A case could be made that Nordica has been building the best all-glass (i.e., non-metal) skis on the planet for the past several seasons. Models like the Steadfast, Hell & Back and Patron raked in best-in-show awards in their respective genres since their introduction. Nordica’s La Nina is cloned from the Patron, purloining every aspect of the unisex model but two center channels of its wood core, which La Nina replaces with foam.
K2 earns our eternal admiration for keeping their focus on making off-trail skiing easier. This is particularly apropos in the Big Mountain arena, where the best skiing isn’t on the groomers. The Pinnacle 105 possesses the magical quality of making previously unplayable terrain part of the daily routine, like playing the forward tees allows the average golfer to enjoy a tough course.
The Pinnacle 105 might be the best application of K2’s Konic technology that concentrates practically all mass over the edge. The Nanolite material used in the central core fans out at the extremities, forming the tip and tail entirely from this featherweight stuffing. The reduction in swing weight is one reason the Pinnacle 105 steers like a narrower ski.
Average test scores don’t always align in lock-step with the on-snow behavior they’re intended to reflect, but if you look at the highs and lows of the Stöckli Stormrider 107’s scores, a clear – and accurate – image appears.
Looking at the lows, slow-speed turning has never been a Stöckli priority; you only have to ski a pair once and you’ll discover why. Short-radius turns are tough for any 107mm ski and the multi-level metal structure doesn’t make the Stormrider feel any quicker. It would be earlier to the edge if Stöckli hadn’t rockered the 107’s tip in a rare kowtow to conventional wisdom for the Swiss.
The new Sheeva is an example of an increasingly common phenomenon: the intersection of women’s ski design and the recent explosion in backcountry R&D. Both domains depend on lightweight as a central feature, but you’re unlikely to see the all-business Zero G collection adopt Sheeva’s sassy twin-tip attitude. Its surfy baseline is insanely easy to push around in powder, but there’s enough camber underfoot to keep it on course when the powder is kaput.
The Remedy 102 prevails in soft snow because it puts up no resistance to the stem-turn entry and smeared exits of less skilled skiers. It’s been bred to overlook the foibles of those who can’t wait to develop technical skills before tackling the backcountry. A twin-tip by temperament as well as design, the Remedy 102 thinks every class is recess.