2021 Nordica Dobermann Spitfire 76 RB

Wider-bodied carving skis these days have a lot going for them. Most, like the Spitfire 76, have a system binding, a wider waist, and a shorter radius versus true race-room skis, but under the hood, there's a lot of power. There aren't a whole lot of skiers on the planet who really need that race-room ski-they're just so darn stiff and precise, there's not a huge market, and there's less and less real estate out there on the mountain that can handle the speed necessary to turn these things appropriately. Skiing is fun. Going fast is fun. Using the transitive property, skiing fast is fun. When you get on something with a high-gear like these skis, you're in for a treat. Built on a burly wood core and two sheets of metal, Nordica then adds in their Race Bridge (RB) technology that uses carbon to bridge the main core of the ski to the tips and tails. This allows for a more direct transfer of energy to the ends of the skis, leading to stronger overall performance. Unchanged for 2021 in the structural sense, the Spitfire 76 retains all of its strength, power, and precision. Our testers could not be happier.

Mike Thomas skied the 174, although that was a bit short for him. Regardless, high scores of 5's out of 5 were unsurprisingly given for quickness, maneuverability, torsional stiffness, edge hold, and overall impression. Low scores of 2 for flotation and forgiveness were equally as unsurprising, given the one-trick nature of these carving masterpieces. Mike states that the Spitfire 76 "rips groomers like a hot knife through warm butter. They are silky-smooth. Plenty of power, but still playful. A great combination for a hard snow charger." Even for a bigger guy like Mike, that 174 seemed to hold up pretty darn well. James Stewart, much like Mike, had very similar high scores for edge hold, overall impression, stability, and quickness. Again, low scores for flotation and forgiveness are not shocking. James was pretty happy on his 174 cm test length. "This is a super high-performance and charging ski for those pure groomer days. Automatic turns all the way down the hill but not too hard to handle if you're not feeling like a World Cup racer." Pretty good to hear, that these skis are not pigeon-holed to absolute racers, and that normal expert skiers will have success on them, mostly due to that wider footprint and increased balance point.

Marcus Shakun is a pretty tall dude, so seeing him on a pair of 174's is actually a bit comical. He could use the 180 for sure. Nevertheless, lots of 5's for Marcus, including stability, quickness, playfulness, edge hold, and overall impression. Like the other two testers, low scores were given for flotation, forgiveness, and versatility. When a ski lacks versatility, it's a good bet that it's really going to excel elsewhere, and this is certainly the case with the Spitfire 76. Given the shorter length, Marcus notes that the "short and playful turns at medium velocity were great. This is a super-fun and versatile front side carver with lots of energy and pop in and out of every turn. I'd peg these as more for an expert skier for sure that loves a wild and playful ski that does a little bit of everything. Due to the shorter radius, the only real negative is that it doesn't make a longer turn, especially in this 174 length." Fair enough, and seeing as though Marcus is in a 29.5 boot, there's not a lot of tip and tail left over for him.

Carving and going fast are fun. If you're looking for the ultimate in smoothness and stability without the continuous abuse of a full-on race ski, something like the Doberman Spitfire 76 should be worth a strong look.