Nela 88 classic review

Overview

The Nela 88 Classic is Stöckli's women's all-mountain freeride ski (article 41040426), the Lady counterpart to the Stormrider 88, priced at 899 EUR in the 26/27 range. The shape is 127-88-113 mm with radii of 13.4 m (152 cm), 15.0 m (160) and 16.9 m (168). Stöckli calls it playful and "ready to conquer the entire mountain" with minimal effort, and the build is aimed squarely at weight: a Light Core wood core, Thin Glass Laminate, Softflex, Freeride Tip Technology and Titanal Technology Pro, where the Titanal top layer is powder-coated and printed directly instead of carrying a polyamide top sheet. It is a flat ski, offered with a Strive 11 L90 or a Shift 10 SH90 hybrid binding.

On-snow performance

With 88 mm underfoot and a 127 mm tip, the Nela sits on the wide side of a one-ski quiver for women. The 13.4–16.9 m radii are medium rather than slalom-short, so on paper it prefers rounded turns at moderate to fast speed, and the Titanal top layer plus Polywall sidewalls should give it more hard-snow grip than most women's 88s at this weight. The Freeride Tip Technology puts a light, stiff insert in the shovel so it stays stable and generates lift in deep snow, and the longer, flatter Tail Rocker is Stöckli's tool for an easy release in soft snow and bumps. Softflex and the Thin Glass Laminate make it bendable for lighter skiers, and at 1,485–1,630 g per ski it undercuts the men's Stormrider 88 (about 1,620–1,850 g) by a wide margin, which bodes well for swing weight in trees and moguls. In short, it is the gentlest Stöckli in this width: more all-mountain than hard-charging freeride, with the brand's edge hold as the bonus.

Construction & specs explained

• Construction: Sandwich System, made in Switzerland.
• Core: Light Core — lighter European wood species, slightly softer and suppler.
• Metal: Titanal Technology Pro (TITEC) — powder-coated Titanal top layer with the graphic printed directly on it; no polyamide top sheet.
• Thin Glass Laminate (TGL): fibreglass 25% lighter than the conventional laminate at the same stiffness.
• Freeride Tip Technology (FTT): light, stiff insert in the shovel for stability and lift.
• Softflex (SF) + Lady: thinner layers for a softer flex.
• Sidewalls: Polywall (PWA) — softer, more elastic sidewall with damping and high impact resistance.
• Rocker + Tail Rocker (TR): tip rocker and a longer, flatter tail rocker with camber underfoot.
• Edges: Solid Metal Edge Light; base: Racing-Graphite.
• Sidecut: 127-88-113 mm for all lengths.
• Radius: 13.4 m (152), 15.0 m (160), 16.9 m (168).
• Weight: 1,485 g (152), 1,535 g (160), 1,630 g (168) per ski; Stöckli lists 2.97–3.26 kg per pair.
• Binding: flat ski; Strive 11 L90 or Shift 10 SH90 offered as sets.

Who it's for & comparisons

The Nela 88 Classic is for intermediate to advanced women who split their days between groomers and off-piste and want a light ski that still has a Titanal layer for grip. The men's Stockli Stormrider 88 is the direct sibling, with longer 16–19.5 m radii in 169–184 cm and more mass. Among women's 88s in the catalog, the Head Kore 87 Ti W (about 1,685 g at 170 cm) and the Kästle Sublime 88 W (about 1,680 g at 166 cm) are the premium, metal-reinforced rivals, both heavier; the Blizzard Black Pearl 88 (about 1,450 g at 170 cm) is the mainstream alternative and matches the Nela on weight, with a more freeride-oriented tip. The Nela's edge is the price for a Swiss-made ski and the lighter, softer flex.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Light for a Titanal-reinforced 88: 1,485–1,630 g per ski.
• Freeride Tip Technology and Tail Rocker for float and an easy release.
• Polywall sidewalls add damping and durability.
• Flat ski with a hybrid Shift 10 binding option for short tours.
• Swiss-made at 899 EUR, Stöckli's entry price.

Cons

• Only three lengths, topping out at 168 cm.
• Softflex layup is not for hard-charging experts.
• Medium 13.4–16.9 m radii; short-turn fans may want something narrower.
• The tail rocker shortens the effective edge on hardpack compared with the Stormrider.

Verdict: A light, approachable women's 88 with real Stöckli hardware for the price of a mainstream rival. Choose it over the Black Pearl 88 if you value piste grip, and over the Stormrider 88 if you want less ski to push around.