The Nordica Enforcer 104 Free and Enforcer 110 Free are both first-class Big Mountain Finesse skis, but they earn their high ratings for ease of use in different ways. The Enforcer 110 Free is inherently better at drifting and flotation, simply by dint of its superior surface area. These are critical properties for a Big Mountain ski, but they aren’t the only admirable attributes. The Enforcer 104 Free out-finesses its bigger bro with easy-steering agility, able to hew to a tighter radius whether on edge or off.
The Enforcer 104 Free even feels quicker than the narrower 185cm Enforcer 100, because you don’t detect its extra 4mm of width as much as you notice its lively response to lighter pressure. It seems to hover like a water bug over wind-battered crud, floating just above the havoc underfoot where it’s still able to move freely side to side. It smooths out the ruffles in the most ravaged terrain, turning a ratty collage of ruts into a dance floor.
Back-to-back runs on the 110 and 104 in 10 inches of partially tracked powder confirmed what one might suspect a priori – that the narrower ski was noticeably easier to steer no matter how you slice it. Whether pivoting your feet to make a short turn shorter or banking off a wind drift, the Enforcer 104 took less force to guide.
Three winters ago, I was able to saddle up an Enforcer 110 Free in the conditions for which it was made: lots of tracked-up pow on-trail and lush powder lines in the trees. It was a storm day with blustery winds, so if you weren’t in the woods you couldn’t see squat. The situation called for a ski that could absolutely care less about what lay ahead. The Enforcer 110 either rolled over or obliterated whatever dared cross its path. Its ability to plane over uneven surfaces allows it to ride high enough that it’s always easy to throw ‘em sideways to scrub speed or foot-swivel a short-radius turn.
If the crud ever turns confrontational and tries to toss you around, it’s a sign you’re not running them at high enough rpm’s. A 110mm-wide ski with two .4mm sheets of Titanal on board needs wind in its sails to become energized. You have to trust that if you aim it downhill it will reward your faith with rebound energy that will make it ten times easier to steer.
While it never hurts to be a strong technical skier, in its shorter lengths the Enforcer 110 is forgiving enough to serve lighter or less powerful skiers as well as the community of hard chargers. For its big-tent accessibility, we again award the Enforcer 110 Free a Silver Skier Selection.
Tester: Brooke Froelich
First day I skied the Santa Ana 88 was for a photo/video shoot on a spring storm day with heavy snow. I was hesitant to ski with a new pair of skis under those conditions. However, the SA 88’s were super intuitive to ski. By my second turn, I forgot I was on a new model. They were stiff enough to cut through crud, and playful enough to quickly respond in powder or variable terrain. Just a SUPER all-around fun ski! For only being 88mm underfoot, I thought I might have to work a little harder in powder. Not much! I still bring this ski on powder days, and always have fun on them.
Now, is it a true powder ski? No – you’re going to get more face shots with the 88s than you will on the 110s. You’ll work a little harder in deep powder, but it will stand up to anything you encounter.
Additionally, this is HANDS DOWN my favorite pair of skis for the backcountry. The SA 88 is relatively lightweight for how responsive and solid it skis. I like a ski in the backcountry that will let me confidently hop turn in a chute, that will solidly bust through sun crust, and will be a PLEASURE to ski for the patches of powder we find along the way. If you want a one-ski quiver, the Santa Ana 88 will do ANYTHING you want her to.
