Blizzard Skis 2024: First Look
The Hustle, Rustle, and bustle.
For the 2023-2024 season, Blizzard drops some massive news with a (sort of) new freeride collection. Sorry, nothing called the Bustler, just went along with the rhyme. The legendary Rustler and Sheeva skis—which claimed customer and staff favorites since their release—are finally getting an upgrade. No need to stress! Blizzard knows what they’re doing here. These skis still retain the same playful, yet charge-y feel, with some fine-tuning that improves the ride in variable conditions. Let’s dive into the new 2024 Blizzard skis.
What’s New
There are two big changes to the Rustler and Sheeva this year. Let’s start with the metal. Blizzard previously used their “Dynamic Release Technology” metal construction: titanal underfoot that tapered as it ran through the center of the tip and tail. Now, Blizzard introduces “Flux Form”. This metal inverts the D.R.T. by focusing the metal alongside your edges like a fork. As the metal moves towards the tip, it tapers to become softer and more flexible. In the tail, the metal stays the same thickness. This gives you more stability for holding turns and supporting landings, because we know y’all are getting stompy out there.
Flux Form’s goal is to help provide stability at speed and through variable conditions, while still retaining some torsional flex. This gives you a more playful and lively ride, compared to skis that feel ultra-damp, planted, and rigid with full sheets of metal coverage. By putting the metal on the outside edges of the ski and running it all the way to the ends of the tip and tail, Blizzard finds the new skis track better through variable snow, and removes the “hinge point” on the older models with the softer tips and tails.
As with the older series, the Rustler/Sheeva 11s have less metal for a more playful ride in soft snow. The 9s carry a bit more, to give more stability and power on firm snow. Our Goldilocks ski here in Colorado, the Rustler/Sheeva 10 have an amount right in between that feels “just right” for navigating everything from groomers, soft chop, and the surprise powder day.
The other big change is the introduction of True Blend into the Rustler and Sheeva alongside their other skis. The Rustler/Sheeva use a blend of stiff beech, lively poplar, and light paulownia. Focusing the stiffer woods to the center of the ski, with softer woods at the tail, gives you an extremely balanced flex that provides power and forgiveness precisely where you need it.
You find another tweak in the rocker profile, with an extended contact length to improve your edge hold on firm snow. Similar to the Nordica Unleashed series, you’ll also see a more dramatic splay in the tip and tail to maintain maneuverability (especially in deep snow).
There are some significant size changes too, with the Rustler 10 and 11 running a size range to 162cm to 192cm. With the sizing in increments of 6cm, more people can find the perfect size for them. You’ll also find a 180cm length in the Sheeva 10 and 11 now as well.
Rustler vs. Sheeva
Another change to the Rustler/Sheeva lineup is a bigger difference between the men’s Rustler line, and the ladies’ Sheeva skis. This year, the Sheeva features a lighter, more flexible fiberglass plate underfoot, while the Rustler has a solid piece of metal underfoot. The Sheeva still has Flux Form metal, just with different support underfoot. The feel on snow is different—with the Sheeva feeling more lively and playful, while the Rustler feels more rigid, stable, and supportive.
This follows Blizzard’s commitment to their Women 2 Women program, where their women’s gear is designed from start to finish by other women. As a lighter weight rider, after riding both back to back, I found myself leaning towards the Sheeva. It felt easier for me to flex into and engage, while still being plenty stable. But, chatting with the larger folks in our crew, they preferred the Rustler for the stability it provided. This isn’t a men’s vs. women’s issue. Blizzard builds skis that offer things for different folks and their styles. As always, pick the ski that’s best for you, not your gender.
Other highlights
The Black Pearl family returns unchanged after tweaks last year.
The Bonafide and Brahma 88 and 82 skis get cold smoke paint jobs, after losing their rubber layer in 2022-2023.
The uber popular Zero G touring skis also return unchanged.
The Hustle collection continues on after an early release in the spring of 2022. The Hustle hosts the same shape and rocker profile as the previous Rustler series, with carbon reinforcement in the center of the ski to dampen it, but no metal to save weight.
