I bought the 2023 Unleashed 108 from skiessentials this past May and they gave me a great deal with bindings and mounting. I got to ski it in 1-2" of powder this past June at Mammoth and it was awesome. You can also carve some pretty nice Super-G style turns on the groomers. Great powder ski that offers more than just compentency in deep snow.
@SkiEssentials11 ай бұрын
Agreed! It turns very well for the width, both on trail and off.
@darinsmith245811 ай бұрын
Cool skis.. I can't believe that I am going to be skiing next month.. I did already tune up 1 pair of skis.. Granted I probably am not going to use those skis until next year.. These skis that you are reviewing I probably wouldn't use until after the first of the year.. Last season we had so much early snow that I thought I could ski runs that I really should have waited.. I hit a lot of rocks early season.. I would say live and learn but I am not sure that I can resist runs if there is fresh snow on them;) Good to have more new reviews... Thanks..
@cams342511 ай бұрын
Excellent review. Season is coming. Woohoo!
@SkiEssentials11 ай бұрын
Thanks! Have a great winter!
@flurries30579 ай бұрын
Hey guys, Big fan of the 2024 reviews! I'm looking to get a new pair of freeride/powder skis for this season and I'm wondering what you'd suggest between the unleashed 108 and the QST blank. I'm 5'10 165lbs, pretty aggressive skier. I've spent the last couple seasons on my center mounted k2 poachers in a 170, lots of fun on days with less snow but they tend to nosedive on days with more snow, making deep landings tricky. I ski primarily off-piste with the occasional run through the groomers looking for side hits and some carving, and I'm looking to get into bigger drops and chargier lines. I ski primarily directionally with occasional 360s and 180s. At my home hill I encounter everything from high angle steeps to tight trees. Hoping for some input as to which ski would suit my needs the best and maybe some help with sizing. Really appreciate all the in depth reviews. Thanks!
@SkiEssentials9 ай бұрын
Thanks! The Unleashed and Blank are surprisingly different. Blank has very dramatic and extended rocker and taper while the Unleashed is far more traditional with longer underfoot camber and minimal taper. This makes the Unleashed a very competent and capable carver in an on-trail capacity. Not that Blank isn't, but you notice it a lot more in deeper snow--this is where Blank truly shines. Even at 112, it floats like a much wider ski. Unleashed skis narrower. I also like the freestyle component of the Unleashed and the dampness of the metal gives it a very unique feel at this width and level of ski. If you truly find yourself in deep snow more often than not, I'd go Blank. If the inverse is true and you're mixing conditions and terrain, I do think Unleashed has a greater upside. Probably 174 in the Unleashed. Have fun! SE
@Jdawg0044 ай бұрын
How much performance loss in carving does this have over the 98? I own the 98 and I love the versatility and how well it carves just wanting that extra float with the same personality that still carves good.
@SkiEssentials4 ай бұрын
No loss in carving depending on softness of surface. We skied the 108 and the 98 back to back last week on softer spring snow and they carved about the same, with almost an increase in the 108's performance due to the surface area. The 98 will outperform the 108 on firmer snow by about 18%.
@keeperofthereign5 ай бұрын
I tested them at 1.91 and I was blown away! I will buy them for the next season. Could you suggest a mount point for freeride use? Many thanks!
@SkiEssentials4 ай бұрын
Maybe +2 from the line? Definitely a path you have to walk on your own!
@EugeneHuber6 ай бұрын
Any reason youd want to size up with these? Im 5'11 advanced/expert and feel im between the 180 and 186...
@SkiEssentials6 ай бұрын
I like the smoothness of these skis in the slightly longer length. I'm 6/2 225 and really enjoyed the 186. I don't think I'd personally go to the 191. The only drawback is that you're losing a bit of mobility if you go 186 over 180, but mainly in shorter turns and tighter spaces.
@keeperofthereign5 ай бұрын
I am 1.84 cm tall with some racing background but really just an amateur skier.. I tested the 1.91 on and off piste and I had to take a photo of the size because I couldn't believe how flexible it was at this length. At 1.91 you will have enough surface for deep powder also, at least for Europe.
@juryacquittal9 ай бұрын
I do find it interesting that your stated weight in the video is 2033 grams for the 180 cm, but the Nordica website gives the weight as 3.66 kg (per pair). That would be 3660 divided by 2 = 1830 grams per ski. I know that the manufacturing process does not produce every ski weighing the same, but a 200+ grams difference is substantial. That is over 7 ounce difference per ski. Any thoughts?
