2023 Nordica Navigator 85 Ca

The 2023 Nordica Navigator 85 CA has long been a strong contender for the title of "Most Overlooked Ski of all Time." Quite simply, everyone who gets on this thing totally loves it. It has a huge range of skier type and ability level to start, and then when used for a variety of conditions and terrain, the Navigator 85 can hold its own pretty much anywhere. This is a true Chameleon of a ski, as it's able to change at a moment's notice--capable and willing to be a bump ski on one run and a powder ski the next. Throw in some icy groomers in there, and the ski won't be able to tell much difference, it just meets you wherever you are. Years ago, when we first got on these skis, we had one of the iciest days I can remember, and after 20+ years of skiing in Vermont, that's saying a whole lot. We were all pretty darn amazed at how well the skis held to the ice and completed nice, round, carved turns from top to bottom. The wood core with the carbon laminate is a great way to build a ski, as it doesn't have metal to weigh it down, but just enough power to keep the ski smooth, damp, and stable when the trails get tough. The shovel of the ski is more Enforcer-inspired, while the tail has a bit more Dobermann influence. This combination, with the 85 mm waist, is a great blend of a lot of different properties that make this one of the most well-rounded skis we've seen.

Reuben Jalbert skied the 172, and admittedly, that was a short size for him. He gave top marks of 4's out of 5 for forgiveness, quickness, and maneuverability, with 3's lining the rest of his scorecard. Likely the sizing had something to do with the "lower" average scores, as he'd probably be more comfortable on the 179. Reuben notes that the Navigator 85 is "Quick and snappy. These things were fun for making lots of turns, but were quite iffy at higher speeds. They'd be a great, first all-mountain ski for improving intermediates, but also advanced skiers who want a wider-platformed and somewhat versatile on-trail ski." Again, we see the likeliness of that shorter size interfering with Reuben's top speed potential, and we just can't have that. Steve Sulin was on the more appropriately-sized 179, and he gave high scores of 5 out of 5 for versatility, torsional stiffness, edge hold, forgiveness, and playfulness. Steve notes that the Nordica is a "Fun ski easy to ski but loves to be driven around the mountain. Killer bump ski. Pivots really easily." That type of quickness is certainly a hallmark of these great all-mountain skis.

Bob St.Pierre got to ski the longest 186 cm length and noted that it was just about right. He also skis a Nordica Enforcer 88 in the 186, so it's a nice comparison to have between these two skis. Bob scored 5's out of 5 for overall impression, versatility, edge grip, quickness, and maneuverability, with all other scores as 4's. This is a great span of marks on the card, showing the high-performance and well-roundedness of the skis. "From the first turn I ever took on these skis, I knew they were going to be winners. I've seen a lot of different skiers have really good experiences on these, with wide ranges of ability types and in variable snow conditions and terrain. If you're looking for a strong ski without metal, and don't want the beef of the Enforcer or other skis with two sheets of metal, these Navigator 85's will hold up to some seriously strong skiing. The tail is surprisingly stiff, while the shovel brings you into the turn nicely. I like a ski with a strong kick at the end, and these are great examples of that behavior. Not sure if this is the end of the Navigator in 2023 or not, but I sure hope it sticks around!"

If you're looking to carve clean turns and rip through the bumps and trees and even stay on top of some fresh snow, you've got to check out the Nordica Navigator 85. It's a workhorse of a ski that has a playful side as well, checking a lot of boxes for a huge number of skiers over the past few seasons, and I, for one, am happy to live in a world where the Nordica Navigator 85 exists.