Individual Review Long-Term Review: 2016 Nordica Enforcer 100

[RMCF]

Hi, how would you compare enforcer 100 vs pinnacle 105 or 95. Unfortunately i don't have an opportunity to test these skis in Europe.
I currently own Rossi E98 (2013) 180. I am 6'2" and 220 lbs. I ski high in Alps, mixed conditions, i guess it is closer to your Eastern conditions. Hardpack covered with 5 to 20' of snow and windy. I have a total harmony with my skis on-piste and in light fresh snow. But it turned out that it is way too demanding for me when i started to explore off-piste. (On the third day of skiing i dont feel any fun but like it is conditioning camp) So now I am looking for a softer, more forgiving and maneuverable all-mountain pair. My main goal for the comming season is to start/improve in between trees skiing.
I was going to order 95s at 184cm, but than found this thread and now i am not so sure.
What would you suggest?
Thnk for your tips

 

[Unpiste]

I own E98 180s (was my primary ski for a couple seasons), E100 182s, and Enforcer 100 185s, and I've demoed both Pinnacles (though only briefly — I think 184 for both and '15-'16 models). I'm also 5'11", ~190 lbs. I certainly don't review skis, but I'll try to offer a perspective.

I agree the E98s are great on-piste, especially with heavy, cut-up snow in the afternoon, but you need to be on top of them off-piste (and they certainly won't do a whole lot to help you in the floatation department). E100s are a little better in floatation (not that that's really either ski's primary focus), and I found them to be otherwise fairly similar. Both will cut through just about anything, but can be a bit unforgiving on… chunky snow.

I find the Enforcers preserve a lot of what I like about the Experience line (100s and 88s). They don't feel quite as stable in long arcing turns due to the increased rocker and taper, but they're certainly capable. (I think I'm keeping my terms straight.) I definitely find they're more willing to make quick, short radius turns, which is certainly good in trees. They're also much better in fresh snow if you have it. From my experience, they'll work just fine in multiple feet of snow, heavy or light (though something wider is certainly more fun). What I particularly like about the Enforcers is that they do a great job of integrating a wide, tapered, fairly floaty tip into a relatively heavy and damp ski with good edge hold and stability. You won't engadge the entire ski at all times, but at no time have I felt like there were extra bits hanging off one place or another that just didn't do much good in the current conditions.

The Pinnacles, in my very limited experience, did have surprisingly good edge hold (I'm sure due in part to a great tune). I couldn't really test how they behaved in fresh snow, but they handled well in soft, but cut-up snow. I think the agility of the 95 and stability of the 105 were comparable to the enforcers (though not necessarily the reverse), but again have much more experience with the Enforcers. The big thing that I noticed was that, when I wasn't using them (which was most of the time, given the conditions), the large, rockered tip, and to some extent tail, didn't really feel like they worked well with the rest of the design — especially on the 95. (This in particular might have been different if I had had more than two runs on each.)

In short, if you can demo both the Enforcers and the Pinnacles, definitely do. They're quite different. If you can't and want something that sacrifices a little bit of the E98's solid, GS-like (or so I'm told) edge hold for a little extra agility and playfulness (not that I would necessarily use those terms in absolute to describe the ski), than I'd definitely recommend the Enforcer 100s — and not in a size less than 185 (which seems to be where you're looking anyway). If you want skis to complement the E98s, either Pinnacle could also make an interesting alternative, depending on what you're planning to ski on a given day.

 

[Philpug]

Welcome to the site! It is understandable why you are having trouble with the E98 off piste, it is not easy in those conditions. All three of the skis you mentioned are going to be better off piste and easier in the trees. It depends how far you want to swing the pendulum. the K2's will be the easiest and since you....

** @Unpiste responded as I was and I am agreeing with what he is saying...no need to repeat it**

I really cannot add to what he said and no need to repeat it.

 

[Ron]

Paging @Drahtguy Kevin regardingu the enforcer in 193.

