Ski Reviews
2023 & 2024 Nordica Unleashed 108 Ski Review
The Nordica Unleashed series of skis sets a pretty high bar when it comes to wide and playful freestyle skis. It’s a bit difficult to pigeon-hole this ski into the freeride realm, although it certainly looks like it from the outside, but the combination of construction, shape, and profile make the widest ski in the line, the 108, stand apart from a traditional freeride ski in a few different ways. While we’ve mainly focused on the Unleashed 98, it’s certainly time to give the 108 its fair shake. When we first got on them last season, it was apparent that this wide-bodied twin had a little something different under the hood, allowing skiers the ability to lay down some really clean and mean arcs while keeping the fun-loving nature of the ski at an absolute maximum. Aside from a minor graphic change, the Unleashed 108 returns structurally unaltered.
While we’ve been over the construction of the Unleashed 98 and 108 in fairly exhaustive detail in the past, it’s always good to get a re-fresh and go over it all again. Basically, we’re looking at Nordica Santa Ana construction in the Unleashed 108, starting with a full-performance wood core and two sheets of fiberglass with vertical carbon stringers. Just that alone would be great for energetic twin tips looking for poppy playfulness in a variety of conditions and terrain, but the addition of the single sheet of terrain-specific titanal really gives the Unleashed 108 its signature and unique feel. This metal laminate is used in the Santa Ana skis, and is basically a full sheet, but with cutouts along the edges in the mid-zone of the ski. We still see edge to edge metal in the tips and tails, with a wider section underfoot and slight tapering between mid-point and the ends. The combination of snappy energy and metallic damping stands out because it delivers a wide-variety of performance potential, and does not limit the ski to one, or many, types of skiing, terrain, or snow conditions. By allowing the ski to flex, Nordica has basically created one of the roundest and cleanest carvers at this width in the industry. It’s not light, coming in at 2120 grams in the 186, but it feels crisp and poppy when engaged in turns while keeping the chatter to a total minimum.
AT A GLANCE
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2023 Nordica Unleashed 108 Skis |
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AVAILABLE SIZES |
TURN RADIUS |
SIDECUT |
WEIGHT |
PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
174, 180, 186, 191 cm |
19 m @ 180 cm |
140.5 / 108 / 129.5 mm |
2.070 g @ 180 cm |
$799.99 |
The shape has a lot to do with that as well, and this is where the ski takes on some Enforcer notes. In the 186 cm length, the ski generates a 19.7-meter turn radius and has a pretty long effective edge. With a 141 mm tip and a 130 mm tail, this ski has some pretty immense dimensions, but rather than a more tapered shape and rockered profile, the Unleashed 108 is decidedly more cambered and traditional in its footprint. This is what keeps it out of the pure freeride category, as other skis like the Line Vision 108 or Fischer Ranger 108 have decidedly more upward bend to them. This does a few things when it comes to performance, and we can get to more on that later, but basically, it creates a smooth tip to tail feel and a less smeary personality. We’re still dealing with almost true twin-tip style splay, as the tips and tails are decidedly turned-up and ready for switch riding and big tricks while keeping the edges pretty squarely set to the snow. When distinguishing between Enforcer 104 or 110 Free and the Unleashed 108, the big thing that stand out from a shaping perspective is that lack of long and low rocker. While the tip and tail height of the Unleashed is higher than that of the Enforcer 110, the rocker length, taper length, and camber height are all less than found on the 110.
This ski, at this width, is designed to perform in soft snow and powder, and fortunately, we got a few great days here at Stowe to put it to the test. The first thing we noticed about this ski in the snow is that it kind of wants to turn. Way back when skis were starting to figure out rocker, I remember skiing on a 115 mm underfoot Dynastar twin tip that was fully cambered. It was not a very good powder ski despite the width, since the tails of the skis wanted to stay locked into the turn and keep you from floating and drifting. Times have changed since then, and Unleashed 108 has greatly improved upon the floatability of a wider, yet more traditionally shaped twin. There’s still some of that catchy feel, especially in heavier snow, but it’s not so much that it makes it unpredictable or unpleasant. That’s pretty much the only downside with this way of shaping skis, and it’s more of a reflection of the freestyle influence rather than the ski being unable to float—it's simply not quite as drifty as some others, and that’s okay, especially when that minor deficiency is balanced with an enormous upside when the snow is not super-deep. In soft groomers and smaller snowfalls, this ski absolutely lights it up. The metal, the shape, and the damping properties combine to make this one of the top-turning skis of this width in the entire industry. It’s flexible enough that skiers can access the entirety of the sidecut while remaining strong enough to be grippy, smooth, and insanely stable. There are very few skis of this width that can turn like Unleashed—it’s capable of creating high edge angles on a variety of surfaces.
