PT 16, this really opens up the world of hardgoods to ultimate versatility. These boot and binding advances have really paved the way for ski manufacturers to tinker with construction, since they already know they have the shape, to make something unique and different, all while maintaining an established personality. All Hustle skis start with Blizzard’s Freeride TrueBlend wood core. This is a mix of Beech, Poplar, and Paulownia wood stringers that are alternated, lengthened, and shortened to achieve the particular character that these Hustle skis are designed to have. It’s an 8 to 3 to 5 mix of those woods, with the denser beech doing the heavy lifting, the energetic poplar providing the pop, and the light-weight paulownia opening up the door to uphill adventure. Per length of ski, the engineers can lengthen or shorten the stringers to match the size of the board, giving the skier a more composed and predictable feel. We’ve seen it work in the All-Mountain TrueBlend Bonafide/Brahma/Pearl series as well as the On-Piste TrueBlend cores found in the Thunderbird and Phoenix skis, and we’ve found it to be effective in Hustle as well. Whereas Rustler skis use a single sheet of titanal in their Dynamic Release Technology to add grip, stability, and damping, Hustle replaces that metal with carbon. This not only lightens the ski on the scale, but it makes it quicker from edge to edge and a bit more energetic and snappier. We’ve seen more and better applications of carbon come through lately, and the Carbon DRT used by Blizzard continues that trend of success.

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Shaping and profiling are easier to discuss per ski, as it does change slightly per model. Starting with the Hustle 9, the carbon laminate extends further into the tips and tails and ends where the rocker starts. This makes the 9 the most on-trail oriented of the group, and certainly the quickest and lightest. In the 180 cm length, the Hustle 9 tips the scale at 1700 grams per ski, down from 1860 g in the Rustler 9. We’ll be the first to point out that this isn’t a huge difference in weight, but when combined with a lighter boot and binding, the overall setup is designed to be considerably different than a full-on alpine setup on Rustler. We get the same 94 mm waist in the 180 and 188 (still dropping to 92 in the shorter lengths), and we still see the 17-meter radius carry forward into Hustle. Similarly to our experience on Enforcer Unlimited 94 and Elan Ripstick Tour 94, we felt that the Hustle 9 has the most touring-specific application. Many alpine-only skiers could hop on the Hustle 9 and use it with alpine boots and bindings and have a total blast on it. It’s easy, fun, and totally friendly. If an intermediate skier liked the looks of Rustler but didn’t want to deal with the extra weight or metal, the Hustle 9 would be a fantastic alternative. Conversely, if a touring-specific skier loved their experience on other Rustler skis in the past, but wanted something lighter for all-day touring, they would be more than happy putting a light Alpinist binding on this thing and never ride a chairlift. Then there’s the skier in the middle. They want to rip some groomer laps in the morning with their Kingpin/Duke PT binding in the morning, and then head off on a backcountry ski in the afternoon and never have to switch gear. This speaks to the overall versatility of the Hustle 9 in that it can be so many things for so many different skiers. Our general consensus was that the Hustle 9 is on the light side for advanced, expert, or heavier skiers looking for a resort-only ski, and that’s pretty consistent with how we’ve felt about these mid-90 hybrid skis so far.

