2012-2013 Nordia Soul Rider, 185cm (134-97-124)
Last season, in his review of the Wailer 99, Jonathan Ellsworth wrote that a serious competition was shaping up in the class of ~98mm all-mountain skis.
Not all 98mm underfoot skis are made for the same level of skier or suit the same riding style. The Rossignol Scimitar is a versatile, freestyle-oriented ski similar to the MOMENT PB&J, and the Rossi S3 is a more playful and soft-snow-oriented alternative. If you’re looking for more of a traditional all-mountain feel, there’s the Blizzard Bonafide, and if you want an all-mountain carver with a serious race pedigree, there’s the Experience 98.
But there was one ski that we named last year but have yet to review: the 97mm Nordica Soul Rider. So we’re bringing it to Las Leñas.
We loved the versatility of the Rossi Scimitar’s super gradual, reverse camber profile. The Soul Rider, with early rise in the tip and traditional camber underfoot, also seems like a very promising do-it-all ski. Will it provide more energy and on-edge feedback than the Scimitar (which has a flat profile underfoot), and be a little more suitable for the ex-racer looking to carve? How well will it do when conditions are soft? Does it cater to people looking for a fun, everyday jib-stick?
There’s a big set of questions to be asked about every all-mountain ski, and we’ll try to answer each of them on the Soul Rider. It’s a ski we could see in the mix this season for our one-ski quiver selections.
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