@SkiEssentials8 ай бұрын
We've noticed many website and catalog discrepancies over the years. It's tough to argue with our scale. We also defer to soothski.com for detailed measurements of skis. On their site they indicate that the 180 Unleashed 108 is 2027, aligning more with our in-house digital scale.
@Reiberle11 ай бұрын
I really like the concept of a stable but somewhat playful ski. Coming from last generation Stance 96s, e-Rallys and Fisher SC Pros I really think that these could be the one for my powder days. I’m trying to get into the more playful style of skiing (skiing switch, maybe even landing some small jumps switch). But I don’t want a noodle of a ski, which can’t handle steep groomers but I don’t need a charger either. Something playful, that still carves good and is maneuverable at slower speeds when skiing with the family. Do you think that these would fit ?
@SkiEssentials11 ай бұрын
Totally! That gives you a nice wider complement to the Stance 96. They are not noodles--you will feel the tail, but thanks to the splay, it's still able to be used in a more playful format.
@Reiberle9 ай бұрын
Thank you so much. My Stance 96s are 182. With that much splay I should get the 186 length, right? I’m 185cm tall.
@SkiEssentials9 ай бұрын
@@ReiberleI think that sounds fine, especially if you're comfortable with good stability at speed.
@raysoutsideplace11 ай бұрын
Hmmm... are you guys trying to get me to buy new skis every year???? Loving my Enforcer 104 Free set from last year, but I do want something wider for the deeper days. Digging the shape and performance characteristics of this one. We shall see...
@SkiEssentials11 ай бұрын
You've caught on to our tricks! If you like the 104 Free, you'll LOVE the Unleashed 108! Salomon QST Blank, Blizzard Rustler 11, and Dynastar M-Free 108 are also worth a look. Enjoy! SE
@Venomz0411 ай бұрын
Hey Skiessentials! Always enjoy our video's and have been looking forward to the 2024 reviews! I'm currently contemplating on buying the 108 Unleashed, or the Nordica Enforcer 110. You mention the 108 has a less tapered profile, which means that it would be better on groomers in terms of carving some turns compared to the 110 Enforcer, is that correct? How would you say it compares to stiffness of the 110 Enforcer? I prefer pretty stiff ski's and I have heard the 108 are bit soft? Appreciate the work and effort you guys do, keep it up! Thanks!
@src24811 ай бұрын
fwiw I weight 235 and ski pretty aggressively, didn't find the 108 to be too soft at all. Not the stiffest skis in the world but they're certainly no noodles. Haven't tried the Enforcer but the Unleashed carves ridiculously well for the width
@SkiEssentials11 ай бұрын
You are correct in general--less tapered skis perform better on groomers. The Enforcer is a bit stiffer, as it uses two sheets of metal rather than one as well as carbon stringers, but the 110 has a slightly lighter wood core than the 108, so it sort of evens out--I'd still say Enforcer is stiffer than Unleashed. I did not find the Unleashed too soft in any of my experiences, even in pretty deep snow and fairly aggressive skiing.
@nicholasprotan28218 ай бұрын
Thanks for all the great reviews! Wondering if you have an opinion on what size might work best for me. 5'11'' 155, heavily directional, generally prefer longer higher speed turn shapes but still will spend a lot of time on these skis in chutes, steeps and trees. This will be the most tail rocker I have had in a ski so I want to be careful not to buy too short. Thank you and happy skiing.
@SkiEssentials8 ай бұрын
I'd go 180 in this ski. The 186 might feel like a lot at your weight. They're pretty sturdy, so if you were feeling you might lean longer, I do think there's plenty of mass and surface area in the 180.
@elo-ej4zm10 ай бұрын
Is this one a good option for an all mountain ski with a bit more powder focus and a good mix between stable at speed and playfullness ?
@SkiEssentials10 ай бұрын
Yup! Unleashed is a really cool ski in that it's a wide twin tip, but it carves like a dream. There's long camber in this ski so the effective edge is very long and smooth. The metal makes it stable, but the shape and profile allow for more playfulness--an excellent mix of attributes that we don't see really anywhere else.
@zway4367 ай бұрын
@@SkiEssentialsit’s performance on ice is pretty bad. compared to everything else. or is it just me?
@EggsTeaSea11 ай бұрын
Personally I find the tails to be very punishing. If you try these skis and are feel the same way look into the Saloman QST's or Line Blade Optic 104. They behave quite similarly but are generally looser and more forgiving.
@SkiEssentials11 ай бұрын
There's a lot of camber for such wide skis! That definitely affects how the tails feel, especially in softer snow. Even within Nordica's line, the Enforcer 110 has more rocker.