Nordica Unleashed 98

NORDICA SKIS ARE ROUTINELY A TESTER-FAVORITE AT FREESKIER’S ANNUAL SKI TEST, often earning top marks from our tough-to-impress crew of skiers. But, for 2023, Nordica debuted a new line of skis, called Unleashed, in Jackson Hole and the response was lively. The Unleashed line is the more playful side of the Enforcer and gives true meaning to versatility.

“I like to say that the Nordica Unleashed 98 is one of those ski that, if you don’t like it, then you probably don’t like skiing,” says North American Product Manager at Nordica, Ethan Korpi, laughingly.

Versatility can be an overplayed word when speaking about skis and it can mean a lot of different things depending on what kind of ski you’re talking about. For example, a versatile powder ski is one that can handle groomers, etc.

“We’re really trying to drive the versatility with the Unleashed 98, it’s not too narrow or too wide, and is a design you can take into the park, into crud, crap snow, and on or off trail, and have at it,” explains Korpi.

What’s unique about the Nordica Unleashed 98 is it can be perfectly at- home with someone who likes to jib around the mountain and hit the park given its twin tip, yet it’s also a perfect match for someone who wants to slash around powder stashes, bumps, and groomers. With a wide size run and a 19-m turn radius it will accommodate most skiers in its all-around waist width.

“It has a long running length, and utilizes the Terrain Specific Metal,” explains Korpi. “[This means] the size and shape of the Titanal layer is engineered for each ski width, giving the ski a fun, poppy feel. But when you want to turn up the heat through challenging terrain, the metal and full wood core construction is there… It’s still a Nordica ski that has performance built into it.”

Our testers loved this ski, calling it an all-around ripper with no speed limit, likely thanks to its construction layup. It’s intended for the North American freeskier, so you can ride whatever you’re looking for, whenever you want, and without swapping skis midday.

Explore the 2023 FREESKIER Buyer’s Guide