Ski: 2024-2025 Nordica Steadfast 85 DC, 179 cm
Test Locations: Taos Ski Valley, NM & Crested Butte Mountain Resort, CO
Days Skied: ~15
Available Lengths: 162, 168, 174, 179 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 177.7 cm
Stated Weight per Ski: 2070 grams
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 2096 & 2154 grams (flat without binding plates)
Stated Dimensions: 137-85-116 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 136-84.5-115.5 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (179 cm): 15.8 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 51 mm / 11.5 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 7 mm
Core Materials: wood + titanal (1 layer) + elastomer + fiberglass laminate
Base: sintered
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -7.3 cm from center; 81.6 cm from tail
Boots Used: Lange Shadow LV 130, Atomic Redster CS 130
Bindings Used: Marker TPX 12 w/ FDT HP Free Demo Plate
[Note: our review was conducted on the 23/24 Steadfast 85 DC, which returned unchanged for 24/25.]
Intro
Within Nordica’s ski collection, the Steadfast series falls under their “all-mountain” designation, but it serves as a more piste-oriented complement to their Enforcer and Santa Ana models.
We’ve been testing the widest ski in the collection, the Steadfast 85 DC, since last season. We were eager to see just how capable it felt all over the mountain, and what sorts of conditions, speeds, and turn shapes it would prefer as an on-piste carver. Now, we’re ready to weigh in.
What Nordica says about the Steadfast 85 DC:
“Nordica’s Steadfast 85 DC proves that performance shouldn’t come at the expense of fun. Armed with an appetite for the entire mountain, this all-mountain ski is as playful as it is versatile. Its Energy TI Double Core sandwiches a shock-absorbing elastomer layer and a sheet of titanal between two wood cores. This amplifies your confidence and control while delivering a ride that’s playful and forgiving. And thanks to a wider waist, it’s at home in any terrain and all conditions. Whether lapping groomers with friends, skiing the bumps and trees, or laying down fresh tracks, Nordica’s Steadfast 85 DC is ready to elevate your game and your memories.”
Construction
The “DC” in this ski’s name refers to its use of Nordica’s “Double Core” construction, which features two wood core layers that sandwich a layer of titanal metal and a layer of elastomer. Nordica claims that this creates a “playful yet powerful ride that’s especially smooth.”
Shape & Rocker Profile
The Steadfast 85 DC has a pretty traditional shape and rocker profile. It has a long effective edge (i.e., minimal early tapering at the tips and tails), and it’s mostly cambered, with just a hint of tip and tail rocker.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Steadfast 85 DC:
Tips: 7.5-8
Shovels: 8-8.5
In Front of Toe Piece: 9-9.5
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 9.5-9
Tails: 8.5
This is a fairly strong ski overall. However, it’s a bit softer around the shovels and tails when compared to some piste-oriented skis around the same width (e.g., Rossignol Arcade 88, Volkl Peregrine 82).
Sidecut Radius
For the 179 cm model we’ve been testing, Nordica says the Steadfast 85 DC’s sidecut radius is 15.9 meters. That’s about average for this class, if not slightly on the tighter side of things.
Mount Point
The Steadfast 85 DC comes mounted with a Marker FDT HP Free Demo Plate, but we measured its recommended mount point at about -7 cm from true center. That’s notably closer to center than many skis in this class, but not as centered as most freestyle skis.
Weight
Our pair of the 179 cm Steadfast 85 DC weighs a little over 2100 grams per ski (flat / without demo plates), which is slightly heavier than average for its class.
For reference, here are some of our measured weights (per ski in grams) for a few notable skis. As always, keep in mind the length and width differences of each ski listed to keep things more apples-to-apples. Also, note which of these measured weights includes a given ski’s binding plates.
