2025 Nordica Santa Ana 92 Ski Review

Just when we thought the Santa Ana collection couldn’t possibly get any better, Nordica hit the refresh button for the 2025 season, making some exciting improvements to an already fantastic all-mountain ski. Rather than doing a full revamp, both the Santa Ana and Enforcer series received slight alterations, keeping the successful traits that have awarded the deserved reputation and impressive performance while enhancing the overall feel. The hard-charging, high performance nature remains, which some may have feared would change upon hearing the rumors, while the enhancements deliver a more balanced, refined feel. With four new models, advanced technology, and changes to the construction and shape, this new Santa Ana is more playful, energetic and versatile as ever.

I had the opportunity to test the new Santa Ana 92 and as the second narrowest in the new collection, it’s safe to say it most certainly offers an incredibly high level of versatility. For those who spent little time on the previous Santa Ana model, the modifications may not be noticeable. On the other hand, Santa Ana enthusiasts like myself will quickly notice a more responsive, easier to turn ski matched with playful maneuverability. Still as aggressive and powerful, the revamp to the construction result in a more approachable, balanced feel, with quicker feedback and less punishment when you’re not in full pilot mode. Skiers who want a powerful ski that can tackle most anything on a given day with force but who also want poise and precision will love this rendition of the Santa Ana. Refined and providing more versatility, the 2025 makeover fine-tunes the performance by delivering dampness and support to appeal to a wider range of skiers while still holding up to the demands of more aggressive skiing.

At a Glance:

2025 Nordica Santa Ana 92 Skis

For 2025, Nordica introduces four new models: the 87, 92, 97, and 102. Adjusting the previous width offerings just slightly, this new collection caters to high-performance, versatile all-mountain conditions. What we love so much about this Santa Ana is its range of capabilities-you're not getting a ski that excels solely in powder or on groomers. A true Goldilocks ski, it offers impressive carving, smooth stability, strong on-trail finesse, and good flotation. Where we see the biggest difference is in the level of energy and ease in maneuvering, allowing skiers to dictate and control the ski more rather than the other way around. This has a lot to do with the new shape, which we’ll get to, but it all starts with the change in the construction.

While there is not one defining characteristic that is to thank for the high-performance nature and resounding reputation of the Santa Ana 92, the construction has a lot to do with its success. The most notable contributor to the dominant nature of this ski continues on in this year’s iteration and we couldn’t be happier about that. Nordica’s tried and true Terrain-Specific metal remains a staple to the build, with full-length metal from tip to tail and full-width metal throughout with the exception of the mid-body and mid-tail. Providing an ideal amount of flex in the torsional stiffness of the ski where there is less metal, this creates better soft-snow performance and suppleness. The stability and degree of power underfoot and in the tip and tail is a result of the additional metal where needed most. As one of the narrower models in the collection, the 92 features more metal than the wider options as its intended application requires. The new technology that we see in this year’s version is applied to the core of the ski. While the beech/poplar wood blend returns, though sourced through a different supplier, the addition of the Pulse Core layer is where things get shaken up. The rubberized polymer material, which is placed directly underfoot, does an incredible job of smoothing out unwanted vibrations, creating a more balanced, consistent feel. Other than the ski feeling slightly more composed and smoother, the most noticeable difference for me was a result of the reshaping of the tail.

Looking at the shape, starting from the tips down to the mid-body, you would recognize the classic Santa Ana shape that we all know and love. Where things have been altered is in the tail and in my opinion, it's an improvement. While the previous model had a directional tail shape with slight rocker, the new model has deeper tail rocker and more tail splay. As far as how this affects the performance, I found that it gave me better maneuverability and quicker feedback in the back of the ski. Easier to release in tight terrain, the level of energy has skyrocketed, versus the former model that locked into turns with more commitment, making it great for arcing strong, long turns down the fall line with speed. Nordica’s decision to alter the shape of this long-standing success ski was to allow for a smoother, more energetic experience which ultimately resulted in a highly versatile iteration.

As far as what I look for in a ski, I think Nordica really hit the nail on the head with this updated Santa Ana 92. Striking an ideal balance between energy and power, the number of applications are truly impressive. While I loved the previous model’s capacity for high-speed power and strength with the ability to really drive it down the fall line, at times it did feel ready to punish you if you were not fully on it. Dialing that back slightly with the more playful shape and level of responsiveness opened the door to more possibilities and who wouldn’t love that? With a freestyle/freeride background, I love to be able to hop on one ski for the day and be able to ski bumps, push it on groomers, dip into the trees and have a level of energy and aggressiveness for takeoffs and landings. For one ski to do it all, it takes a degree of cohesiveness and consistency to reach a refined balance between all qualities. I feel confident in saying that the new Santa Ana 92 truly accomplishes this.

On-piste, this ski feels solid and reliable on edge, with enhanced dampness and no real speed limit. While the previous model required a more forward stance and less forgiveness, I found I was able to take on a more centered, relaxed stance, partly due to the forward movement of the mount point but also the increase in tail rocker puts you in the center of the camber. This allows for a more reactive initiation point when engaging in a turn, increasing the maneuverability and overall control. Though powerful as before, they don’t require you to step on the gas as much, which is nice and more accessible. Confident and powerful on firm snow, in bumps, they felt light, energetic and easier to release from the tails, responding to quicker, last-minute movements. Not the most playful by any means, but it feels much more balanced and smoother in a variety of terrain and conditions while also supporting the demands of more aggressive skiing. As for powder, despite the 92 mm waist width and the designated application, they perform surprisingly well. I think this has a lot to do with the increased rocker and energetic maneuverability, allowing you to bounce around through softer snow and make dynamic turns. It wouldn’t necessarily be my go-to powder ski obviously, but given its wide range of capabilities, it is an excellent candidate for a daily driver.

While the inevitable doubters shared concerns over the Santa Ana shakeup for the 2025 season, it’s easy to see why the ultimate consensus is success. As a dominant series in the women’s all-mountain ski market, the refinements made have introduced a more versatile, responsive and cohesive version of the Santa Ana, one that will allow a wider range of skiers to access while still meeting the demands of more aggressive skiers.