2027 Nordica Steadfast 85 DC

For 2027, the Nordica Steadfast 85 DC is a carryover model with the same shape, construction, and graphics as last year. This is a front side ski disguised as an all-mountain ski. Or it’s an all-mountain ski pretending to be a front side ski. Either way you choose to look at it, it’s a sharp carver with surprising versatility. While groomers are the forte of the ski, there’s no denying that for bumps and some softer snow. This ski is a whole lot of fun. With smoothness and agility to spare, Steadfast 85 makes a clean mark on the mountain. It’s so incredibly easy and fun to turn and has remarkable energy and poise for a relatively value-oriented setup. Most people spend most of their time on-trail, so a ski like this makes a lot of sense.

These skis feel sturdy, planted, and smooth. From a construction standpoint, the story here is about Nordica’s Double Core. While we see a lot of manufacturers using vertical stringers glued together to achieve a certain result, there have been some, specifically recently, that are using horizontal laminates to create the ski’s character. In Steadfast 85, skiers get their Energy Ti DC core, consisting of four horizontal layers of power, agility, and damping. The ski features a top wood laminate, a titanal layer, a pulse core sheet that dampens vibrations, and a second wood laminate. These sandwiched layers all add up to an incredibly smooth and powerful construction. The flex is appropriate for skiers who are looking to make a variety of turn shapes and styles, while the damping is off the charts. Having the metal layer in the middle makes a big difference in terms of overall snow feel and weight distribution, allowing skiers to access a new level of precision, power, and silence. Tester John Stobierski says that “This is a nice front side all mountain ski. It’s fairly playful and not stiff. It’s just as easy to slide a turn as is to carve one. It’s a quick turning all mountain ski in exchange for its playfulness it gives up a little stiffness so if you ski on a lot of very hard pack, icy conditions, I’d go for a longer size.”

We like to play the percentages around here, so a ski with this shape is a safe bet. As an 85 mm under footed ski, the key here is well-roundedness. While the overall footprint looks more like a front side ski, and the addition of a system binding leans it more to that side of the spectrum, the overall performance of the ski in all-around behavior is amazing. In the 179, we’re getting a turn radius of 15.8-meters, so that means the ski is ready and willing to carve clean turns across the fall line. The nice thing here is that there’s some roundness to the shape, allowing for better off-trail performance and versatility. They save the more squared-off shaping for the Dobermann series of skis, so if you’re looking for true front side and race-like performance, that’s likely a better fit. For most other skiers, Steadfast 85 is the place to be. There’s not a whole lot of rocker going on here—just enough to facilitate transitions between turns and an easier entry phase. Overall, it’s a mainly cambered ski that loves to be on edge. Tester Christian Strong says: “I thought this ski was very quick turning, gripped well on ice and fun. This is a great ski for ripping around on trails. It is a good quick turning ski. Very lively!”

This is a very broad-reaching ski. The Steadfast 85 DC is a must-ski for about 90% of the skiing population. It’s one of those skis that most people should be on, rather than something wider and harder to ski. The blend of medium demand and the friendly overall composure of the ski makes a lot of sense for a lot of skiers, making this an excellent choice for intermediate through expert skiers who are spending most of their time on smoother and groomed terrain. With just a slight roundness to its shape and character, the whole mountain is accessible, just not in a freeride sense.