 

[Drahtguy Kevin]

@Unpiste nails it.

@RMCF -- we are nearly the same size. I much prefer the 185 Enforcer 100 in all conditions over the 193. I would take the Pinnacle 105 over the 95 as well, but the Enforcer is my favorite of the three.

 

[MAB]

I am having a lot of trouble deciding between the Enforcer (100) in a 169 or 177. I am 5'5 or so and weigh 163 lbs, and would call myself an advanced intermediate, and I ski in Wyoming and Utah. I ski all over the mountain, spending about 50 (or more) % time off trail. I am fairly aggressive in wide-open spaces and am getting better at skiing trees and in crud off-trail. It seems a lot of people don't like the 169, which is what I initially was going to buy. Unfortunately, I won't have a chance to demo. Any advice on what length to get?

Thanks!

 

[Philpug]

I am having a lot of trouble deciding between the Enforcer (100) in a 169 or 177. I am 5'5 or so and weigh 163 lbs, and would call myself an advanced intermediate, and I ski in Wyoming and Utah. I ski all over the mountain, spending about 50 (or more) % time off trail. I am fairly aggressive in wide-open spaces and am getting better at skiing trees and in crud off-trail. It seems a lot of people don't like the 169, which is what I initially was going to buy. Unfortunately, I won't have a chance to demo. Any advice on what length to get?

Thanks!

Welcome to the site. How is yor quiver set up? Do you have a narrower or wider ski that you will be complementing? I think you should be fine with the 177, like with any purchase, there can be some compramises, the 177 will be a little more work in the tight trees but better in the wide open spaces that you are already fairly aggressive.

 

[Read Blinn]

I just a hair taller and about 7 pounds heavier, about the same level skier, and I ski the 177. The 169 seemed a less versatile length — short turns were its thing — while the 177 handled a range of turns well.

I ski the east, mostly on hard snow, so the Enforcer isn't a daily driver, but I've skied it on good edgeable hard pack and found it to be a carving beast (with proper tuning) for a 100mm ski.

 

[Tom K.]

The 169 seemed a less versatile length — short turns were its thing — while the 177 handled a range of turns well.

There is a lot of talk out there that the 169 doesn't really fit the performance profile of the rest of the Enforcer lengths.

It's not always easy to scale things up or down!

 

[Philpug]

It's not always easy to scale things up or down!

Quoted for truth.

 

[MAB]

Thanks for the replies. It will be my daily ski for the most part. I do have an old Rossi S3 Pommier (90mm and a 169, I think) that I like on groomers and a pair of Surface Live Life's (110) in a 181 that I use for powder days, but both are very beat up and I was hoping the Enforcer could take both their places. It sounds like the 177 would be the better option.

 

[Philpug]

Thanks for the replies. It will be my daily ski for the most part. I do have an old Rossi S3 Pommier (90mm and a 169, I think) that I like on groomers and a pair of Surface Live Life's (110) in a 181 that I use for powder days, but both are very beat up and I was hoping the Enforcer could take both their places. It sounds like the 177 would be the better option.

If you can ski a 181..in anything..you can handle the 177.

 

[SkiEssentials]

I do have an old Rossi S3 Pommier (90mm and a 169, I think) that I like on groomers and a pair of Surface Live Life's (110) in a 181 that I use for powder days, but both are very beat up and I was hoping the Enforcer could take both their places. It sounds like the 177 would be the better option.

I agree with @Philpug, if you can handle the Live Lifes in a 181 it gives me good confidence you'd prefer the 177 cm.

 

[Wannabeskibum]

Thanks for the replies. It will be my daily ski for the most part. I do have an old Rossi S3 Pommier (90mm and a 169, I think) that I like on groomers and a pair of Surface Live Life's (110) in a 181 that I use for powder days, but both are very beat up and I was hoping the Enforcer could take both their places. It sounds like the 177 would be the better option.

