Nordica Unleashed Collection Guide: How the 90, 98 and 108 Compare

Introduction

Nordica has retired the Soul Rider 87 and Soul Rider 97, the wide twin tips that anchored its freestyle-leaning all-mountain range for close to a decade. In their place comes the Unleashed collection, five twin-tip models that carry over the playfulness of the Soul Rider while pulling in construction and shaping ideas from elsewhere in the Nordica line.

The range covers the Unleashed 90 and 90 W, the Unleashed 98 and 98 W, and the Unleashed 108. Men’s and women’s versions are the same ski, with differences limited to length options and graphics. That makes the decision simpler than it first appears: the real question is width, and whether you want metal in the build.

What the Unleashed Collection Replaces

The Soul Rider 87 and 97 earned a long production run because they were dialed in from the start. Their appeal reached well beyond the park, and plenty of skiers used the 97 as an everyday ski across the whole mountain. The Unleashed series keeps that wide twin-tip formula and pushes it further toward freeride.

Two changes stand out. First, the new skis run longer rocker and a more elongated shovel than the Soul Rider, which helps the tip stay on top of soft snow. Second, the tip and tail shapes are more abrupt than the smoother, lower profiles used on the Enforcer and Santa Ana, a deliberate blend of a freestyle shape with an all-mountain one. The Unleashed also runs a longer base contact length and more tail splay, and it feels stiffer underfoot than the Soul Rider it replaces.

Construction splits by width. The 98 and 108 use a performance wood core with carbon integrated into the fiberglass, plus a tip-to-tail metal laminate that keeps a fixed width across the ski. Because the metal does not widen with the ski, the 108 carries proportionally less metal relative to its surface than the narrower models do. The 90 skips carbon and metal entirely and relies on a plain wood core with a full sidewall.

The intent behind that layup is to open up creativity, power, and playfulness at the same time. The metal adds weight and snap, while the carbon keeps the flex lively rather than dead, and the shaping keeps the ski loose enough to pivot and drift when the terrain calls for it.

Nordica Unleashed 90

The 90 is the value entry in the collection and the closest thing to a direct Soul Rider 87 replacement. It uses a wood core with a full sidewall and the same shaping principles as the rest of the range, but leaves out both the carbon and the terrain-specific metal.

That trickle-down approach keeps the price at $399 while still giving younger or park-focused skiers a genuine twin tip. Park skiing is hard on gear, and an affordable ski matters once edges start meeting rocks and rails. Length options top out at 174cm, so the 90 suits smaller and lighter skiers best.

Nordica Unleashed 90 W

The 90 W is the same ski as the 90, built with the same wood core, full sidewall, and shaping, and offered in different lengths with a different graphic.

Because there is no metal in the build, the flex stays soft and forgiving, which suits lower speeds, softer snow, and playful riding more than high-speed charging. For a lighter skier or someone new to the park, the 90 W is the most accessible route into the Unleashed shape.

Nordica Unleashed 98

The 98 is the centerpiece of the collection. It pairs the performance wood core with carbon in the fiberglass and adds the terrain-specific metal laminate, which gives it noticeably more snap and stability than the Soul Rider 97 it replaces. A 186cm pair comes in at just over 2,000g, so it is not a featherweight, but it is far from punishing.

Early on-snow time with the 98 points to stronger carving performance than the Soul Rider, better vibration damping when the ski is on edge, and easier edge release at the end of a turn. It also floats a little better, with less camber height letting the tip stay above soft snow, and the subtler tip shape makes switch takeoffs less catchy than the Soul Rider could feel in the park.

The 98 is the model most likely to work as a single-ski quiver. It handles groomers, trees, and park laps, and it can be mounted near center for a freestyle feel or further back for a more traditional, directional stance. Price is $699.

Nordica Unleashed 98 W

The 98 W shares the exact construction and shape of the 98, with different length options and a different top sheet. That means the same wood core, the same carbon, and the same terrain-specific metal.

Because the build is identical, the 98 W behaves like the 98 across the mountain. The longer base contact length and the stiffer flex deliver the same quick hookup and energy out of a turn, while the twin tip keeps switch riding and park laps firmly on the table.

Nordica Unleashed 108

At 108mm underfoot, the Unleashed 108 is the widest model in the range and the one built most clearly for soft snow. It keeps the twin-tip shape, adds a generous amount of tail splay, and uses the same carbon and metal layup as the 98. The flex stays surprisingly manageable for a ski this wide, so it can still be bent into a turn on softer groomers.

That combination makes it a snow-day ski for most skiers rather than an everyday one. The bigger the mountain and the deeper the snow, the more the 108 makes sense, and the more the skier puts into it in terms of creativity, the more character comes back out. Price is $799.

How to Choose Among the Unleashed Skis

Start with width and an honest read on where you actually ski. The 90 and 90 W are the budget route: a wood core, no metal, and a soft flex that suits park laps, lighter skiers, and anyone who wants a durable twin tip without a big outlay. At $399 they are the most affordable way into the Unleashed shape.

The 98 and 98 W are the all-rounders, and for most skiers they are the sensible pick. The carbon and metal layup adds grip, damping, and stability without turning the ski into a demanding charger, and the shape works from groomers to trees to the park. At $699 they cost $300 more than the 90, and that gap buys the construction that makes the 98 the more versatile ski of the two.

The 108 sits at $799 and is best treated as a soft-snow tool rather than an everyday ski. Skiers in snow-rich areas who want a wide, playful twin tip will get the most from it; everyone else is likely better served by the 98.

One practical note: men’s and women’s versions are the same ski, so the decision comes down to which length range and graphic you prefer rather than any difference in performance. Inventory across the full length range may take time to arrive, so it is worth checking which sizes are available before committing.

Conclusion

The Unleashed collection is a clean evolution of the Soul Rider idea. The 90 and 90 W bring the shape to a lower price with a simple wood core, the 98 and 98 W add carbon and metal for a livelier and more capable all-mountain ride, and the 108 takes the same formula into soft-snow territory. Matching width to the snow you ride most is the whole game here, and every model in the range is a twin tip at heart.