But nobody’s really buying this ski to carve on groomers—it's the overall playfulness and versatility that truly stands out. The blend of build and shape combine to make a ski that is confident and powerful, with very little in the way of limitations. We got to ski it in the trees here in Vermont, and it’s certainly got the maneuverability to handle some tight spots, even in the 191 cm length. Little drops in the woods are no problem, as the strength of the ski is a very distinct highlight. When you get back out on to the trail, you’re rewarded with a smooth and stable ride at almost any speed. It’s not the best in the bumps, and the softer the better, but I like the sturdy tail with the twin shape which makes it easy to push down on the backside of the moguls. There aren’t many 108’s out there with metal that excel in the bumps, so we’ll take the Unleashed’s mogul performance with a grain of salt. On one of our days testing the ski, we were faced with wetter, mashed potato snow on the bottom half of the mountain, and while many other skiers were struggling to get the stability out of whatever they were on, the Unleashed 108 simply motored over, through, and around the really messy conditions. This is where the terrain-specific metal really comes into its own and comes to life. Very few other skis have the capacity to do this, as the long effective edge and the titanal laminate put the Unleashed in a category of its own. At the end of the day, too, the Unleashed 108 is a twin tip. The 98 picked up where the Soul Rider 97 left off in Nordica’s catalog, so it’s fair to say that there’s a lot of freestyle influence here. While resort park skiing may be a bit of a stretch for the 108 on a daily basis, mostly due to weight, the backcountry jumping scene is right in this ski’s wheelhouse. Whether you’re building your own booter in the back woods or launching natural hits into deep snow, the Unleashed 108 will be right there for you. Sure, it may lack the light swing weight of a more park-focused ski, it’s still going to provide tons of stability and control on takeoffs and landings.
When Nordica first announced Unleashed, I was more expecting the 98 to be the widest, and hoped that the 90 received the same build as the wider models. The 108, though, has quickly jumped to the forefront of the wide twin tip discussion, offering quite a bit more performance and a distinct and unique character. The turning and carving capability of this ski far exceeds any expectations of what a 108 mm underfoot twin tip should have, and while it does other things as well, the smoothness and stability in a carved turn are simply remarkable.
Hi guys. Love your reviews.
I'm 6', 260 pounds. I have been riding on Rossignol Soul7 for a few years and I love them, but I'm considering upgrading. The Unleashed 108 seems like a good option.
I have just moved to Colorado and will be skiing a lot more than previously, so the other option I am considering going the "quiver" route instead of relying on one all-mountain ski. I typically ski on-piste only, mostly black groomers except when there is fresh powder.
Is the Unleashed 108 a big enough upgrade from the Soul7 and a good enough all-mountain ski that I would be happy with it even when there's no fresh snow? Or should I get a dedicated powder ski and a dedicated groomer ski?
Thanks,
Jim
I'm not going to talk you out of getting two pairs of skis. That said, the way the Unleashed 108 starts and finishes a carved turn on groomers is pretty darn impressive. It's going to have a different, more cambered feel than the Soul, so your turning performance will be greatly upgraded. If you're looking for two skis, I'd look at something in the mid-80's for a on-trail ski like Rossignol Experience 86Ti or Elan Wingman 86 CTi, and then something like the Unleashed 108 or Enforcer 110 for a powder option. Have fun!
SE
I demoed a pair of Volk Mantra M6 and fell in love with them, I think they will be my everyday skis. I also just ordered a pair of demos of the Unleashed 108 to be my powder skis. I was at Heavenly this week and demoed a pair of Rossignol Sender 106ti. I liked them but I thought they were a bit heavy and stiff. I'm hoping that the Unleashed will be a good compliment to the Mantras for the big powder days but also fun on the groomers.
How does this compare to the enforcer 104 in terms of mogul performance and playfulness? Looking to buy a new pair of skis--I've been skiing enforcer 100s but wanted something more playful.
The Unleashed 98 makes more sense than the 108 when it comes to moguls, and the agility of it makes it quite a bit more playful in anything other than deep snow. If you're looking to go wider, I'd go with the 108, but if you're looking for a more playful Enforcer 100, I'd look at the 98. Have fun!
SE
Hey guys! Looking to get myself a pair of ski's for snow days because my resort generally does grooming late evening/early night and snow that comes down between then and the opening of the slopes can sometimes be quite a lot.
Nordica-geek that I am the Unleashed and Santa Ana Free are the ski's I've had my eyes on.
The amount of snow I sometimes have to ski in varies from 3 inches up to 8 inches of fresh fallen on groomers.
Santa Ana Free 104 and 110 and this Unleashed 108 are on the table, the Enforcer just feels wrong, to heavy.
I currently ski a pair of Nordica Navigator 85 and I feel like any of the three above looks like a good compliment, but what model do you guys feel that I should choose?
I'm 175 cm long weight 180 pounds, on well groomed days I love to rip down black and red slopes, I'd like the ski's for snow days to be a bit more playful but still be able to step on it if the snow conditions in the snowy slope allows for it.
Thankful for your help, your great reviews and advice got me on the Navigators I own and my girlfriend on her pair of Santa Ana 84, best ski's we've ever owned so hopefully you can come through again =)
Thanks for all your awesome work and great informative reviews!
I'd stick to the 104's for a mix of soft and fresh snow--I feel the 108 to 110 is a bit much. The 85 to 104 split is pretty sweet! Have fun!
SE