Coming back to this party a little late - but I think you will prefer the 177 to the 169. From my "mini-review" of this ski last winter

"I skied the 2016 - 2017 Enforcer proto 100 today (thanks @Philpug ). I am on the short side of 5'7" / 150 lbs and I still ski the "old" enforcer in the 169, as for me it is the best ski I have ever skied. With the early rise on "new" enforcer - I moved up to the 177 length and enjoyed them tremendously on the groomed runs at NorthStar. Having never skied an early rise ski before it took me a few runs to get use to them but once I did, I found them very quick edge to edge and quite stable on big turns on the wide open groomers. Got a chance to bring them into the bumps and was impressed. While it is quite a different ski than the "old" Enforcer - it lives up to the reputation of the "old" Enforcer - which for me was the best one ski quiver for whatever conditions are present whether skiing in the East or West."

I am an aggressive level 9 skier and you are a bit heavier than me - so you shouldn't have any trouble getting the 177 to bend for you. I would suggest you go with the 177.

 

[Gerry Rhoades]

I'll add my 1 cent worth. When the Enforcer 100 was first announced and everyone was raving about it I was pretty excited. Then I went to the demos at Copper Mountain and, because I loved my 170 Steadfast, tried the 169 Enforcer. Two runs and I was done with that ski and couldn't figure out why anyone was excited. It was horridly stiff. I'm 5'7", 150 pounds, maybe level 8. Later that season, my boss talked me into taking our 177cm Enforcer prototype to Red Lodge. I was skeptical but I did. I couldn't believe the 177 was in any way related to the 169. The 177 was and is a great ski. I had a lot of fun skiing it, in the trees, on groomers, everywhere. Whenever anyone comes into our shop looking for an Enforcer, I steer them away from the 169 and nobody has ever come back said it was too much ski. It's incredibly versatile and accomodating of a pretty wide range of skill. The more you put into it, the more it returns. Buy the 177 and ski it. You'll love it.

 

[neonorchid]

I'll add my 1 cent -

couldn't believe the 177 was in any way related to the 169. The 177 was and is a great ski. I had a lot of fun skiing it, in the trees, on groomers, everywhere. Whenever anyone comes into our shop looking for an Enforcer, I steer them away from the 169 and nobody has ever come back said it was too much ski. -

Buy the 177 and ski it. You'll love it.

Has the same length issue been found of the Enforcer 93 169cm?

 

[Gerry Rhoades]

Not by me. I skied the 177cm Enforcer 93 and, for me, it was just okay. I don't think it lived up to it's heritage or the hype. But, then, I loved the Steadfast, so there's no accounting for taste.

 

[neonorchid]

Not by me. I skied the 177cm Enforcer 93 and, for me, it was just okay. I don't think it lived up to it's heritage or the hype.

You're probably not alone, Freeskier Magazine 2017 Top Ski's buyers guide issue ranked Fischer Ranger 98 Ti #2 score of 8.70 placing it ahead of Enforcer 93 8.43 score for 3rd place.
I've yet to read such a glowing review of the Ranger 98 Ti, I had been asking about that one last season with only one on snow demo report over at Epic.

 

[Gerry Rhoades]

I can't help with that one. I did demo the Motive 95Ti at Big Sky last year and thought it was pretty nice, although a bit stiffer than I like for that width. The Fischer rep didn't have any Rangers IIRC.

 

[Philpug]

You're probably not alone, Freeskier Magazine 2017 Top Ski's buyers guide issue ranked Fischer Ranger 98 Ti #2 score of 8.70 placing it ahead of Enforcer 93 8.43 score for 3rd place.
I've yet to read such a glowing review of the Ranger 98 Ti, I had been asking about that one last season with only one on snow demo report over at Epic.

I skied the Ranger 98 and found it to be a bit "pingy", it is very light and didn't handle the crud as well as some but on the groomers it was fun.