The 2024 Nordica Enforcer 94 was not in need of a makeover. It was already one of the most versatile skis of its generation, so easy to steer from any stance and ever ready to switch between a drift or a carve on a whim. What do you fix on a ski that doesn’t require fixing?
The fundamental components of the Enforcer 94’s success are its traditional materials: a vertically laminated wood core and two sheets of Titanal have always been part of the formula, but how the pieces fit together is new. All the 2025 Enforcers have been rebuilt from the inside out, adding a layer of elastomer (dubbed Pulse Core) between two wood laminates and top and bottom sheets of Titanal. This sandwich construction, called Double Core, had humble origins in the Wilde Belle women’s model, but the concept has matured in the hands of the Race Department, where it has already been applied to the Dobermann and Spitfire collections.
Any change to a ski’s core is significant, but Nordica went further, subtly altering the baseline to lengthen the camber pocket and shorten the tip rocker. The shovel also was reshaped into a deeper curvature. The combined effect puts more edge in the snow on groomers and provides a better bumper in the front, where the ski takes the brunt of the impact in choppy conditions. The tip has also been lightened up by extending the wood core into its territory, replacing a heavier ABS insert.
The net effect of all these alterations is that an already compliant ski has become even simpler to steer. Distilled to their essence, the changes equate to smoothness. It may sound like an esoteric concept, but the magical Enforcer 94 seems to disappear in the flow. Turn entry and turn exit melt into one another, seemingly without effort on the part of the pilot. The Enforcer 94 acts like a guidance system wired into the skier’s optic nerve: where you look, it goes, without ever calling attention to itself. All the new Enforcers are very, very good skis. The Enforcer 94 is one for the ages.
On the day I devoted to running all the new Enforcers through their paces, Palisades Tahoe was slathered with a ten-inch layer of top dressing that naturally devolved into an ideal crud canvas that was perfect for testing all-terrain skis. My two wingmen – Jim Schaffner and Steve Isbell – and I were in hog heaven, running lap after lap off the Shirley Lake lift. Being able to ski the suite of Enforcers back-to-back-to-back-to-back enabled us to not only evaluate each model on its own merits, but also to gauge their relative strengths and weaknesses.
After we’d performed our due diligence, the consensus was the Enforcer 94 was the ideal everyday driver; there was nothing it couldn’t do, and do extremely well. “I love this Enforcer!’” exulted Schaffner. “Its ease of turning, and the variable arcs available with this construction and shape. Versatile enough for everyday Tahoe conditions. Today I skied this ski in powder, chunder, soft pack, and it excelled in all snow. I want to take this ski home!!! An all- mountain/all condition marvel,” he concluded.
My core competence in this entire Realskiers exercise is my ability to match any given skier with the optimal ski for him or her. The ski-matching process normally begins with a tell-all ski bio so I know all pertinent information about who I’m trying to take care of. But what if I know nothing about the skier in question? Suppose I’m just asked to name a ski that does it all, no further data forthcoming?
If I knew nothing about you, I’d recommend the Enforcer 94. Like a mediagenic star, it’s impossible not to like, and the more you get to know it, the more you’ll love it. I’ve awarded it a Silver Skier Selection, not because it’s particularly partial to seniors, but because it’s perfect for any style and performs at any pace. It’s a brilliant achievement in ski design.