Review: 2024 Nordica Enforcer 104 Free

This article was first published by SkiMag.com.

At a Glance

• Brand: Nordica
• Model: Enforcer 104 Free
• Overall Ranking: #1
• Overall Score: 7.96/10
• Strengths: Stability at Speed, Flotation
• Weaknesses: Forgiveness, Quickness
• Gender: Unisex
• Level: Advanced, Expert

Specs

• Tip/Waist/Tail (mm): 134.5-104-123.5
• Lengths (cm): 165, 172, 179, 186, 191
• Radius (m): 17.5 (179 cm)
• Waist Width (mm): 104
• Weight (per ski in grams): 1,765 (162)

Test Scores

• Stability at Speed: 9/10
• Quickness/Maneuverability: 6.89/10
• Playfulness: 7/10
• Forgiveness: 5.78/10
• Hard Snow Performance: 8.44/10
• Crud Performance: 8.56/10
• Versatility: 7.89/10
• Responsiveness: 7.78/10

Buy Now $850

The Nordica Enforcer lineup is no stranger to the upper ranks of the SKI test, and the Enforcer 104 Free carries on that tradition by claiming the top step on the Unisex All-Mountain Wide podium for 2023-24. While the Enforcer suite is known as being best suited for hard chargers, models with the Free designation provide accessibility to a slightly wider range of skiers. The 104 Free earned top marks in the category by combining a wood core, carbon, and two sheets of metal sandwiched into Nordica’s Powder Rocker profile to create an assertive ski that is comfortable at full throttle in any conditions. The rocker allows the ski to enter turns easily, but also gives you the freedom to smear and slash the exit. That profile, in conjunction with the stout core construction, helped the Enforcer 104 Free gain the best scores across the Unisex All-Mountain Wide category for Flotation and Versatility.

Although the Enforcer 104 Free is more approachable than other skis in the same offering, testers agreed it was still the best choice for strong, aggressive, and expert skiers. Chad Jacob, a tester based in upstate New York who coaches racing when he’s not busy sampling skis, noted that the ski was “super at home in the soft snow, but still charged and held on firm snow.” Testers agreed with his assertion that the 104 Free “literally has no speed limit”: The ski brought home not only its own highest score in Stability at Speed, but also tied for best ranking in that trait across the category.

Jon Sexauer, a Denver, Colorado-based weekend warrior, felt that the Enforcer 104 Free “felt best when you had space to run,” highlighting the ski’s lower scores for Quickness. Salt Lake City, Utah-based tester Brady Newton felt that it demanded skiers “stay in front, because there’s not a lot of support if you get bucked back,” which is a sentiment that all testers shared, giving the 104 Free low marks for Forgiveness.

Related: How wide is too wide for resort skis?

Skiers out West could easily plug in the Enforcer 104 Free as an everyday driver, and East Coast skiers would be able to use it as a veritable storm-chasing tool. At 104 millimeters underfoot, the ski was surprisingly adept at linking turns; Southern California–based tester Jamie Klopp pointed out that it “carves above its class. It is a pure joy for anyone who loves to lay it over!” Some testers felt that the ski could be a little too much in the longer length, feeling dead and heavy unless you really pushed the limits, which can be a tall order when the ski doesn’t seem to have a governor.

For strong, aggressive skiers, the Enforcer 104 Free is hard to not see as the “quiver killer.” For less-advanced skiers, it leaves the door to becoming a local hero ajar just enough to invite them into pushing their limits. Tester Luke Larsen, who calls Snowbird, Utah, his home hill, sums this ski up well: “It will Enforce your will on pow days!”

See how the Nordica Enforcer 104 Free compares to our other favorite frontside skis of the year.