For being in the same family, Blizzard and Nordica are really going after each other. I don’t get it. Guys, you are the same company, globally speaking. Does it matter if a customer buys the orange one or the red one? Does it matter if the money goes in the right pocket or the left pocket? I am sure the product managers and reps care, but past that? This takes me to the Enforcer 93 and the Rustler 9.
The Enforcer 93 is the established one here, the cousin that is a little older and has been around the bull wheel a few more times. With age comes wisdom, and the Enforcer has aged well. It doesn't ski like it’s in the twilight of its product cycle; it is as fresh as the day I received my Protos a few years back. What differentiates the 93 is its versatility, not only in the terrain that it skis well but also the skier who rides it. A solid intermediate with a good skill set will enjoy it as much as most experts. It can be driven but doesn’t have to be.
Blizzard took a proven collection in the Rustler 10 and 11 and went down-market in bringing out the Rustler 9. Smart move. Other than some meh graphics, when the Rustlers were released last year, they were globally praised, especially as they replaced the uninspiring Peacemaker and Gunsmoke. Now the only spot to fill was the Regulator's, and the Rustler 9 does that. So, what does the Rustler 9 do? It is not your dad's Enforcer 93 -- it is younger and likes to be worked. It isn't a twin tip, but it is comfortable skiing backwards, on purpose or not.
- Why choose the Enforcer 93? You like that old pair of jeans that is just starting to show some threads but is still damn comfortable.
- Why choose the Rustler 9? You want new, fun, and playful … and a ski that I heard a product manager from a competing company describe as one of the best designs of the year.