Built and shaped for ladies who are looking to split their time between the resort and the deep snow in the backcountry, the Santa Ana 104 Unlimited is about as good as it gets. At first glance, it seemed impossible that the Unlimited version would be more engaging and interesting than the Free, but most of us were proven wrong. The shape, being the constant between the two, apparently is quite important. If you can take a similarly built shaped ski and make it lighter to bring touring into the equation, and somehow alter performance in a positive manner, then that’s a huge win. For 2024, we’re getting a carryover model, so the whole thing stays the same. This will allow another group of skiers to have the awesome opportunity to get on these skis and rip around the whole mountain, whether earned turns or lift-activated. Hybrid touring skis have become very much en vogue lately, especially ones like this that take an existing freeride ski and make it lighter and leave it at that. People love the Santa Ana 104 Free, why change it for the worse?

The build is where we see the changes from Free to Unlimited, and while it’s not like they’re cutting the weight in half, they are putting a dent in it, allowing that uphill capacity to be slightly more palatable. At the same time, there aren’t a whole lot of touring purists out there that will argue that this is a touring-specific ski by a long shot. It’s still 1485 grams per ski in the 165 cm length, so it’s got a bit of weight behind it—that's just what’s going to happen when there’s a lot of surface area. By using a poplar macroblock core, the ski uses less adhesive and epoxy than more normal skis that use multiple wood stringers. The blockier the wood, the less the weight. On the bottom of the wood core, we get a full carbon laminate that makes the ski insanely energetic and maneuverable. On top, there’s a fiberglass layer that has vertical carbon stringers that add to this overall character. By using carbon instead of metal, we’re reducing the overall damping, but increasing the energy. 

Since we’ve always been enamored with the shape of this ski, it’s not at all surprising that those feelings carry forward into 2024 with the Unlimited 104. This thing still turns quite well for its width, taking full advantage of the 16-meter turn radius in the 165. Since there’s a bit more flex to the ski, it allows lighter and less aggressive skiers the opportunity to access the full range of the sidecut, and when this ski is put on edge, that’s where it shines. That’s a weird thing to say about a 104, but it’s true. The impressive part is how well it operates in softer snow and in more technical terrain. Personally, it’s one of the best tree skis we've been on, and when you get out of the woods and open it up on the trail, it’s hard to believe that this ski is intended to be a touring ski—it's so incredibly accomplished in an alpine format. The powder rocker profile ensures proper flotation, with 40% camber, 35% tip rocker, and 25% tail rocker—this ski is pretty bowed out and freeride-oriented.

Do not pass up any chance to ski on the 2024 Nordica Santa Ana 104 Unlimited. While it’s a great ski, and popular in its own right, it’s also kind of rare, and for whatever reason, we’ve learned that skis like this don’t stick around that long. The fact that it’s a lighter version of a successful, yet demanding, freeride ski makes it super attractive to skiers that don’t always charge 100%. This ski has a great mid-range for a variety of skiers, terrain, and conditions, making it a highly versatile and useful ski for a huge number of skiers.