Review: Nordica Santa Ana 102

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There’s a reason the Santa Ana is one of Nordica’s most popular ski lines. The widest in the line but not wide enough to be considered a true powder ski, the Santa Ana 102 moves between conditions as easily as it does across the mountain. Combining a wood and elastomer core with a sheet of titanal in a 102mm waist, the Santa Ana 102 makes a strong case as the perfect daily ski for the Rockies and West Coast.

In a nutshell:

• Lengths Skied: 167, 173 cm
• Stated Weight: 1960 g
• Stated Dimensions: 16.5-18.5m (size specific)
• Stated Sidecut: 130.5-102-120.5

Size, Shape, and Construction

The Santa Ana comes in a variety of sizes ranging from 155cm to 179cm each with a size-specific sidecut radius. These range from 16.5-18.5cm putting it right in that sweet spot of balancing carving response and edgehold, and predictable off-piste without being too hard charging.

Nordica also uses a technology called the TSM Pulse Core which pairs wood, a sheet of metal and the so-called “elastomer pulse core: to dampen the skis as well as keep them light, playful, and responsive.

Where does the Nordica Santa Ana 102 shine?

Easy to control and playful were two consistent themes in the Santa Ana 102. These skis especially shone on groomers with some fresh snow on top. Narrow enough to carve and stable enough to absorb some chunk as things get skied off, they still stay true to Nordica’s reputation for making hard-charging skis. But unlike stiffer, less responsive Nordica models like the Enforcer, the Santa Ana retained a level of playfulness that can be tough to pair with stability.

Overall, the Santa Ana 102 hits a sweet spot between a stiff, hard charging ski that might not be very fun in all conditions, and a super flexible playful ski that wouldn't hold up in crud, making it an excellent choice as a daily driver.

One tester said, “What I like about this ski is the control you have anywhere on the mountain. You can carve with a lot of speed and still control the ski, or you can hit a cliff and still have control when you land. The size of the ski is perfect for both.”

Another tester echoed a similar sentiment: “I found them responsive on groomers and carving was really fun. They were light and floaty skiing on snow drifts, but still easy to drive.”

Where does the Santa Ana 102 make some compromises?

While the Santa Ana is marketed as an all mountain ski made to inspire confidence in any conditions, it’s a bit lacking in deeper snow. At only 102 underfoot, it’s not quite wide enough for reliable floatation, and the shape of the tip and tail don’t necessarily make up for what it lacks in underfoot width. Some testers also found them a bit on the heavier side which doesn’t bode super well for floating in deeper snow.

The tester reported that in powder, “They weren’t super floaty. The tips and tails flared and seemed to get stuck while the underfoot piece of the ski just sank.”

What would a perfect day on the Santa Ana 102 look like?

In general, it seems like just about any day on the Santa Ana 102 is a pretty good one, except maybe the deepest ones. But a truly gold star day on the Santa Ana 102 would be 2-3 inches of fresh, light snow on top of what our friends in ski resort marketing like to call ‘packed powder.’ Soft but carvable conditions with a little room to smear and find soft landings would really elevate the playfulness and nonchalance of this approachable ski.