2027 Nordica Unleashed 98 CA

For 2027, the Nordica Unleashed 98 CA returns structurally unchanged but gets a new graphic update. In many ways, and for many skiers, this actually works better than the Ti version. We’ve found it to be snappy, energetic, and a bit lighter overall. It retains a solid cambered feel throughout and is fun and zippy in the bumps and trees. While it’s not enormously lighter than the Ti version, there’s something there when it comes to on-snow feel, allowing skiers an easier time off-trail with just a bit of a dip in damping for groomers and hard pack. It holds up its end of the bargain on firm snow as well, bringing Nordica’s amazing turning ability to the mix.

Nordica keeps it pretty basic in terms of materials, but it’s a very strong feel overall in the construction. There’s a lot of benefits to a relatively simple wood core ski. You get a nice and natural feeling and lovely energy. The Unleashed 98 uses a blend of poplar and beech to create a smooth and supple feel. That’s about it. They use a full sidewall in the ski and it creates a very sturdy feel overall. In the 186, we have it on the scale at just over 2000 grams per ski which is on the hefty side for a ski without metal, but it just works well at this weight. Tester Carly Monahan states that “Within the first few turns, my thought was; wow, that’s definitely playful! The Unleashed was maneuverable and fun. I would recommend this ski for ungroomed terrain, side country woods, etc. It feels quick and light, but still burly enough to chop through heavier snow.”

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of upper-90's twin tips here at SkiEssentials. If you’re familiar with the shape and profile of the Unleashed 98 Ti, you will not be surprised by a whole lot here. The ski uses the same mold, measurements, and footprint as the Ti version, so there is a lot of consistency between these two models. With a turn radius of 18.1 meters in the 180 cm length, these skis are well-balanced and capable of making a variety of turn shapes and styles with minimal effort. While the camber is long, the flex allows for easy manipulation of the tips and tails in all sorts of snow types. Tester Bob St.Pierre notes that “This is one of those skis that I'd use every day no questions asked. It's intuitive, precise, fun, and responsive. You can push it hard and it'll return the favor. There's very few limitations here as the ski likes to turn and carve but then you can make it do bumps, trees, powder, and anything else you can think of.”

Anyone who’s been on this ski has thoroughly enjoyed it. The Unleashed 98 has some interesting tricks up its sleeve when it comes to making clean and round turns with a predictable and high-end feel. Due to the shape sharing with the Unleashed 98 Ti, there’s a known quantity here, and it certainly helps get skiers comfortable with the premise of all-mountain and freestyle skiing. If you’re not sure where your ski day will take you, take an Unleashed 98 CA with you.