I’m leery of recommending a Powder ski for all-terrain skiing, for if it’s equally adept at all conditions, why not ski it every day? A ski so polyvalent would not only render any notion of ski categories an absurd pretension, it would erode the very foundations of logic itself.  Well, the new Blizzard Rustler 11 comes pretty damn close to pulling down the twin pillars of logic and methodology, for it seems to transition from soft snow to firm without batting an eye.

If there’s a trick to this sleight of hand, it lies in the Rustler 11’s construction, beginning with its dimensions, which straddle the border between the Big Mountain and Powder genres, depending on which length one chooses from the five available sizes. The Freeride Trueblend core ups the amount of Paulownia in its 3-wood matrix to keep the overall weight, and in particular mass beyond the binding area, from ballooning as the ski’s dimensions expand. To keep the Rustler 11 from feeling ponderous, Blizzard trims the percentage of Titanal used in its make-up compared to its skinnier siblings, the Rustler 10 and 9.

Aside from the Trueblend core, the biggest difference between this generation of Rustlers and the one that preceded it is how the FluxForm design distributes its allocation of Titanal. A nearly full-length strip of metal rides over each edge, but stops short of wrapping around the tip or tail. In the middle of the ski, a separate, disconnected swath of Ti fills the space between the outer bands, to lend additional strength and rigidity to the midsection. Fluxform creates a ski that feels secure on edge anywhere it travels, with just enough tolerance for twist at the tip and tail to allow the ski to flow over choppy terrain rather than fight it.

So, who needs a Rustler 11 more, a powder novice or an expert? Trick question: of course, the lower skill skier would be more grateful, but the expert will get more out of it. For the lower skill skier looking for a crutch that will disguise his lack of ability, its relatively soft, balanced flex and overall stability will make deep snow feel more consistent. For the expert, it’s game-on: no further coaching is required, just stand on it and go.

While its overall profile fits the Finesse tag, the Rustler 11 is no weak reed. Like any ski that’s 114mm underfoot (186cm), it prefers to have a little loose snow under it, so it’s not just riding the slender edge. The flex feels even, stem to stern, and the rebound energy is also even yet enthusiastic so the ski comes off the edge smoothly and confidently. It handles speed comfortably, and is able to drift into a high edge angle without qualms. It bows under fairly light pressure, providing a high level of response with a low degree of effort, making it a terrific powder ski for the Silver Skier set.

Some of our testers’ descriptions of its on-snow chops make the Rustler 11 sound like an all-terrain ski, but it isn’t really.  Yes, it can handle hard pack without trembling, but that’s not where it does its best work. This isn’t an indictment, just an acknowledgement that the 186cm length measures 114mm underfoot, lifting the Rustler 11 into the Powder genre, which in light of its salient attributes, is where it belongs.

Our highly proficient testers were seduced by its charms, particularly in soft snow. “Excellent  blend of Finesse and Power for a wide ski!” exclaims veteran tester Jim Schaffner.  “Conditions were 6″ of light powder on a firm corduroy base. Nimble, quick, well-balanced in the fresh and the broken pow. Strong edge on the firmer patches. Stable and perfect balance for fast, open turns. A benchmark ski for the wider category. I’d recommend it for skiers who are capable of skiing all terrain in all conditions. It’s a game-improvement tool for accomplished skiers looking to conquer the entire mountain.”

The lithe (and considerably lighter) Lara Hughes-Allen was similarly smitten: “Great, well-balanced ski that was fun to ski even on firmer snow and despite being wider under foot. This was a really fun ski.” Hughes-Allen’s surprise at its performance on piste doesn’t diminish the fact that powder is still its preferred medium. It’s so good at smoothing out the choppy, mid-morning crud, you find yourself looking for trouble to send it into. It turned me into a crud-seeking missile, on the lookout for any patch of relatively undisturbed pow to plunder. While its abundant talents aren’t reserved for experts only, I agree with Schaffner’s assessment that the better the skier, the more he or she will appreciate it.