THE PEOPLE'S SKI TEST - NORDICA SANTA ANA 104

NORDICA SANTA ANA 104
Category: Freeride
Lengths: 158, 165, 172, 179
Dimensions: 134/104/123 @ 172
Radius: 16.5m @ 172
MSRP: $799
More info: nordica.com

“Remember in school when they said you can get addicted the first time you try drugs? This was the first ski I tested, and I could never get as high again. It’s not often the opening act steals the show, but the Nordica Santa Ana 104 did just that. Stiff but forgiving, playful, fun and sporty—who even needs a boyfriend with those descriptors? It excelled in any and every type of terrain and condition, and I would recommend it to nearly any type of skier. I’ll admit that the graphic initially had me doubting its potential. But then again, I met my husband in a tie-dye shirt, wool socks and clogs, so it was worth going a bit deeper with this ski. I'd put a ring on it.” –Jessica Leahey

Reviewer’s Rating: On Piste: 10/10 • Off Piste: 10/10
Average Rating: On Piste: 10/10 • Off Piste: 10/10

REVIEWER BIO:

Jessica Leahey
Age: 35 / Height: 5’8” / Weight: 140 lbs / Occupation: Visual Artist
The most creative of our testers, Jessica Leahey’s skills with a paintbrush are just as sharp as her edges (as seen in issue 6.1 of Forecast). As one of the rare people savvy enough to make a living in the arts, she notes her hours are gobbled up quickly by studio projects, and that her time on snow is precious. As such, she craves steep and deep turns, and has no time to waste on a ski that doesn’t deliver. Her daily driver has a rocker-camber-rocker profile, is 108 millimetres underfoot, and 172 centimetres in length. She’ll bump all the way up to 179 centimetres for pow, and prefers a longer turn radius when it’s deep, ranging from 19 to 21 metres. Her most revered gear, though, includes her heart-shaped sunglasses and faux fur top—which drastically improve her performance in everything from hot-lap pow to spring corn.