The first edition of the Santa Ana 110 swapped the Enforcer 110’s poplar/beech core for balsa, but otherwise faithfully replicated its unisex structure, including two full sheets of .4mm Titanal.  That’s a lot of ski, too much for most women hoping to make powder skiing easier, not more demanding. Two years ago, Nordica found the solution, Terrain Specific Metal: the wider the ski, the more metal is cut out of its mid-section. The widest models, the Santa Ana Free 110 and Free 104, went from charging like barges to pivoting like catamarans.

Taking some of the Titanal out of the Santa Ana Free 110 certainly helped its maneuverability, but it still favored the expert who knows how to get after it.  This season, Nordica gave up trying to lure lasses onto its fattest offering, putting the Santa Ana Free 110 out to pasture and installing the Santa Ana 104 Free as its flagship freeride ski.

With its slightly lower price and thinner waistline, the Santa Ana Free 104 may seem like a step down from its big sister, but if anything, she may be a better match for most women, a classic case of less-is-more.  All powder skiing entails some foot steering, which is lots easier when there’s less mass to toss around. With a sidecut and baseline optimized for off-piste conditions, the Santa Ana 104 Free feels plenty floaty, and its metal laminates, albeit trimmed, have plenty of grip for stability on traverses and run-outs.

While a skier’s weight and height are still the most important factors in size selection, skill set of at least equal importance for a Big Mountain ski as strong as the Santa Ana Free 104. If you’re still learning the ropes off-trail, you’re probably best off on a 158cm.