Unleashed 106 CA review

Overview

The Unleashed 106 CA is the carbon-alloy sister to the metal-carrying Unleashed 106, replacing the Drift Lock titanal strip with a Full Wood Core + Carbon + Sidewall build for lighter, more forgiving handling. Verified sidecut at 164 cm is 133.5-106-122.5 mm with a 14.5 m radius. Available lengths are 152, 157, 164 and 171 cm. Weight is 3000 g per pair at 164 cm (≈1500 g per single ski). Rocker profile is the Freeride Flow Shape.

On-snow performance

At 106 mm with no metal, the Unleashed 106 CA is aimed at intermediate-to-advanced skiers who want a wider freeride shape without the mass of a titanal-plate 106. Roughly 1500 g per ski at 164 cm is remarkably light for the segment — a full 100 g lighter than the standard 106 at the same length. Off piste the CA build floats and pivots easily in soft snow. On piste the 14.5 m radius keeps carves accessible, though the carbon-only build lacks the edge grip of a titanal cousin in high-speed hardpack chop.

Construction & specs explained

Core: Full Wood (Lite Performance Wood, paulownia+ash) with carbon stringers through tip and tail — no titanal at all, which is the "CA" (Carbon Alloy) designation. ABS sidewalls, factory 0.9°/87.5° edges. True Tip technology extends the wood core into the tip taper. Sidecut at 164 cm is 133.5-106-122.5 mm with 14.5 m radius. Rocker profile is the Freeride Flow Shape — early rise at both tip and tail with camber underfoot.

Who it's for & comparisons

Compared to the standard Nordica Unleashed 106 with Drift Lock Metal, the CA is roughly 100 g/ski lighter, more forgiving in flex and easier to pivot in soft snow — the tradeoff is less hardpack grip and less high-speed damping. Against the Blizzard Rustler 10 the CA is narrower and lighter with a more directional shape. Compared to the previous Nordica Unleashed 108 it is narrower and CA-built rather than the mixed construction of the 108.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Verified light weight (~1500 g at 164 cm) makes the ski easy to swing.
• Full Wood + Carbon build is more forgiving than a titanal-plate 106.
• Four length options (152–171 cm) cover shorter-to-mid-height skiers.
• Freeride Flow Shape floats well in soft snow.

Cons

• Less edge grip than the metal-carrying Unleashed 106 on hardpack.
• Not built for touring despite the light build — resort-oriented.
• Maximum length is 171 cm — taller skiers should look at the metal 106.
• Softer flex may feel underpowered for expert charging in high-speed chop.

Verdict: A light, forgiving 106 mm freeride ski without the mass of a titanal-plate cousin. Best for intermediate-to-advanced skiers who value handling and float over hardpack authority.