2023 Nordica Santa Ana 88
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Ski Stats

Sidecut 119/88/107
Radius 15m @ 165cm
Lengths 151,158,165,172
Weight 1670g @ 165cm
MSRP $649.99
FIND
3
0
1
[mepr-hide if="rule: 3745"]One of the reasons the Women’s All-Mountain East category is so popular is that it represents the first step away from prepared slopes, the featureless terrain to which the uninitiated are tethered. Perhaps it’s the peculiar nature of the frontier-America mentality, but in the U.S., where no one likes to be told what they can and cannot do, the off-piste represents freedom, escapism and breaking the bonds of convention and formality. Sorry for the rhetorical flourishes, but for some reason Americans can’t wait to go off-trail, ready or not, so they might as well be ready. This is where the Nordica Santa Ana 88 can be of greatest service to humankind. While an expert can ski it and appreciate its merits, experts have a lot of other choices, while those who need the most help adapting to the strangeness of skiing off-trail do not. The Santa Ana 88 will also work wonders for one of the sport’s fastest-growing niches, the in-resort/backcountry ski that will work with a hybrid Alpine/AT binding to create the ultimate all-terrain set-up. [/mepr-hide]

One of the reasons the Women’s All-Mountain East category is so popular is that it represents the first step away from prepared slopes, the featureless terrain to which the uninitiated are tethered. Perhaps it’s the peculiar nature of the frontier-America mentality, but in the U.S., where no one likes to be told what they can and cannot do, the off-piste represents freedom, escapism and breaking the bonds of convention and formality.

Sorry for the rhetorical flourishes, but for some reason Americans can’t wait to go off-trail, ready or not, so they might as well be ready. This is where the Nordica Santa Ana 88 can be of greatest service to humankind. While an expert can ski it and appreciate its merits, experts have a lot of other choices, while those who need the most help adapting to the strangeness of skiing off-trail do not.

The Santa Ana 88 will also work wonders for one of the sport’s fastest-growing niches, the in-resort/backcountry ski that will work with a hybrid Alpine/AT binding to create the ultimate all-terrain set-up. As observed two seasons ago by adventure journalist and ski-mom Brooke Froelich, “this is HANDS DOWN my favorite pair of skis for the backcountry. The SA 88 is relatively lightweight for how responsive and solid it feels. I like a ski in the backcountry that will let me confidently hop turn in a chute, that will 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.”

Level III PSIA instructor Lara Hughes Allen found the Santa Ana 88 well suited to the less technical skier adjusting to the vicissitudes of skiing off-trail. “Overall, I think that this could be a reasonable all mountain ski for someone who likes a skidded, less dynamic turn and prefers to ski some combination of off-piste, moguls, powder, or crud. While I don’t think that carved turns on firm snow are its strength, this ski did grip adequately.”

You have to give up something to get something in this world, and the Santa Ana 88 gives up some edging energy in order to improve its tolerance for off-trail incompetence. As a set of training wheels that will continue to serve long after the training is over, the Santa Ana 88 offers the intermediate a lot of ceiling to grow into.

Women’s Test Data Advisory

Please be advised that our 2022 women’s ski reviews do not show any test data, on either our public or members’ sites. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we haven’t been able to collect sufficient test results to justify showing a statistical summary.

While Realskiers members won’t be able to see stats on women’s reviews, they will see a longer, more in-depth narrative than what’s posted on our public site.

We appreciate your continued support through these troublesome times.