Nordica Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis

The big news with the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis is their weight and how Nordica took an all-mountain freeski like the original Enforcer which weighed 4,600g and reduced it down to 3,520g to create a lightweight freeride version. This is a savings of almost 1kg per pair, and Nordica achieved this without changing the overall shape and rocker profile of the skis. Using a Carbon Chassis LT construction which is a proprietary blend of carbon materials and replacing the metal found in the original Enforcer Skis, Nordica was able to keep pretty much everything else more-or-less the same. They combined all this carbon with a lightweight wood core of poplar and beech which further reduces weight while maximizing performance. Finally, Nordica also trimmed the amount of ABS plastic found in the tips and extended the wood core further up in the skis. This reduces the ski’s overall swing weight and enhances its playfulness and maneuverability. They call this their True Tip LT which does not compromise the Enforcer Unlimited's power and control.

The ski’s wide 104 waist provides good stability on groomers and hard pack with plenty of floatation in deep snow. It provides a confident skiing experience and when conditions change to more variable snow it allows you to easily maneuver them through chop and broken snow.

Combined with their 104mm width underfoot the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis have a generous amount of rocker up front that starts slow and gradually increases as it nears the tips. This allows the skis to float in deep snow and plow over more technical conditions while still minimizing tip chatter when things are firm. An abrupt early rise in the tails of the skis allows for a more spirited style of skiing and enables the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis to release a little early so you can slide and smear them if desired. The tail splay is more than most directional skis in this class but also adds to their personality and fun.

A good amount of camber underfoot provides pop and rebound out of turns whether they are short or long radius. This camber also comes into play when you lay the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis on edge allowing them to fully flex and bite into the snow, maximizing their effective edge to better grip in firmer conditions.

Nordica has taken an iconic ski like the Enforcer and lightened up its construction substantially to allow for efficient climbing in the backcountry while still ensuring that it still provides a playful and stable ride on the way down. The Enforcer 104 Unlimited Ski blends in bounds fun and maneuverability with a light and smooth backcountry experience.

Nordica sums up the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis best by saying:
“This all-mountain touring ski is at home exploring the resort and helping you earn your turns. Especially easy to ski, the Enforcer Unlimited 104’s lightweight construction creates a playful and stable ride that maximizes efficiency on the way up and the ride down. The ski’s wide waist provides additional stability and plenty of floatation in deep snow. And to boost confidence and maneuverability in variable conditions, it features an early rise tip and tail rocker with traditional camber underfoot.”

• Balsa/beech wood
• Titanal binding reinforcement
• Carbon & fiberglass laminate

• True Tip LT
• Powder Rocker
• Carbon Chassis Enforcer LT
• Factory Base Bevel: 1°
• Factory Side Bevel: 2°

Having reviewed the Nordica Unleashed 108 Skis and not skied on the original Enforcer Skis I can’t compare the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis to their original namesake. What I do know, however, is that the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis are considerably lighter which makes them far more versatile and a great 50/50 ski that can go from the resort to the backcountry with ease.

Inbounds I found the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis to be playful and easy to turn thanks to their heavily rockered tips and tails. Their minimal weight means that their swing weight is also reduced which allows for fairly fast linked turns. In trees and bumps, I was able to easily pivot them when needed and the long tail rocker allowed them to release easily which helped me navigate tight places. On firm snow, they were responsive with good pop out of the turns thanks to their aggressive camber underfoot. While they were easy to drive into a long radius turn and hold an edge well they didn’t quite fully commit and bite as firmly into hard pack and firm snow as wanted them to. This was due mainly to the amount of rocker and shorter effective edge. I prefer a ski with a flatter tail that grips through the entire arc of the turn. With the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis, you have to be sure and continually drive them or else they may want to wash out at the end of the turn which is fun in softer snow but not while trying to rail on groomers. On firm groomers, the generous tip rocker meant that there was some chatter but nothing that would throw them off course. Because of their lightweight, they are not as damp as some heavier skis so you can get a bit of a rougher ride when things are firm underfoot. While their stability may suffer a little, they are still so fun to carve, and again, given their weight and amount of rocker I was thoroughly impressed by them, especially when the snow was softer.

In chop and broken pow the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis were really playful and fun and tighter radius turns were pretty easy, however, I did get bucked a few times due to their lightweight as they don’t absorb as much as heavier skis do. While deflection was limited in broken snow they were more challenging to ski when the snow got more settled and firm. This is to be expected as the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis are not an all-mountain/freeride ski like the originals, but instead a lightweight freeride ski—and this is where it shows. In these conditions, it helps to be a more advanced skier to be able to drive them as they can be a little demanding in less-than-ideal conditions.

I mounted the Enforcer 104 Unlimited Skis with Marker’s Alpinist 12 tech bindings and this proved to be a great lightweight pairing for touring. I was really impressed at how effortlessly these skis climbed considering how versatile they were skiing in bounds. While their weight and rocker was the limiting factor in challenging conditions they still skied everything surprisingly well and there was nothing that they couldn’t do. They are exceptionally versatile skis both inbounds and out, making them one of the best lightweight freeride skis I’ve tested in a while.