Nordica Santa Ana 93 review 2019
PROSKILAB™ reviewers' comments
At 93 mm in the waist, the Santa Ana 93 is the narrowest in the Santa Ana all-mountain and freeski range.
On groomers, the testers were impressed by its liveliness and the edge grip provided by the stiff tail, as long as you didn’t lean too far forward. The ski is relatively snappy for this category and super fun in short turns.
Off-piste, it floats easily in powder and cuts through chopped-up snow because it has a relatively wide waist for this category.
The testers found the ski soft at the tip and stiff in the tail, which meant that skiers need time to adapt to it and need to be well-centered. While the stiff tail increases edge hold, the softer tip means turns are less precise on hard snow.
The Santa Ana 93 is a great compromise for good female skiers who want a very versatile all-mountain ski (60% piste/40% off-piste).
Review: Pros
- Versatile
- Great compromise between piste and off-piste performance
- Maneuverable, easy turn initiation
- Precise, comfortable in short turns
- Smooth transition from skidded to carved turn
Review: Cons
- Irregular flex pattern, soft at the tip and stiff in the tail
- For this reason, the skier needs to be well-centered and will need time to adapt to the ski
- Floats at high speed on hard snow
The ski review scores
| Turn initiation | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 11.0 |
| Stability | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 11.0 |
| Stability/turning performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.0 |
| Grip | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 12.0 |
| Short turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.0 |
| Long turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 12.0 |
| Skid turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 11.0 |
| Handleability | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 11.0 |
| Comfort | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 11.0 |
| Snow contact | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 11.0 |
| Soft snow fluidity | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 12.8 |
| Freeride - Flotation quality | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.8 |
| Handling in powder | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.8 |
| Performance on hard snow | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.0 |
| Freeride - Performance on hard snow | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 10.0 |
| Any ground comfort | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 11.0 |
Who's it for?
Manufacturer's remarks
As balanced as it is beautiful, the Santa Ana 93 is at home anywhere on the mountain. With the narrowest profile in the collection, it loves making fluid turns on groomers—yet it can still make you smile on a powder day. A balsa wood core with carbon sandwiched between two sheets of metal minimizes weight and ensures the ski is easy to maneuver.
It also boosts confidence by enhancing edge hold and dampening vibrations for an especially smooth and stable ride. For additional floatation in powder and to readily navigate variable conditions, it sports an early rise tip and tail rocker profile. The Santa Ana 93’s shorter radius makes it easy to control turns and transition between them. And because its 93mm waist offers exceptional versatility, it’s the perfect daily driver for women looking to explore the entire mountain. Light, powerful, and playful the Santa Ana 93 is the most balanced ski in the collection.
Features of the Santa Ana 93
| Brand : | Nordica |
| Model : | Santa Ana 93 |
| Year : | 2019 |
| Family : | All-mountain front |
| Size tested : | 169 cm |
| Tip size : | 124 mm |
| Waist size : | 93 mm |
| Tail size : | 112 mm |
| Radius for the size reviewed : | 13 m |
Your review
Reviewed by PROSKILAB™
in La Clusaz, France, March 2018