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Nordica Enforcer 88s vs. 94s

Tom K.

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I've posted this video multiple times. I have the sneakin' suspicion you haven't seen it.


Had seen it previously, but watched it again.

Luckily, the snow I ski "gives" a lot more than that plank!

Very illustrative, nonetheless.
 

locknload

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Just spent a couple days on the Enforcer 94 in Park City... :)

More stable, more damp and exactly what I was looking for with regards to the DPS Foundation Cassiar 94...felt just as playful and forgiving and the added weight was not noticed...
I picked up a pair of Enforcer 94s to complement my 104 Frees...I have to say that I really liked them. The 104s are so good in fresh snow and even fairly deepish snow but as things firm up its a lot of ski to push around get up on edge....do-able..just takes more work. I was looking for something that works better in lower snow for big mtns (Mammoth, UT and Jackson Hole) for times when there isn't a ton of new snow. After skiing them in very spring-like conditions, I'm impressed. They are, obviously, significantly quicker edge-to-edge than the 104s but I thought they also handled variable conditions extremely well. Spring skiing at Mammoth can mean rock-solid refrozen crud and groomers in the AM and moves through the melt cycle during the day and ends with pure slush at the bottom. The quality of the snow changes rapidly from top to the bottom of the mtn and they are just very confidence inspiring regardless of what the conditions are like. I found them easy to maneuver in soft bumps and really a fun ski for those types of conditions.
 

RickH

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Okay, been reading through, I too need to jump in, I'm trying to make a decision. I ski the east coast (Timberline Mountain WV mostly). I've been skiing the Nordica Hot Rod Nitrous 170cm - 78 waist (2006) for a loooong time. I'm 6' weigh 190 and i'm 58 I'd say advanced-intermediate to advanced. I too have been questioning the weight of the skis (legs aren't what they used to be). I've been told anything I get will feel totally different length and waist than what I've been skiing. Obviously, where I ski is mostly on piste. But, I do like to jump in the trees or the bumps and we do get some good dumps for the east coast.
Soooo, Nordica Enforcer 88 or 94's? Or, open to other recommendation
 

Bad Bob

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@RickH can relate to your questions. Skied the Hot Rod HellDiver (90 waist) for a lot of years in the West and loved them. Went to the Enforcer 100's then added the 88's for something quicker; enjoy them both very much. As to the 88 or 94 question, you have to figure that one out.
On the weight, you will notice it the most carrying the skis to and from the parking lot. The Hot Rods were stable and handled mixed conditions pretty well, the Enforcers crush it. Suspect a fair part of their stability comes from the weight. Wouldn't loose any sleep on that part of the equation.
 

Decreed_It

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Okay, been reading through, I too need to jump in, I'm trying to make a decision. I ski the east coast (Timberline Mountain WV mostly). I've been skiing the Nordica Hot Rod Nitrous 170cm - 78 waist (2006) for a loooong time. I'm 6' weigh 190 and i'm 58 I'd say advanced-intermediate to advanced. I too have been questioning the weight of the skis (legs aren't what they used to be). I've been told anything I get will feel totally different length and waist than what I've been skiing. Obviously, where I ski is mostly on piste. But, I do like to jump in the trees or the bumps and we do get some good dumps for the east coast.
Soooo, Nordica Enforcer 88 or 94's? Or, open to other recommendation
I'd go 88's all day - love love LOVE mine it's my DD even on Western trips unless/until a legit powder dump hits, then it's the 104s which, *gasp*, I don't love. A bit 'heavy' and (due to lack of powder skills most likely) tend to submarine on me. May go back to renting powder boards on those rare but glorious days I am in the right place at the right time.

East? 88s
 

AlexisLD

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@RickH You can compare our measurement of the Enforcer 88 and 94 here:
https://compareskis.shinyapps.io/compare/?_values_&selected_rows=[1722,1729]&tab="Compare"
You can select other lengths if you like.


All the specs are very similar (more different in the 172 cm version). Geometries are almost identical beside the width. These Enforcers are very torsionally stiff skis, about as high as you can get. It means they will have good edge grip and will feel more precise than other skis (instead of playful or easy to release feel). However, they have rocker, so they are not a race ski and will be comfortable outside the groomed trails. Bending stiffness is average. This is often related to the speed limit of the ski or the spring back you get from the ski in moguls.
Screen Shot 2021-09-10 at 12.44.51 PM.png

They both have similar surface-to-weight ratio, so I would guess that their construction are almost identical. The 94 is heavier because it is wider. They are both on the "heavy" side of things for skis with a comparable geometries.
Screen Shot 2021-09-10 at 12.45.10 PM.png

I am not familiar with the Nordica Hot Rod Nitrous and we don't have it in our database. However, it seems that is is a much narrower ski (78mm) with much more sidecut than the Enforcer (11.5 vs 17m). If you are looking for something closer to that, you can use the comparator to search for a ski with the specs of the Hot Rod. For example, if you search with specs like this :
- 166 to 173 cm long
- 75 to 82 mm wide
- <14 m radius
You will get a short list of about 25 skis out of the 2000 skis in the database. You can select them and compare their specs. Weight or surface-to-weight would be another good specs to add to shorten the list even more. I don't have that info about the Hot Rod.

