2021 Rossignol Nova 10 Ti

Short, easy turns are the hallmarks of the 2021 Rossignol Nova 10 Ti women's skis. Functioning as a system with Xpress 11 bindings, these skis return unchanged for 2021. Following a strong showing last year with front-side carving enthusiasts, the 74-mm waisted Nova 10 has more of a recreational slalom feel to it than anything else. Skiers who are looking to perfect the carved turn and not be rocketed from carve to carve will love the easier-going Nova 10. Make no mistake, these skis with their titanal laminate make for a stable and smooth ride. Best for upper-level intermediates and advanced skiers who prefer a narrower ski, the Nova 10 has a 13-meter turn radius at the 160-cm length. This is a pretty tight arc, and since there's minimal rocker and taper, it's fairly precise from tip to tail. While more experienced skiers can make it turn in the bumps or trees, it's really better suited for clean groomers. With Rossignol's Line Control Technology, Poplar wood core, and a Boost Flex profile, these Nova 10's are ready to rip. Lighter in the tips and tails thanks to that Boost Flex, the skis are efficient at funneling energy to the edges of the skis where it matters. This leads to a natural and instinctive flex and energy coming out of the ski. You're going to feel like you're a much better skier thanks to the energy and response from the Nova 10. Our testers were all pretty pleasantly surprised with the quick carving and pleasant nature of the Nova 10, and a lot of intermediate to advanced skiers who spend most or all of their time on groomers will be stoked as well.

Nifer Hoehn has a strong racing background, so it's great to hear what she has to say about the Nova series skis. Looking at the scorecard, she's got 5's for stability, quickness, playfulness, edge hold, and overall impression. This is a pretty good range of scores for this ski, with some lower scores for flotation and versatility are not surprising. She calls the Nova 10 a "sweet ski-wasn't expecting to like this nearly as much as I did. Light ski that skis like a much heavier ski. Solid throughout the turn and really playful. The tip initiates super easily and they hold solid in the turn-nice energy coming out of the turn. I really enjoyed these!" Great to hear, that an ex-racer can find enjoyment on a more recreational carver-sounds like a nice high-performance ceiling.

Allison Ruschp was also on the 160 and, like Nifer, had a pretty good amount of 4's and 5's on her scorecard. Quickness, maneuverability, playfulness, forgiveness, and the ever-important overall impression all earned 5's. As a result of these high scores, it's no wonder Alli notes that the Nova 10 is "easy, light, and fun! For an intermediate, this ski has it all. Very forgiving, holds an edge, easy to turn, plus it's got a nice look to it. This ski made me want to make more turns!" Good thing, Alli, given that short radius-that's what this ski does best! Darcy Mangan calls her 160 a "disguised front-side ripper." Not the best first impression, but the ski grew on her for sure. Like the other ladies, she had some high scores, with a 5 for stability and a 4 for overall impression. Darcy called it "a bit clunky at first but flies with ease once engaged. This ski put a huge smile on my face. Likes carves, and will be great for advancing intermediate skiers." Smiling while skiing is the best. I'm not good at it, but am always impressed with skiers who can smile while skiing.

Skiers looking to lay down some smooth and fast carves will love the Rossignol Nova 10 Ti. These short-turning specialists love to be on edge and engaged, so the more you're on them, the better they'll perform. Not quite the versatile all-mountain ripper of some of the more well-rounded lines, the Nova has its own strengths and sticks to them really well.