Finding just the right formula for a women’s ski construction can take a ton of tinkering. The weight allusion is apt, for part of the presumed goal is to pare away every ounce that can be cut. Nordica has been reconfiguring its women’s core components for several seasons, shedding more ounces with each passing year, first by adding a tranche of foam to lightweight wood (I-Core), then another (Wi-Core), before switching to the balsa core (Balsa Core CA) settled on last season.

Nordica’s search may not be over, at least according to our admittedly small sample. The new Santa Ana 93 was created to complement the unisex Enforcer 93, but its insides aren’t composed of the same stout stuffing. The lightweight Santa Ana 93 can’t prevail against the clumpy drifts that accumulate even on groomed trails, and its cambered midsection can’t keep calm when conditions aren’t peachy. The Santa Ana 93 may assist the less capable to sample the sidecountry, but unless the lass is ultralight, she should first explore other options.