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When you move up to the Hustle 10, our opinions start to change a bit. We bump up a bit in width, price, rocker, taper, and weight, and the additional material really makes a difference with how these Hustle 10’s ski. We had a very similar experience with Enforcer 104 Unlimited, in that the added shape and mass made this thing just a bit more realistic for a resort ski, while keeping the touring application firmly in play. This is the one that’s a true 50/50 in our minds. Hustle 10 in the 180 comes in at 1780 grams per ski, so there are alpine skis on the market at this width that are close to that weight. Rustler 10 in the 180 hits 2020 grams per ski, so there’s more of a difference in weight here. Similarly to Rustler 10, Hustle 10 hits the 104 mm mark underfoot at 180 and 188 cm and 102 mm when shorter. The carbon laminate scoots closer to the midfoot as the ski gets wider, providing more playfulness and flotation than the 9. We get a bit longer of an arc in the 180, coming in at 17.5-meters, and everyone who we’ve had on this ski speaks very highly of its ability to engage and complete a turn. While we’re not saying this is the best option for a groomer day off the lifts, we can’t help but point out that for a 104, with no metal, this thing turns great. We also got it in fresh and soft snow too, and in that arena, we’re loving the Hustle 10. This could easily be somebody’s snow day ski here in Vermont or a daily driver for those who ski primarily in softer snow. It was composed, bouncy, and very predictable. The carbon works well in this ski, as we’ve found carbon to be an effective material in wider skis, especially when it’s not a full sheet. We’re stepping up in binding application here as well, as we’d say to start with Kingpin-grade and work up to any level of alpine binding you wish to put on this thing. If you choose to use this ski as a resort-only board, you are going to be quite happy. Certainly, there are limitations. You do not really want to push this thing too fast on firm groomers, just as you wouldn’t any ski of this shape without metal. But that’s not the point. The point is to have fun, be versatile, adapt to conditions and terrain, and just get out and ski. This fun-loving Hustle will take you wherever you want to go, and it checks a whole lot of boxes as far as a modern freeride ski is concerned.

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Speaking of modern freeride, this Hustle 11 takes it to a new level. Rustler 11, hitting 114 mm wide in the 188, and weighing 2090 grams per ski in that length, is a pretty rugged board. It’s a soft-snow specialist that has power and confidence to spare. When you take that shape and replace the metal with carbon, something interesting happens. First off, not everyone wants a ski that wide with metal. Once you get up into the hundred-teens in width, lighter is quite often better for flotation and powder, just so long as you don’t lose stiffness. Hustle 11 answers this call rather directly. The carbon, once again, moves into the center of the ski more, leaving the TrueBlend wood core to do the heavy lifting, and it does so with aplomb. With the sharpest-looking graphic of the trio, Hustle 11 hits 1850 grams per ski at 180 cm, so this is no feather. The weight and build align quite well with the shape and style of the ski, making it one of the best soft snow skis we’ve been on in quite some time. We’ve always loved Rustler 11, but Hustle takes the fun-factor and hits the multiply button. It’s smeary, drifty, easy to ski, and loves to play in the fresh. Are a lot of people touring on 114’s underfoot? Sure, there’s that crowd out there, but they’re mostly in the one big climb and one long run department. We feel that maxing out on vertical on this ski is where the benefits really are found, so we do lean to more of an alpine/resort-specific application on the 11. If you live/ski in an area that gets a lot of snow and you’re a dedicated backcountry freeride skier, I don’t think it gets much better than Hustle 11, but if you leave it at that, you’re discounting a whole lot of skiers who are looking for a wide, fun, and playful ski for lift-served skiing. We’re hoping that this message gets through, as Hustle 11 should be right in the same category as Elan Ripstick 116, Head Kore 117, or K2 Mindbender 116 in terms of performance and intent. While the Hustle 10 stood out to us as the most well-rounded of the trio, we certainly have a soft spot in our hearts for the potential of the 11.

We’ve had a whole lot of fun parsing out what these hybrid skis are best for, and while there are no concrete answers, the fun lies in finding out for yourself. If you skin at the resort and are looking for something light and fun, the 9 is fantastic. Want something for more 50/50? Hustle 10 will answer the call. True backcountry freeride? 11 is your stick. The new construction differentiates Hustle from Rustler enough to warrant the new line for sure. These skis have a totally different feel to them, and while some skiers may find them to be superior in one way or another, there’s a whole host of skiers who will claim the opposite. Variety and versatility were the impetus for the development and introduction of Hustle, adding a deeper dimension to the already comprehensive 2023 Blizzard ski lineup, and we could not be happier.

Written by Bob St.Pierre on 02/09/22