2027 Stockli Nela 86

The 2027 Stockli Nela 86 is a fun and sporty all-mountain ski that has great zip and amazing smoothness. This is an all-new ski from Stockli for this year, and it takes a lot of the shaping principles from the Stormrider 88 and puts them in this amazing all-mountain package. Nela 86 is a women's ski that is light, quick, and agile while still retaining a ton of performance and power from the groomers to the off-piste. While many skiers will spend most of their time in an on-piste situation, there is enough taper, rocker, and agility here to make them incredibly useful when it comes to more adventurous skiing.

Stockli does not shy away from sophisticated construction here. By using a blend of poplar, paulownia, and beech, the Nela 86 has an awesome mix of lightweight agility and dense power. They use two full sheets of metal in this ski with the upper layer pulling double-duty as the topsheet. Having the metal closer to your feet acts as an additional suspension system and drastically reduces chatter and vibrations. Stockli lists the weight of the ski at 1490 g/ski in the 162, so there's great mobility here. With thinner fiberglass laminates and a softer flex, these skis are somewhat approachable but still have a very high end feel and performance level. Tester Cally Monahan calls it a “Nice, solid ski. A bit beefier than other mid-80 waisted piste skis; not as quick to fling side to side for swishy short turns. It felt like it would hold an edge really well on carved turns, but I didn’t quite find the right conditions to fully trust leaning hard. I imagine this being an absolute blast on wide groomers with packed powder. A solid carver that is offended if you skid your turns too 😆”

At 86 mm underfoot, this ski is almost bordering on wide frontside, but the amount of roundness and taper in the shovel make it a bit more versatile. While Stockli calls it a "freeride tail", we can't help but wonder if that's a bit of an overstatement as they are quite flat and square. Tester Kristin Connors notes that "The Stöckli Nela 86 is a confident, grounded ski that delivers a smooth and stable ride. It has a strong connection to the snow, giving it a planted, secure feel. It's a damp ski which can make it feel less playful and forgiving. It performs best when driven from a forward stance. Skiers who stay centered and active over the front of the ski will get the most out of it. This ski rewards strong technique and a carving-focused style. Its strength is on fresh corduroy, variable conditions, firm snow and chopped up snow. It's not as strong in moguls or trees."

The Nela 86 is going to gain some fanatic new supporters this year because of its mix of strength and finesse. These skis inspire confidence and create lasting bonds between the skier and the snow. With a smooth and supple performance, the skis will help anyone improve and at the same time, will allow experts to fully reach their potential when it comes to smooth, round, and predictable turns.