2023 Nordica Unleashed 98 W Ski Review
By: Kate Leach, evo Whistler | June 29, 2022
The Lowdown
The Nordica Unleashed 98 W is the perfect all-mountain, all-condition ski! Strong and stable at high speeds, playful and fun for hopping in and out of turns, the Unleashed can take you anywhere on the mountain! The metal, carbon and wood core construction allows it to be stiff when you need it to be, but maneuverable and fun for the days when you just want to cruise! The versatile qualities of this ski make it the ideal choice for anyone looking for a ski that can hold an edge whilst you’re wanting to charge on groomers as well as through open bowls. The Unleashed 98 W can even handle the chop and crud on the less than perfect days.
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Technical Details
Having ridden this ski in varying terrain and a wide range of conditions — from firm ice, to 25cm of fresh snow — I can conclude that Nordica is completely accurate! The sheet of terrain-specific metal gives me support underfoot when carving on groomers, while the carbon stringers keep the ski light and nimble when in the trees and skiing pow. With the early rise (i.e. rocker) in tip and tail, the ski is playful through bumps and chop, with no issues of chatter at the tip.
This ski can hold an edge when you need it to, but also keep you afloat when your resort gets a fresh dump! The Unleashed is the perfect ski to add into Nordica’s line of freeskis, with the Santa Ana 98 being slightly stiffer, damper, and heavier, this ski will allow you to charge around and explore the mountain like never before.
| Sizes (cm) | 156, 162, [168], 174 |
| Dimensions (Tip, Waist, Tail - mm) | 131- 98 - 120 |
| Turning Radius (m) | 16.7 |
| Weight (g) | 1760 |
| Camber Profile | Rocker / Camber / Rocker |
Ride Impressions
Firm Snow/Groomers
With the terrain-specific sheet of metal running throughout the ski, you can trust the Unleashed to hold an edge as you rip the groomers! This ski had no issues with tackling the firm snow and I felt that I could freely unleash my inner speed demon on the groomers.
Powder
With a 98mm underfoot and early rise tip and tail, this ski is perfect for 5-10cm of fresh snow. When skiing a near 30cm fresh snow day, I felt that I could have done with a little more width underfoot and I am sure that the Unleashed 108 would have been the perfect weapon of choice for maximizing floatation on those deeper days. Despite this lack of floatation, I did find that the tails released well when skiing fresh snow.
Trees/Bumps
With traditional camber underfoot, this ski is playful and pops through the lumps and bumps, and feels energetic out of turns. However, for someone of my height and weight I have had easier times skiing areas that require making tighter turns such as trees, on my Armada ARV 96 in a 163cm length. Maybe I would have had an easier time navigating the trees and bumps on the 162cm length Unleashed (however this may have then made the skis feel unstable at high speeds on the groomers for which I loved the 168cm Unleashed — so a bit of a tradeoff to consider if you’re between sizes like I am).
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Pros
- Confidence-inspiring on fast, open terrain
- Feels strong through chop
- Great all-mountain ski
Cons
- Needs to be worked in tighter terrain
- Would prefer a wider underfoot for pow days
Who's It For?
For all those modern freeskiers out there, this is the daily driver you’ve been looking for! It’s stiff yet still playful and fun! This ski is the perfect ski for the all-mountain rider looking for a ski that they can progress with and push their confidence in bigger terrain and at higher speeds. For anyone looking to add a fun, fast, and powerful ski to aid their quiver, having already acquired a pow ski, this could be the one for you.
The Bottom Line
The Nordica Unleashed 98 W Skis are the perfect everyday ski for those looking to explore all parts of the mountain while feeling confident and stable! They ski fast and strong but are also playful and love to turn, both on-piste and off-piste. Feel confident attacking the groomers as well as the chop, these skis will not let you down. Nordica has named this their perfect ski for the next generation of freeskiers, and they are so right! Be bold and badass with the Unleashed 98 W.
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About the Reviewer
Name: Kate Leach
Age: 23
Height: 5’4”
Weight: 60kg
Size Reviewed: 168 cm
Location(s) & Conditions: Whistler Blackcomb, All conditions
Mount point: Factory Recommended
Bindings:Armada STH2 WTR 13 Ski Bindings
Boots:Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 115 W Alpine Touring Ski Boots
Riding Style: Advanced skier, a powder seeker but I love spring skiing as well. I prefer twin tip skis for going switch.
From the Brand
Unleash Your Creativity
Be brave, be bold, and be you with Nordica’s Unleashed 98 W. Refined for the modern freeskier, this female-driven design is as playful as it is versatile. And because it’s equally at home exploring deep snow, bumps, and trees, it’s the perfect daily driver for adventurous skiers. To amplify your confidence, it pairs a wood core with carbon and a sheet of terrain-specific metal. This design boosts edge hold and dampens vibrations for an especially smooth ride. Its rocker profile thrives in any terrain and all conditions while the traditional camber underfoot offers exceptional response and plenty of pop. And an early rise tip and tail provide additional floatation and love to play around the mountain. Break free—and never look back—with Nordica’s Unleashed 98 W.