Nordica Unleash 98 Review: A Freeride Twin Tip Built for Range

Introduction

The Nordica Unleash 98 is a freeride twin tip that borrows its construction thinking from the Santa Ana series and then reshapes it for skiers who want to ride the whole mountain rather than one narrow slice of it. It arrived as an early release last winter, and the shape is the headline change: a twin tip profile with Nordica’s familiar shovel nose.

Where a traditional all-mountain ski asks you to commit to a single style, the Unleash 98 is built around range. It is aimed at the freeride skier who likes to carve, likes to ski backwards, and still wants to hit the park once in a while.

This review covers who the ski suits, where it performs best, and the trade-offs worth knowing before you commit.

Who This Ski Is For

The construction and design are freestyle-oriented, which makes the Unleash 98 a natural fit for riders who treat the mountain as a playground: groomers in the morning, side hits in the afternoon, a few park laps when the mood strikes.

The top sheet design is genuinely striking, and Nordica has pushed the look further than most. The ski reads as approachable for men and women alike, and a younger teenager could get a lot out of it, particularly one who is learning to ski backwards and starting to play in the park.

That said, the metal in the build points to a specific ability level. Skis with metal are generally aimed at high intermediate to advanced skiers, and this one follows the same pattern.

Main Strengths

The core is wood with carbon, which trims weight and keeps the ski responsive underfoot. Add the shovel nose carried over from other Nordica models and you get a tip that gets through just about any terrain you point it at. It cuts through crud without getting knocked around, and there is enough float to keep you comfortable when a little powder shows up.

Tip and tail rocker is the other big contributor. It lets you release the tails and find more play in the ski, which is exactly what you want when you are working on tricks or hunting side hits.

When you do flex it on edge, the ski answers. It holds that edge and stays powerful and stable, and the shorter turn radius that comes with the rocker profile gives you more room to play without costing you a clean carve on piste.

Construction and Ride Character

Nordica uses terrain-specific metal in the build, a layout that balances wood, width, and metal so the ski can shed weight as it gets wider while keeping maneuverability and forgiveness in the ride.

It is worth being clear about what that means in practice. With a single metal sheet, the Unleash 98 is not the lightest freestyle ski out there. What you trade for that weight is power, and the ski has plenty of it.

Terrain and Riding Style Notes

On groomed runs the ski carves cleanly and rewards a confident edge angle. Off piste it handles variable snow well thanks to the shovel nose, and the twin tip shape means switch riding and landings feel natural rather than awkward.

The park is where the freestyle design shows most clearly. Tip and tail rocker makes it easier to release the tails and bring more play into the ski, whether you are dialing in tricks or simply linking side hits on the way down.

The flip side is that the metal makes the ski more demanding underfoot. It wants an active, deliberate pilot rather than a passive one.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The metal construction is the main thing to weigh. It delivers stability and edge hold, but it also makes the ski more demanding underfoot and rules out the very lightest freestyle feel.

Because the build targets high intermediate to advanced skiers, a beginner or a casual cruiser may find the ski is more than they need for the terrain they actually ski.

Buying Advice

If you are an advanced or high intermediate skier who wants one ski for carving, switch riding, and the occasional park lap, the Unleash 98 lines up well with that brief. The carbon and wood core keeps it responsive, the shovel nose keeps it capable across terrain, and the twin tip shape keeps it fun.

Decide first what you want most from a ski. If low weight is the priority, this is not the model chasing that goal. If you want a powerful freeride twin tip that still holds an edge on piste, the trade-off makes sense.

Conclusion

The Nordica Unleash 98 is a freeride twin tip with a clear point of view: range over specialization. It brings crud-cutting capability, powder float, edge hold, and freestyle play into one package, and it asks for an advanced or high intermediate skill level in return. For skiers who want to do it all on the mountain, that is a reasonable trade.