The 2027 Nordica Unleashed 114 with Salomon Strive 14 GW Bindings arrives reshaped and rebuilt, a wide-waisted freeride ski whose brand-new construction blends a poplar core with carbon reinforcement and a single tuned strip of Drift Lock Metal underfoot. The redesign trades away some of the prior version's rigidity for a livelier, more pivot-friendly feel that still has the bones to handle chop and crud at speed. We paired the Unleashed 114 with the Strive 14 because of this binding’s well known reputation for safety, reliability, and ease of use. Featuring an LDN toe piece that optimizes contact and response, these bindings integrate seamlessly with boots and skis, allowing for a natural flex and balanced stance, making them the perfect choice to pair with this ski.

Why we like it:

The new Drift Lock build is the headline change, and it delivers. The previous version ran a full sheet of terrain-specific metal that made it locked-in and demanding. Switching to a strip keeps damping and edge hold right under the boot where you need them and sets the tips and tails free to pivot and slash, so what you get is significantly more playful in soft snow without surrendering the serious-skier composure Nordica is known for.

Who it's for:

Advanced and expert skiers who chase soft snow and want a ski that handles deep days yet stays manageable when it is not blower. It fits skiers who think of themselves as freeride first and all-mountain second, and aspiring freeride competitors will find plenty to like too.

Highlights:

The redesign starts with the shape: a straighter, longer sidecut than the prior version, paired with deeper tip rocker and a partial twin-tip tail for a more open, drifty feel. Underneath sits Drift Lock Technology, with a poplar Lite Performance Wood Core between carbon stringers and a single tuned strip of titanal running roughly binding-width along the centerline. That strip damps high-speed chop and adds stability, and because it stops short of the edges the tips and tails stay lively. Freeride Flow Shape, used across the Unleashed line, tunes tip and tail rocker to each waist width independently, so a 114 mm waist gets significant tip splay for float and a moderately rockered tail with enough kick to release cleanly out of a slash. True Tip technology in the shovels trims out ABS plastic and runs wood to the very end, keeping swing weight reasonable on a platform this wide. At the core is the three-part heel, which delivers the secure boot retention the Strive line is known for while keeping weight reasonable. Salomon's elastic travel keeps the binding planted through chatter and cut-up snow, so it does not get knocked offline easily. The LDN toe spreads lateral input across an extra-wide pedal for crisp edge-to-edge power transfer, and a sliding toe pedal lets the ski bend underfoot for a more natural flex. The whole assembly rides on a low-profile chassis that drops the stance and centers the skier over the ski. It accepts both standard alpine and GripWalk boot soles, and the binding is TUV certified.

Things to consider:

Powder-leaning freeride is the whole story here. It can carve a turn and it will hold an edge through chop, but that is not the job it was built for. Skiers who spend most of their time on-trail or who do not get many soft snow days will watch this one sit in the closet, and the Unleashed 98 is a much better fit for freeride DNA that can also pull resort duty.

Fit & sizing considerations:

Deep rocker makes this one size long, so drop a length compared with a more directional all-mountain ski, and drop another if you spend more time in tight spots than open bowls.