The 2023 Nordica Dobermann Spitfire 72 is a clear-cut favorite from our group of testers. One of the biggest improvements we’ve noticed for this year’s test is the group of former racers and expert carvers that we’ve had the pleasure of following with cameras and reading their feedback. There’s so much room for skis like this on the hill. Built with Nordica’s performance wood core, two sheets of metal, phenol sidewalls, and a GR 400 carbon laminate, these skis are built for the highest-demand of carving turns out there. In the 174 cm length, these skis produce a 16-meter turn radius, so you’re sure to have the mid-range covered. Feel free to use these in a variety of applications, from a beer-league race ski to an early-morning groomer carver, the opportunities are endless. At 72 mm underfoot, these skis are actually the narrowest in the Spitfire range, offering the most torsional stiffness and edge grip. When paired with a recoil power plate system binding, you’re getting a sweet setup that gets a lot of influence from the race room.
ROCKER PROFILE
Camber
CORE MATERIALS
Carbon Race Bridge 2.0
PREFERRED TERRAIN
Groomers
Jamie O’Brien brought his considerable racing credentials to our test, and he found the 174 to be the sweet spot for skis like this. 5’s out of 5 littered his scorecard in categories like stability, torsional stiffness, edge hold, quickness, maneuverability, and playfulness. It’s probably not playful like a freeride/powder ski, but in a variety of turn shapes and styles, it’s easy to see that this is a fun-loving ski in its own realm. Jamie notes that “The Dobermann is a dog true to its name. Feisty, solid, and able to stand on its own against any conditions.” Also on the 174, Mike Anglin scored 5’s out of 5 for overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, playfulness, quickness, and maneuverability. Like Jamie, he had lower scores for flotation and versatility, with those coming in at 1’s and 2’s respectively. With any singular-minded ski, we’re sure to see some greater variances in scoring versus more versatile all-mountain skis. Colorfully, Mike states that “The Nordica Spitfire 72 reminds me a lot of a fire breathing T-rex dino. Absolutely wicked ski that shows its strength with its versatility in various turn shapes at an array of different speeds. The Spitfire feels tough and strong when pushed but has a soft side with the right amount finesse. It tears up the early morning groomers with ease and loves the steeps but is also comfortable on the mellower terrain. Great ski for the intermediate to expert wanting a powerful 72 waisted beast that spits fire!”
Greg Petrics found the 174 to be a bit short, as he’d likely size up to the 180 for himself. He gave an unsurprising 1 out of 5 for flotation, a 2 for versatility, but bookended those scores with 5’s for playfulness, torsional stiffness, and edge hold. Interestingly, all three of our testers scored 5’s out of 5 for playfulness—something that I would not really guess would happen, but that’s a testament to the fun levels that this ski is capable of achieving. “The personality of this ski is in its straight up on-piste ripping capability. At 72mm underfoot, it's not trying to pretend to be anything other than a piste ski. The ski's strength is its endless grip at slalom/GS radius and speeds. Its weakness is that it isn't going to be very fun off the piste. The ski is not that versatile: it is designed to give you the feel of a race ski with just a bit more forgiveness, and it does that in spades. And it does only that. This ski is perfect for almost any groomed trail, but it seems to especially like the firm groomers. The ski is perfect for advanced skiers, and the occasional advanced intermediate. Anyone in the middle of the intermediate pack, or closer to "just getting started" is going to struggle on this ski.”
When the conditions are correct and your skills allow, the Nordica Dobermann Spitfire 72 is a fantastic tool. It’s amazing, though, that so many of our testers found it to be playful, but given their extensive racing backgrounds, and like Greg indicates, if you’re of lesser skills and ability, this ski requires quite a bit of work.
