This is a Cage Match where size matters -- I'm not just talking waist width, but length, too. The Bonafide and Enforcer have been the reference skis in this category for the past decade. The Bonafide took it over from the Völkl Mantra, and the Enforcer wrangled it away from the Bonafide in the second half of the decade.
Both the Blizzard Bonafide and Nordica Enforcer are all-new this year, but the Blizzard a bit more so with a completely new construction concept, waist width, and length offerings. Blizzard was a bit more progressive in the redesign. Where some brands would tend to go wider, Blizzard actually slimmed down the Bonafide a bit. It also instituted a construction design that allows the ski to flex better no matter the length. Speaking of length, this is the change that affected me the most. Blizzard abandoned its 166, 173, 180, and 187 size offerings and went to 169, 177, 183, and 189. So where the 180 was perfect for me before, the 177 feels too short and the 183 more truck-like. While this doesn’t sit well with me, others are rejoicing.
Speaking of rejoicing, the exact opposite was the case with the new Enforcer. With the Enforcer, I always found myself between two sizes: the 177 felt short and the 185 was cumbersome. Not only did Nordica change the overall lengths of the Enforcer, it lengthened the wheelbase (contact length) of the ski, making the new Enforcer much more proportional than the old one. This is especially true in the shorter lengths where the tip and tail rise was the same as the longer lengths so the contact length was not consistent. The new one is scaled much better. This Enforcer is much more balanced than the outgoing model.
- Why choose the Bonafide 97? The Bonafide is still the a charger of these two, but the difference is a bit less.
- Why choose the Enforcer 100? The Enforcer is still the mere playful one here; if you venture into the trees and bumps a bit more, lean this way.
- Insider tip: Size matters. Length should be considered here in your final decisions. Go with your gut: if you like a 177, stay with that length; if you prefer a 185, stay there, too. Don’t worry about brand loyalty; the Tecnica Group doesn’t care which of these skis you buy, just so you buy one of them. Both brands are under its umbrella.