Last year the Nordica NRGY 100 lived in the shadow of its stable mate, the Enforcer, a burly ride with the pronounced rocker profile of an off-trail ski. In the All Mountain West genre, in which off-piste properties are particularly prized, the Enforcer had more sex appeal than the on-trail orientation of the NRGY 100.

The composite view of the Realskiers test panel saw things in a different light, both last year and again this season. Most ski tests are conducted at one western US resort over a 4-5 day span. We test at venues all around the country, affording the NRGY 100, with its Frontside baseline, more opportunities to strut its best stuff.

Any ski with the geometry of a typical AMW model, including the NRGY 100, will handle well in powder; the more challenging conditions will be everyday hardpack and the heavy glop that is the aftermath of corn. This is where the NRGY 100’s latticework of Titanal shows its mettle, boosting stability on edge on firm snow and imparting sufficient strength to push slush berms aside.

Like many skis this wide, the NRGY 100 takes a moment to connect at the top of the turn, and its innate turn shape is giddy-up long. These properties suggest that the preferred pilot for an NRGY 100 be someone who is comfortable hewing close to the fall line and isn’t perturbed by higher speeds. But the NRGY 100 doesn’t feel like a runaway train; it’s more like a family-friendly roller coaster that feels securely connected to the track.

As we noted last year, with strong scores in the critical criteria of stability at speed, rebound and off-piste performance, the NRGy 100 comes through when it counts, tearing a new one out of terrain that would intimidate the less well-equipped skier. True to its name, the NRGy 100 produces more energy than it extracts, making it a solid, every day ski for the aggressive skier who wants a ski that matches his attacking style.