2025 Nordica Enforcer 104 Ski Review

We’ve seen some lovely updates to the Enforcer line as a whole and as the widest member of the family, the new 2025 Nordica Enforcer 104 holds up its end of the bargain as an absolute freight train of a ski. This thing has been a total beast since inception, and now it gets an extra boost of power and stability while keeping the all-around expert versatility. Regarding the slight change in name, Nordica has dropped the “Free” moniker in relation to the wider Enforcer skis. The Unleashed series has taken over the wider skis in Nordica’s line with the 108 and 114 bringing more of a playful, or “Free” mentality to the extension of the freeride line. We think it’s a good fit—it keeps the Enforcers clearly on the business side of the spectrum while the wider and more twin-tipped Unleashed series brings creativity to the table. With a move towards a smoother and damper feel with slightly less rocker in both tips and tails, the new 104 gets a directional kick to separate itself from the Unleashed and to bring it closer to the rest of the Enforcer line. As such, we’re getting a rock-solid platform and one of the best carving 104’s out there today.

There are a few new aspects to the construction of the new 104, and it all starts with the wood core. It sounds a little strange, but one of the things Nordica wants to convey is that they have a new source of wood. Anyone who’s been involved in construction or woodworking in their life will know that quality matters. By sourcing a different quality of wood for the core, Nordica takes a step towards overall performance. We still get the same type of blend, mixing poplar and beech stringers to achieve a strong yet agile base. Two layers of titanal bookend this core, making the 104 one of the only skis at this width to feature two titanal laminates. This metal has long been the hallmark of the Enforcer line, blending seamlessly with the shape of the ski to create a turny yet functional product that is more mobile than the weight and dampness let on. The twist for 2025 is a 2 mm narrowing of the metal on each side to bring it more in the central part of the ski. So, slightly less metal, but not a wholesale change. The other addition of note here is the implementation of a pulse core layer under the binding zone. This elastomer material has been used in Nordica's more front side oriented Steadfast and Spitfire line of skis as a buffer of vibrations in their Dual Core construction. It’s now brought forward into Enforcer to keep the underfoot zone smooth and silent. In addition to the new wood core that delivers energy and pop, the pulse core performs as advertised—these skis feel a lot quieter underfoot which increases confidence and overall skiing satisfaction. We still get the full sidewall construction, giving the ski a traditional feel and rock-solid edge grip on firmer snow. This construction does come at the price of weight, with the 185 sitting on the scale at 2200 grams per ski. If you’re looking for a lighter, flickable, playful ski and don’t want to work too hard, this may be an obstacle that’s difficult to overcome. That said, for skiers who are willing to put in the effort, the performance reward is well worth the heft. This is a slight drop in weight from last year’s 104 Free, so a minimal reduction in grams balances the shaping move to a more directional ski. Interestingly, the core thickness is increased for 2025, indicating an emphasis on more poplar and less beech. This thickness is more of a culprit for overall stiffness, and while they seem relatively similar in flex, the new one hand flexes slightly stiffer.

At a Glance:

2025 Nordica Enforcer 104 Skis

While the updates in construction all work great for the 104 (and all other Enforcer skis, for that matter), the change in shape brings the power and consistency to the next level. They’ve made it sleeker, sharper, and more precise. While we gain one half meter in turn shape (18.5 to 19 in the 186/185), the forward movement of the mount point makes this new 104 feel more eager to initiate. We get a slightly wider tip and tail in the new ski, but the way in which it interacts with the new taper shape and rocker profile keeps it from a numerically shorter arc on paper. On snow, the new 104 does feel like a better pure carver than the outgoing model. We see the bigger difference in the height of splay and length of rocker. The new ski has a decidedly flatter overall profile, most notably in the tail, but still apparent in the shovel. This is designed to keep the ski engaged in the snow more while the older ski had more of a floaty and playful character. Skiers who are willing to push the 104 will still be able to harness that creativity and smeary aspect, but it’s not quite as accessible as the 104 Free based on both stiffness and rocker.

The blend of build and shape all add up to an absolute rocket out there on the snow and especially on-trail. We use a lot of analogies and similes to describe skis—some find their way into the freight train or car category while others fall into the boat realm. One of the ones that popped into my head while on this ski was comparing the Enforcer 104 to a Firetruck. Not sure that one’s been done yet. Firetrucks are wide, powerful, and fast. They seem to go too quick for the type of terrain in which they’re used, and we’ve found that to be true about the new 104—they just go so fast and are totally planted on the snow. That’s the main difference—this new 104 is an amazing wide carving ski. It’s not much of a dancer or a mobility specialist, but it sure hammers through adverse conditions and terrain. The new shape is blockier and more squared-off than the outgoing model as a nod to the fall line direction and emphasis. This is fantastic news for skiers that like to put the pedal down and rip fast, stable, and strong carved turns down any type of slope or hill. When you think the ski has had enough, you can just push it that much harder and faster and it’ll still adhere to your directives. On-trail, this is as competent of a ski at this width as we’ve ever been on. The forward mount point and the 19-meter turn shape in the 185 make this ski feel like it’s on rails. Watching big vehicles, like firetrucks or large passenger planes take on sharper angles and corners is almost a surreal experience. When 747’s bank steeply, or when large trucks accelerate through turns, it’s hard for your mind to comprehend the physics behind it. The same can be said for this new 104. How can something this shape handle turns like this at these speeds? This is a notable difference between this ski and the outgoing version. There is no wavering or doubt—the Enforcer 104 is a simply amazing carver and turner.

When talking about off-trail and off-piste performance, wider zones fit this ski better. Narrow and tight trees were never really the 104 Free’s specialty, and that character carries into 2025. We’ve always felt that the 104’s, both then and now, functioned amazingly well in open areas with adverse conditions. You can get as technical as you want on these skis when it comes to steep, rocky, and narrow realms and they’ll hold up great. When you get out of those areas and the mountain opens up below you, that’s where these skis really start to shine. Through crud, mank, spring slush, windbuffed, and choppy snow, the 104 does not flinch. It treats anything not smooth as if it were polished glass. That’s the benefit of two sheets of metal and a thicker core profile. In powder, it gets a bit trickier. The width will sustain flotation, but the weight fights against it. The older profile was slightly better in deep snow, but this is another case of Nordica pushing the Unleashed 108 or 114 on skiers who find themselves in those untracked situations more often than not. In tighter spots, bumps and trees specifically, these 104’s can be a handful. They’re quick enough on the feet of skilled skiers, but don’t expect the ski to do all the work for you. There are lighter and more flickable options out there for less aggressive skiers, but none of those will come remotely close to the planted and solid feel of the new Enforcer 104.

This past year, we were blown away with the new build and shape of the Enforcer 104. While it lacks the twin-tipped and freestyle character of the outgoing 104 Free, it certainly takes the on-trail performance to the next level. Some skiers will appreciate the flatter profile in emphasizing smoothness and power while others will miss the splay and rocker and slightly more forgiving flex of the Free. Either way, the new 104 fits in better with the direction of Nordica as a whole. The Enforcer skis are more solidified and similar. The Unleashed series takes that freeride fun to the next level. It’s a clear delineation that skiers will appreciate with minimal crossover. No matter what new Enforcer you may find yourself on, there’s a stark difference between new and old, yet a sharp similarity among all new widths. With an unmistakable feel and turning ability, the 2025 Nordica Enforcer brings aggressive carving and soft snow charging into a whole new realm.