Nordica Santa Ana 87 26/27

The Santa Ana 87 is Nordica's frontside-focused women's all-mountain ski — 87mm underfoot, rocker-camber-rocker profile, and a construction that layers a poplar/beech wood core with an elastomer Pulse layer and a single sheet of Terrain Specific Metal titanal. That titanal sheet is what defines this ski's personality: Nordica proportionally widens the metal underfoot on narrower-waisted skis in the Santa Ana line, so the 87 carries more titanal edge-to-edge than its wider siblings. In practice that means genuine edge grip on hardpack and chopped snow, damping that keeps chatter from rattling your hands loose at speed, and a planted, stable feel through medium to long-radius arcs. The rocker at tip and tail softens entry into turns and keeps the ski from hooking in variable conditions, while the cambered midsection stores and releases energy through the finish. The unlocked tail has a touch of rise built in, which lets you redirect the ski in tight spots without fighting it — a real benefit when the run narrows unexpectedly.

This ski is built for intermediate to advanced women skiers who ski groomed runs and packed powder most of the season and want a ski that holds an edge without requiring coaxing. It rewards skiers who drive their turns from the front foot and can pressure the shovel through the arc — someone still learning to commit to the fall line will feel its stiff flex working against them, not for them. If you spend more time in soft snow, trees, or off-piste terrain, the Santa Ana 92 or 97 gives you float and playfulness the 87 won't. On the other end, if you're primarily on groomed groomers and want something quicker edge-to-edge with a shorter radius, the Santa Ana 82 is the tighter, punchier option.