By Noah Carter
Nordica Unleashed 98
Overview
The Unleashed 98 is a versatile 98 mm all-mountain freeride ski aimed at riders who want a playful yet damped daily driver that handles piste, trees and occasional powder. With a Powder Rocker profile — early rise in tip and tail with traditional camber underfoot — it combines accessible flotation in soft snow with predictable edge hold on firm snow. The design balances playfulness for short-radius manoeuvres and buttering with stability at speed, making it a strong choice for intermediate-advanced to expert skiers who value versatility.
Construction and ride feel
Construction-wise the ski uses a Lite Performance full wood core with carbon reinforcement and a single Terrain-Specific Metal (TSM Ti) plate, ABS sidewalls and a sintered base in a sandwich build. That mix gives a stable, damp ride with enough torsional stiffness for precise edge grip while the Ti element adds composure at speed. The True Tip reduces mass in the shovel and extends a tapered wood core, lowering swing weight and improving manoeuvrability in tight trees and variable snow.
On-snow performance
On snow the ski feels lively but composed: camber underfoot provides clean edge engagement on groomers while the longer running base and pronounced tip shovel make float and turn initiation in soft snow easy. In trees and chopped snow the ski’s early-rise tip and turned-up tail facilitate quick pivots and playful butters; it’s forgiving when you want to freestyle lines. Expect confidence at moderate speeds rather than the razor-sharp precision of a hard-charging race ski, but excellent all-mountain capability.
Comparisons and intended rider
Against similar skis the Unleashed 98 is quicker edge-to-edge and more agile than the wider Unleashed 108, which will out-float it in deep powder but feel slower on piste transitions. Compared with the Santa Ana 98, the Unleashed 98 tends to run with more metal and a slightly firmer flex for higher-speed stability; the Santa Ana leans lighter and often more forgiving in playful terrain. Choose the 98 if you want one ski to handle piste laps, tree runs and opportunistic powder days.
Specs explained and recommendation
Representative specs (174 cm): tip 132 mm, waist 98 mm, tail 121 mm, turning radius 17.4 m, weight about 1800 g per ski (3600 g per pair). Tip/waist/tail widths affect flotation, turn initiation and release — wider tips float better, a 98 mm waist gives a quick edge-to-edge feel, and tail width governs how quickly the ski exits turns. Radius dictates turn size: 17.4 m favors medium-radius carving with stability. Weight influences swing and fatigue; the True Tip and carbon reduce swing weight. Good for advanced skiers seeking a versatile freeride tool.
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