Feeling quiet while sitting in an activated catapult is no mean feat, but the SRC pulls it off with such equipoise that it makes its pilot feel as confident as it clearly is. A big, badass plate imparts impenetrable security from any vibration or tendency to wobble, whether one’s stance is relatively upright or laid over like Ligety.
Our testers adore the Rustler 10, particularly for its Finesse properties. Here’s a sampler: “The mix of underfoot grip with ease at the extremities is unmatched. Another home run for Blizzard!” “Rustler 102 is playful, loose, poppy, yet still has that Blizzard feel underfoot. It’s going to be easier for more skiers to deal with.” “Centered and well balanced.” “Super fun in soft stuff, quite forgiving, yet good power on the groomed.”
If there’s one condition in particular the Cochise would most like to play in, it’s crud, in all its many manifestations. A snowfield that been riven by countless tracks still looks like fresh fodder to the Cochise. You can try to ski the Cochise slowly or push it around at low edge angles, but it isn’t likely to cooperate in these endeavors. This bad boy was built to gallop, not to trot. If you want a more compliant off-trail companion that isn’t geared so high, try the new Rustler 10 instead.
The Quattro W 8.0 Ca we recommended last season returns in the guise of the Alight 8.0 Ca, renamed to fit into an umbrella rebranding of Blizzard’s women’s Frontside collection, part of a company-wide initiative, Women to Women, intended to better differentiate its women’s line. The Alight 8.0 Ca remains a featherweight that punches in the middleweight division, holding a secure, unwavering arc on the hardest artificial snow.
To the Rustler 11, combating crud is like a career in service to a noble cause. Horrid snow gives it purpose, a reason to get up every day and do good work. Its tip is intentionally loose, allowing it to contort to whatever heinous condition lies around the next tree. Underfoot, the Titanal reinforcement one can see poking through the top-sheets gets busy, maintaining torsional rigidity through the midsection.