We will add 2021-22 skis soon!
 

GregK

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I'd go 88's all day - love love LOVE mine it's my DD even on Western trips unless/until a legit powder dump hits, then it's the 104s which, *gasp*, I don't love. A bit 'heavy' and (due to lack of powder skills most likely) tend to submarine on me. May go back to renting powder boards on those rare but glorious days I am in the right place at the right time.

East? 88s
Your complaint of an Enforcer ski of any kind feeling heavy makes me wonder if your 104s are edge high and/or have inconsistent base bevels(not at 1 degree tip to tail). This would cause the ski to not easily pivot and feel like more work than it should.
Check base flatness and hand tune the edges. A stone grind and a hand tune could transform them!

I had the 186cm mounted forward of the line even and it had decent float for a 104mm ski for my 175lbs. Don’t consider it a “powder ski” but is very fun and surfy in some soft or a bit of new snow.
What length are yours, what mount point and your size? Might just be a sizing issue.
 

Decreed_It

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Your complaint of an Enforcer ski of any kind feeling heavy makes me wonder if your 104s are edge high and/or have inconsistent base bevels(not at 1 degree tip to tail). This would cause the ski to not easily pivot and feel like more work than it should.
Check base flatness and hand tune the edges. A stone grind and a hand tune could transform them!

I had the 186cm mounted forward of the line even and it had decent float for a 104mm ski for my 175lbs. Don’t consider it a “powder ski” but is very fun and surfy in some soft or a bit of new snow.
What length are yours, what mount point and your size? Might just be a sizing issue.
I will absolutely check that though I am a true tuning novice - did our first waxing and edge cleaning/honing - def didn't do any grinding or even heavy filing, ever - this past season. I'm 6' when I stand up straight, 187 lbs nekked, also in the 186 at 1 cm forward. They did seem to catch edges on pivots but I attributed those times to late day powder related fatigue. I don't get to ski the real thing that often and assumed it was all skill/fatigue, not the ski.
 

GregK

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They did seem to catch edges on pivots
This is a red flag of a tuning issue as they should be easier to pivot and "looser feeling" than your flat tailed E88 when flat or on a slight edge. Get them stone ground flat and have the edges set by hand at 1 degree base/2 or 3(for more bite) degrees on the side. Sharp from tip to tail up to their widest taper points and then smooth/heavy detune the edges above that. That ski is super fun and surfy in soft snow and shouldn't be the "work" you're describing. You'll love them after a fresh tune!
 

bremmick

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I'm seriously eying the 88's for exactly the conditions you suggest...firm days in the West. I want to rip groomers, pounds bumps and hunt around for any pockets of fresh...even if hard to find. The Enforcer 104 Free's are now my every day soft snow ski in CA/UT/CO and have a even wider sticks for big dump days. Sounds like no regrets for low-snow days on the 88s?

Did you end up settling on something? I'm in the same location and have a similair quiver. I have the 104 for my soft snow daily driver and bigger powder ski. Looking for that firm snow ski, been contemplating, enforcer 88/94, Kendo 88, Maverick 95, etc....
 

locknload

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Did you end up settling on something? I'm in the same location and have a similair quiver. I have the 104 for my soft snow daily driver and bigger powder ski. Looking for that firm snow ski, been contemplating, enforcer 88/94, Kendo 88, Maverick 95, etc....
Thanks for the prompt....I went with the E94 and they hit the mark for me. I can't remember who pushed me more toward the 94s (its been awhile since checked this thread) but I did grab them and skied them at Copper in some really good snow (6 to 10") of fresh for a few days, and then at Mammoth as the season was winding down and we were in the classic spring freeze/thaw cycle. It was great because I really did try them in everything including VERY sticky spring slush down to the bottom of Eagle Express and I'm sure you know what a hot mess of bad snow and converging trails of variable skiers that is. They were plenty quick enough relative to the 104s and I enjoyed them even on some of the morning refrozen snow. I could honestly just have the 94s and 104s as a 2 ski quiver and get rid of the excess I have in my quiver other than my BC skis. They cover such a great range of conditions between them....that I may just end up there after all. I would say that if I really wanted a true carving style or bump-focused ski then I might need another ski but I tend to ski all over the mtn all the time and I just can't find a need for a ski that is that specific. Does this help?
 

