2020 NORDICA ENFORCER 100 SKI REVIEW
The Nordica Enforcer 100 has earned more rewards and accolades over the past few seasons than just about any other ski on the market. Ski Of The Year, Tester’s Choice, we can’t really think of any title it hasn’t been given. It’s back again for another season, and what’s even more exciting is Nordica is giving a pair away in our December SkiHappy Photo Contest! That’s right, you could win a brand new pair of these skis in the length of your choice. Head on over to the contest page to learn more and for directions on how to enter. As we’re giving a pair away, we thought it was the perfect time to put out a review.
We’ve reviewed the Enforcer 100 before, and it’s been included in many of our Ski Comparison articles and videos over the past couple years. That said, it’s been a little while since we’ve given it any direct attention, and it deserves it. The Enforcer 100 was the first ski in what’s now a collection consisting of six different models. It’s now the widest ski out of three in the All-Mountain Enforcer collection, with three other wider skis sitting in the Enforcer Free series. Its design has influenced not only additional skis from Nordica, but also from other brands.
It’s built using Nordica’s Energy 2 Ti construction. A wood core (that’s denser and heavier than the Free models) is sandwiched between two sheets of Titanal. Those Titanal laminates are thinner than what we see in a lot of skis with metal, which is a key element in the Enforcer 100’s performance. Its shape consists of 50% camber, 30% tip rocker, and 20% tail rocker. The tip rocker is smooth and gradual, not abrupt, which is another important element in the ski’s performance. The rockered portions of the ski also use very gradual early taper. This smooth rocker and taper means that when you put the ski up on edge, you’re engaging part of the tip and tail that isn’t touching the snow when it’s flat. The higher your edge angle, the longer the effective edge. It’s an awesome design and has proven to provide superb performance around the whole mountain.
Although it is rockered, the tail of the Enforcer 100 is flatter than those of the 104, 110, and 115 Free. This gives it more of a preference for finishing a carving turn, which is does exceptionally well. The turn radius in the Enforcer 100 is relatively short, just 16.5 m at the 177 cm length. Unlike most skis with this much metal, that shorter turn radius gives it a nice feel even at moderate speeds. If you look at the Enforcer on paper, it might seem like it’s going to ask for high speeds before you really unlock its performance, but it’s a blast even at slower speeds. The shorter turn radius means the ski will come across the fall line and complete a turn quite easily. For an advanced skier, it’s a very intuitive feel. It does a lot of the work for you. On the other side of the spectrum, the harder you push it, the better it gets. Those 2 sheets of metal really come into play when you start hitting higher speeds. The lower your hip is to the snow and the deeper the turn, the better the edge grip is going to be. At speed, you can also let it run and achieve longer radius turns. In other skis, a 16.5 m radius can feel twitchy at speed, but not in the Enforcer 100.
Because of the 50% rocker/camber profile, if you’re riding a flat ski, it pivots relatively easily. This is, however, where we start to see a significant difference between it and a ski like the Enforcer 104. With the longer tail rocker in the 104, it has a more surfy, drifty, smeary feel. The Enforcer 100 has more energy out of a turn, whether it’s a carving turn or a skidding turn, which makes it feel quicker in a lot of situations. If you’re opting for a longer length, however, the flatter tail is more challenging in deeper snow conditions and tight terrain, but that’s okay. Some skiers will prefer the feel of the 100 over the 104, and it’s certainly no slouch in soft snow conditions as has been proven by years of dominating the whole mountain. You get better edge to edge quickness on the 100, stronger edge grip, more stability at speed, and realistically it’s only slightly more challenging to ski in tricky terrain. Skiers who value precision and stability will really appreciate the Enforcer 100.
When this ski first came out, we often recommended skiers size up, especially for those who felt like they fell between two lengths. That still remains true, but with the addition of the Free models, it’s not as black and white anymore. If you’re skiing a lot of soft snow and want the extra float, the 104 might be more appropriate and is easier to ski in longer lengths due to the extra tail rocker. I (Jeff) have personally gone back and forth between the 177 and 185. At 5’10 and ~150 lbs, with the current collection of Enforcer models, I would likely choose the 177 in the Enforcer 100 and the 186 in the Enforcer 104 if I had both skis in my personal quiver, but alas, I’m not that lucky.
The Enforcer 100 took the ski industry by storm when it was first introduced, and it continues to be one of the most well-rounded skis out there. A huge range of skiers enjoy its performance. It’s arguably not the best for an intermediate, but even intermediates can appreciate its smooth, stable feel and relatively approachable feel considering the amount of metal in it. It’s a fantastic ski, and we’ll be on the edge of our seats in anticipation to see if anything happens to it for 2021.
