Blizzard Hustler 10 Skis

You can think of the Hustler 10 Skis as a combination of Blizzard's lightweight Zero G skis and their more resort-based freeride Rustler skis. Combining the benefits from both of these skis the Hustler 10s are light enough on the up and super stable on the down. They use what Blizzard calls their Trueblend Free construction which blends three different densities of wood to provide a well-balanced ski with an optimized flex. Trueblend wood core construction is used in several of Blizzard's other skis and consists of Beech and Poplar concentrated underfoot for increased strength but their ‘Free’ version adds Paulownia wood to reduce the overall core weight. This combination of the different densities of wood results in a powerful yet lightweight and fun ski by positioning these woods at varying lengths throughout the core. This results in the appropriate amount of stiffness underfoot while maintaining softer tips and tails.

Added to the Hustler 10’s construction is Carbon D.R.T. (which stands for Dynamic Release Technology) and adds carbon fibre and fibreglass to the ski’s core which increases its strength and stability without compromising on weight or manoeuvrability. This Carbon D.R.T. uses a unique shape located under the centre of the ski which increases the ski’s overall stability and maximizes edge hold and performance in variable conditions while leaving the tips and tails to be more nimble and forgiving.

The Hustler 10 Skis have plenty of camber underfoot for carving and fast edge to edge turns with generous tip and tail rocker for power days.

A 19m turn radius and 135/104/124mm dimensions make the Hustler 10 Skis really versatile and able to seemlessly transition from groomers to powder.

The gloss top sheet design with matte highlights provides an appealing package for all the core technology contained within.

Built-in skin notches in the tails ensure your skins stay put and never migrate off the sides of the skis.

I combined the Hustler 10 Skis with pre-cut skins by Kohla which come in lengths to match each of the Hustler Skis lengths in the 9, 10 and 11 versions. It’s nice to not have to cut the skins and their 65% Mohair 35% Nylon composition work really well in any snow conditions while also providing good durability.

• Sandwich Compound Sidewall
• Carbon D.R.T.
• Trueblend Free Woodcore: Beech, Poplar and Paulownia wood core

• Rocker/Camber/Rocker profile
• TrueBlend wood core
• Carbon Dynamic Release Technology
• Shiny top sheet with matte accents

I’ve been skiing the Zero G 105 Skis for three seasons now and could not be more impressed with them, they are a lightweight touring ski that can also ski groomer as required. While they are a great touring ski, the Zero G’s are not meant to be a daily driver inbound and this is where Blizzard’s Hustler 10 Skis come into play. At 104 underfoot the Hustler 10 Skis have similar dimensions to the Zero G 105 Skis but a little more mass which enables them to charge in deep variable snow conditions while still being at home on groomers. The Huslter 10 Skis are the middle ground between the Zero G 105s and the more freeride-orientated Rustler 10 Skis. If you only want to own only one ski that can do both backcountry and resort then the Hustler 10 are your ski—light enough for big touring days but stable enough to be fun in-bounds too.

While the Hustler 10 is a more downhill-oriented ski than the Zero Gs, Blizzard is not positioning it as a resort ski. It was specifically designed to go uphill while providing stability and versatility on the down and that’s pretty much what I found in my time with the Hustler 10's. I took them out touring on a number of days when there was lots of fresh snow as well as on more crusty days too. While this ski prefers snow underfoot (as do I) it was still more than capable when conditions turned for the worse. I truly appreciated the lightweight design as this ski was an easy climber, while not as light and fast as the Zero G 105’s I normally tour on, the Hustler 10 Skis were still plenty light enough at 4,040g. Their extra weight provided additional stability and power in variable snow, something that the Zero G 105 skis are a little more challenging by. To keep the total weight down I mounted the Hustler 10 Skis with Marker’s Alpinist 12 Bindings, which are the same bindings I use on my Zero G skis since they are about as light as you can get.

While the Hustler 10 Skis are a great all-around ski that excels at touring I also took them for more than a few laps inbounds to see what they could handle. While they were fun, floaty and poppy in anything more than 10cm of new snow they were not as comfortable on hard-pack groomers. While railing groomers are not what the Hustler Skis were designed for they were certainly able to hold their own. As long as you didn’t push them too hard and fast on hardpack you’d be ok. Since the Hustler Skis don't contain any metal in their construction they are a playful and forgiving skis that are softer in the tips and tails with a wide-body shape that allows them to plow through obstructions. And this is really the point of the Hustler 10 Skis, they are meant to be a fun all-around touring ski that can make you smile in most conditions. If you are looking for a solid 50/50 ski then this is it. Given the ski's weight and dimension they are super versatile, for a more dedicated backcountry ski Blizzard has you covered with their Zero G line up and if you really want to charge hard inbounds then the Rustler Skis are for you.