bremmick

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Thanks for the prompt....I went with the E94 and they hit the mark for me. I can't remember who pushed me more toward the 94s (its been awhile since checked this thread) but I did grab them and skied them at Copper in some really good snow (6 to 10") of fresh for a few days, and then at Mammoth as the season was winding down and we were in the classic spring freeze/thaw cycle. It was great because I really did try them in everything including VERY sticky spring slush down to the bottom of Eagle Express and I'm sure you know what a hot mess of bad snow and converging trails of variable skiers that is. They were plenty quick enough relative to the 104s and I enjoyed them even on some of the morning refrozen snow. I could honestly just have the 94s and 104s as a 2 ski quiver and get rid of the excess I have in my quiver other than my BC skis. They cover such a great range of conditions between them....that I may just end up there after all. I would say that if I really wanted a true carving style or bump-focused ski then I might need another ski but I tend to ski all over the mtn all the time and I just can't find a need for a ski that is that specific. Does this help?

thanks for the response. It was very helpful.
Did you happen to put any time in on the 88 for comparison. I’m stuck in the same conundrum. Love the 104 free.
 

locknload

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thanks for the response. It was very helpful.
Did you happen to put any time in on the 88 for comparison. I’m stuck in the same conundrum. Love the 104 free.
I didn't manage to get on the 88's prior to pulling the trigger. I spoke with a couple of gear heads at my favorite shops and they did push me more toward the 94's as they thought there wasn't much drop-off in quickness and that the 94's were still a pretty nimble ski for a range of conditions. It is a little odd that Nordica makes skis that really are so close in size that I think it can add to a little hesitation to try and make the perfect choice. For me, the bottom line was that I'd rather get caught in a situation where we have low snow days and I'm on the 94 rather than finding myself in deeper snow and having only the 88. Even as we've dialed way back on the super wide skis, that 95ish ski is just so perfect for all mtn skiing in the West that its probably what I'd choose if only could have one ski because of how versatile it is. I can emphasize with over-analyzing (which I'm highly prone to do) but I don't think you can make a bad choice if you already like the feel of the Enforcer series.
 

East Coast Scott

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I didn't manage to get on the 88's prior to pulling the trigger. I spoke with a couple of gear heads at my favorite shops and they did push me more toward the 94's as they thought there wasn't much drop-off in quickness and that the 94's were still a pretty nimble ski for a range of conditions. It is a little odd that Nordica makes skis that really are so close in size that I think it can add to a little hesitation to try and make the perfect choice. For me, the bottom line was that I'd rather get caught in a situation where we have low snow days and I'm on the 94 rather than finding myself in deeper snow and having only the 88. Even as we've dialed way back on the super wide skis, that 95ish ski is just so perfect for all mtn skiing in the West that its probably what I'd choose if only could have one ski because of how versatile it is. I can emphasize with over-analyzing (which I'm highly prone to do) but I don't think you can make a bad choice if you already like the feel of the Enforcer series.
I know some people have the 88, 94 and 100 so maybe that is what Nordica wanted. Also, 6mm isn't even a 1/4 of an inch so I don't think the 94 would be too much superior than the 88 in deeper snow :) I do have 81's, 88's, 99 and 105 now so maybe I need to get a 94 to have even more of a variety :)
Edit: Though, I think the shape of the 94 gives it the edge in deeper snow than the extra 6mm.
 

Tom K.

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Any thoughts on a comparison of the Nordica Enforcer 88 vs Rossignol Experience 88?

I've got lots of days on my Enf 88s but am considering the Exp 88, as it seems more front side "carvy" oriented. My only reservation is bump performance. The Enf 88 is not terribly stiff up front, and has a fair bit of early rise, which to me at least, makes it pretty darn friendly in bumps.

But I wish it pulled across the hill more strongly at turn initiation. That only comes when you get up pretty high on edge.
 

RickH

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As another option that just hit the market see - Nordica Enforcer 88 Unlimited 2023 model. I was in a ski shop last night with both the Enf 88 and Enf 88 unlimited. The unlimited is considerably lighter, might be to light.
 

locknload

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I know some people have the 88, 94 and 100 so maybe that is what Nordica wanted. Also, 6mm isn't even a 1/4 of an inch so I don't think the 94 would be too much superior than the 88 in deeper snow :) I do have 81's, 88's, 99 and 105 now so maybe I need to get a 94 to have even more of a variety :)
Edit: Though, I think the shape of the 94 gives it the edge in deeper snow than the extra 6mm.
Yes..I like the shape of the 94 and we are talking about VERY small differences. I think its too many different models in the Enforcer line but they didn't ask me. :). If I had to choose only 2...it would be probably the 94 and 104 or the 94 and the 110 which shows my bias to slightly softer snow and slightly wider skis. But if you told me I had to live with the 88 and 100, I'd be fine too. I love skis and gear...but I am leaning more toward simplicity and ....GASP.....have fewer skis on hand to maintain and have to choose from. Many of us on the site have a bit of a ski addiction, myself included, by I want to start trying to change my ways....but dang there are so many awesome skis out there!!!
 

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