Like-New Condition! The 2027 Nordica Unleashed 98 CA with Demo bindings is the Unleashed 98 with the metal pulled out. It keeps the same poplar wood core as its metal-equipped sibling but comes out lighter, livelier, and friendlier to freestyle skiing. A tester favorite and a sleeper hit in the Nordica line, the CA is a freeride ski for skiers who want pop and energy more than they want plowing power. The demo binding handles the fit side of the equation, with an adjustment range that spans a wide spread of boot sole lengths.

Why we like it:

Most all-mountain and freeride skis have a metal layer somewhere in the build, and most of the time that's a good thing. The 98 CA proves how much character a ski can have when you take it out. The poplar core and carbon stringers do the structural work, and what comes back to the skier is rebound, energy, and a level of pop you simply can't get from a metal ski. It's also light enough to handle freestyle features and butters in a way the metal Unleashed 98 just can't.

Who it's for:

All-mountain and freestyle skiers who like a lively, energetic ride and want something at home in the park as well as on the rest of the mountain. Strong intermediates and lighter skiers who find metal skis too demanding will appreciate how forgiving the CA feels while still skiing strong, and it's a great choice if you do a lot of switch skiing or directional freestyle.

Highlights:

Same shape as the regular Unleashed 98, very different personality. The build starts with a poplar wood core placed between layers of glass with no metal anywhere in it, and that changes everything: the ski flexes more freely, rebounds with more energy, and sits lighter on the feet, with lower swing weight that's especially welcome in the air or when buttering. Sidecut is identical to the metal version, so the carving DNA is intact under a 98 mm waist, just with a softer, more progressive flex pattern. The Freeride Flow Shape's partial twin-tip tail gives the CA a more obvious freestyle bent, with enough rocker to release cleanly and enough kick to ride switch comfortably, and up at the tips the True Tip approach swaps ABS plastic for extended wood to keep swing weight low. Finishing the package, the demo binding adjusts to fit most boot sizes.

Things to consider:

Without metal, the 98 CA gives up some of the high-speed composure and chop-busting authority of the regular Unleashed 98. If you spend most of your time charging open terrain at speed, you'll want the metal version. The CA is also softer-flexing and less precise on hard ice, so it's a tool for skiers who put playfulness ahead of outright stability.

Fit & sizing considerations:

It sizes true to length, and if you're transitioning from a metal-equipped ski you can confidently pick your usual length, because the CA's lighter feel makes a longer length more manageable than you might expect.