Nordica keeps on finding openings in its line where it can insert yet another Enforcer. This year, they’ve outdone themselves, tacking the Enforcer 88 onto the narrow end of the width spectrum and tucking the Enforcer 104 Free in between the 100 and 110 Free. The gut reaction to two more Enforcers that seem squeezed into an already adequate 4-model line-up is to question whether this is a model (or two) too many.
Then you ski them, and all doubt dissipates in about ten turns. The Enforcer 104 Free took top honors in the Big Mountain genre, displacing the 110 Free as king of the mountain. The Enforcer 88 did nearly as well (#2 in its class), out-scoring the Enforcer 93 in every criterion we measure. That’s quite an encore and probably an impossible act to follow. It’s a great problem to have.
Nordica took another existing line in a new direction by extending the Dobermann Spitfire’s domain – limited last year to the Technical genre – into the Frontside category. To make room for the new Spitfire 80 RB and 76 RB, Nordica laid the GT 84 and GT 80 to rest. This isn’t just a name change but a total transformation. The GT’s were mellow and relatively mild-mannered. The Spitfires are genuine members of the Dobermann race family, as race-ready as any Frontside models.
While we don’t see test cards on the Nordica Navigator series anymore, the 85 and 80 remain two of the best buys in all of skiing, particularly for the Finesse skier who wants good edge grip with minimal energy investment.
Nordica continues to make one of the best collection of women’s skis, which makes it all the more weird we didn’t see more data on the new Santa Ana 88. It’s always risky to speculate, but it’s hard to imagine that a skilled woman wouldn’t gravitate towards this ski. This probability goes up for the gals who have a positive history with skis with metal in their guts.