The well-balanced, all-mountain ski with lightweight maneuverability and unbeatable strength is back for another season with a graphics refresh and the same successful attributes that made the Nordica Santa Ana 98 the go-to one ski quiver for countless advanced female freeriders. With the Santa Ana series, Nordica set out to accomplish the ideal line of all-mountain skis with both a high-performance ceiling and versatile shape for ladies who like to ski aggressively and with freeride flair. It’s fair to say that their mission was a success as the Santa Ana line offers a unique blend of power and precision, as well as an array of width and length options with size-specific construction features. The Santa Ana 98 lands itself in the wider-bodied options and delivers powerful rebound and exceptional edge grip along with lively energy across variable terrain and conditions.

In order to achieve the unparalled performance of the Santa Ana 98, Nordica used a specific approach to the construction, focusing on a level of strength and power from the use of metal without it feeling too sluggish. Starting with a full performance wood core, we get a lightweight foundation that is dense and offers reliable stability and agility. Adding to that, Nordica uses carbon chassis which incorporates carbon fiber into the wood core, enhancing the torsional stiffness and overall flex of the ski. What takes it to the next level in terms of powerful performance is the sheet of terrain specific metal that is applied and fine-tuned to each specific model, with less metal in the wider-bodied options for a more forgiving flex and more metal in the narrower options for better stability on-piste. In the 98, the tips and tails feature full width metal and as it gets closer to the center of the ski, it becomes narrower. This application maximizes stability and dampness while keeping the weight down and still making plenty of room for playfulness in soft snow conditions.

Looking at the shape and profile, the freeride rocker combined with moderate early taper clearly lands this ski in the all-mountain/powder category, with ample flotation and freeride capabilities. By the looks of it, it would appear as though it is a symmetrically shaped, wider-bodied ski that is fun and playful. While those facts are true, it is a much burlier, more aggressive ski than it appears to be and that’s what makes it stand out amongst its competitors. The inclusion of metal in addition to the freeride shape gives it the impressive characteristics that are immediately noticeable upon initiating a turn. With a 15.6-meter turn radius inthe 165 cm length, it is capable of making pretty precise, short turns when needed, which adds to its versatility. When you want to lean into your turn and really open it up, it is more than capable of doing so, effortlessly smearing and arcing wide turns. For a 98 mm waist width, it delivers impressive edge grip and can confidently carve and plow through firmer conditions despite its natural desire to be in the softer stuff.

Taking all-mountain performance to a whole new realm, the Nordica Santa Ana 98 combines dynamic power with playful maneuverability giving advanced to expert ladies a freeride-focused ski with a range of capabilities. Stronger and more demanding than many of its counterparts, it takes a skilled driver to access its sweet spot but under the right feet, it delivers powerful rebound, exceptional edge grip, and lively energy.