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SkiEssentials

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This week on Chairlift Chat we take a closer look at the 2019 Nordica women's Santa Ana collection and discuss how they differ from the men's Enforcer models. Are there any PugSkiers on Santa Anas? What do you think? Are there any women here that ski the Enforcers? Any men that ski the Santa Anas?
 

AmyPJ

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I own the Santa Ana 100 from 2016. I absolutely love it. I demoed the Santa Ana 100 this year in conditions that were not bad for a 100mm under foot ski, and it is a LOT more ski to maneuver, than my 2016 version. That being said, it was a REALLY nice ski and was much more smooth in the cut up stuff I was skiing in. I would like to have tried it in the shorter length (161) because I think the 169 with that beefier construction was just a lot of ski for me to get around on.

I also have skied the 2017 and 2018 Santa Ana 93s, which are also different construction from each other, and I like them both but could easily be swayed into owning the current version (which I demoed again this year.) Stable, smooth, and easy. More serious than the previous version which was lacking in stability. I could see the 93s being a solid one ski quiver for a lot of women.

Really nice skis overall. I seem to have a taste for Nordica and Bizzard skis in general.
 

surfsnowgirl

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I'd love to try the Santa Ana 93 as I see a lot of them out and about. I demoed the 2016 in a 161 and it felt very short but I could see the ski overall being fun in powder. I love my 2018 Santa Ana 100s. I've had them in lots of variable snow including some hard pack mixed in and wow these skis are great. A wise person mentioned having a slightly shorter ski in case you get in a jam so I think the 169 would be perfect since I'm getting into trees, bumps and ungroomed snow. That said I've had these things in bumps, trees and these feel more solid than the older ones I tried, you'd never know these things have 2 sheets of metal in them. They are the lightest ski I own. Great job nordica as you hit the ball out of the park with this one. Love the top sheets of the 2019s too.
 

DanoT

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you'd never know these things have 2 sheets of metal in them.

According to the western Canada Nordica rep, the Enforcer 100 has 2 sheets of metal and the Santa Anna 100 is close to the Enforcer construction except the Santa Anna has a lighter softer core and only 1 sheet of metal.

Every ski maker is making lighter skis these days but I think Head's Wild Joy women's series are the lightest along with the new for 2018 Kore series and the Kore 93 comes in a 153cm and 162cm length so it is not just for men. Pretty stiff ski though.
 

surfsnowgirl

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DanoT

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According to the nordica website they have 2 sheets of metal.

I stand corrected, or maybe the western Canada Nordica rep should be corrected. The Nordica website does say that the Santa Anna has a balsa wood core, so presumably that is where the light weight comes from.
 
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SkiEssentials

SkiEssentials

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No worries. Yeah my takeaway is the Santa ana seems light due to the balsa wood construction.

And there's still poplar and beech in there too. It's pretty cool construction. Basically the exact same as the Enforcer 110 and Pro, but different core thicknesses.
 

Tricia

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I skied a couple days at A-Basin on the Santa Ana 93. I really love how the metal improved this ski in the 93 world.
@Lady_Salina skied it for a few days as well.
 

Snowflake2420

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Love Nordica skis. It all started with an impulse buy of some marked down La Ninas. Recently got the 2018 Santa Ana 100s. I remember trying a prior version and it had a notable "planky" feel to me, whereas these seem very responsive. What I was looking for in an all mountain ski, maneuverable and playful, easy to put on the bases, but have guts to hold an edge, ski ice, etc.

As mentioned in the article, Nordica strikes a really nice balance between the men's skis and women's skis that have some of the best attributes of the mens, while still being tailored to women. They also come in sizes I can actually ski :)
 
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albertanskigirl

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I have the 2017 metal-less Santa Anas and I love them. Very light and great on all terrain. I skied every single ski day on these this past season!
 

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