1627 & 1640 Head Kore 87, 177 cm
1675 & 1732 Folsom Spar 78, 177 cm
1701 & 1706 Rossignol Forza 70D V-Ti, 173 cm
1724 & 1735 Parlor Warbird, 178 cm
1724 & 1749 Black Crows Octo, 179.3 cm
1728 & 1750 Renoun Atlas 80, 177 cm
1796 & 1838 Black Crows Mirus Cor, 178 cm
1808 & 1834 Northland AM-178, 178 cm
1823 & 1853 Atomic Maverick 88 Ti, 184 cm
1832 & 1841 K2 Disruption 78Ti, 177 cm
1833 & 1849 Shaggy’s Brockway 90, 180 cm
1837 & 1854 Fischer The Curv GT 85 Redefine, 175 cm
1906 & 1907 Dynastar M-Cross 88, 184 cm
1911 & 1917 K2 Disruption 82Ti, 177 cm
1915 & 1937 K2 Mindbender 89Ti, 182 cm
1940 & 1949 Kästle MX84, 176 cm
1941 & 1968 Volkl Peregrine 80, 177 cm
1960 & 2004 Kästle MX88, 181 cm
1999 & 2060 Line Blade, 181 cm
2000 & 2016 Volkl Peregrine 82, 177 cm
2003 & 2011 Head Supershape e-Magnum, 170 cm (w/ binding plates)
2008 & 2015 Folsom Spar 88, 182 cm
2025 & 2028 Meier Quickdraw, 181 cm
2045 & 2057 Rossignol Arcade 88, 178 cm
2047 & 2056 Blizzard Anomaly 88, 182 cm
2058 & 2079 Stöckli Montero AR, 180 cm
2096 & 2154 Nordica Steadfast 85 DC, 179 cm
2112 & 2116 Folsom Spar Turbo, 182 cm
2121 & 2147 Head Supershape e-Titan, 177 cm (w/ binding plates)
2199 & 2211 Head Supershape e-Rally, 177 cm (w/ binding plates)
2235 & 2236 Elan Wingman 86 CTi, 184 cm (w/ binding plates)
2225 & 2248 K2 Disruption MTi, 175 cm (w/ binding plates)
2271 & 2273 Fischer The Curv GT 85, 175 cm (w/ Fischer M-Track plates)
2286 & 2299 Fischer RC One 82 GT, 180 cm (22/23–23/24)
2432 & 2445 Fischer RC4 The Curv, 185 cm (w/ binding plates)
Now, it’s time to discuss on-snow performance:
For the 2024-2025 season, we’ve partnered with Carv to use their Carv 2 sensors and digital ski coach app to not only learn more about our own skiing technique, but also add more useful info to our ski reviews. Here, you’ll see us reference some of the data that the Carv 2 sensors record and analyze while we’re skiing. Check out our announcement to learn more about how Carv works, why we’re excited to use it as a tool for our reviews, and how to get a discount on your own Carv setup.
FULL REVIEW
Luke Koppa (5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg): We’ve now had multiple reviewers on the Steadfast 85 DC, starting last winter at Crested Butte Mountain Resort and continuing through the spring at Taos Ski Valley. We got back on it this season for some final testing, and here, I’ll summarize our main takeaways.
On Piste — Turn Initiation & Turn Shapes
The Steadfast 85 DC doesn’t demand that you drive it super hard or get it up to super high speeds in order to initiate a carved turn. It also doesn’t feel all that engaging on very low-angle slopes (around 15° and lower, according to my Carv data). I.e., I’d place it somewhere near the middle of the spectrum in terms of how much input it requires and how easy it is to get on edge.
Once you get to that point, the Steadfast 85 DC is happy to make GS turns at high edge angles. During my better runs on this ski, when I was consistently achieving edge angles between 58-63°, Carv says my turn radii tended to be between 15-18 meters.
When opening up my turns further, I tended to ease up on this ski’s shovels, and my edge angles consequently dropped. If you’re carving this ski hard, it will typically bend into what I’d call medium-radius turns. But it doesn’t feel particularly twitchy when making bigger-radius turns from a more centered stance.
Compared to several other skis in its class (see our Deep Dive comparisons), the Steadfast 85 DC doesn’t feel quite as locked in along its whole length while carving. On piste, one upside to this is that it’s very intuitive to modulate / alternate between carving and skidding turns. Folks who are still learning to bend a ski will likely appreciate this, and so did I when the snow was firm enough that I didn’t feel like trying to truly carve it. The downside is that the Steadfast 85 DC doesn’t feel quite as “on rails” as some other carving skis around this width (see below).
When the groomers are fairly grippy, it’s a lot of fun to hammer out GS turns on this ski, but it remains very predictable when you don’t feel like really laying it over and instead want to casually slide turns.
On Piste — Edge Hold, Energy, & Suspension
As we just alluded to, the Steadfast 85 DC doesn’t offer best-in-class edge hold, but it can still carve scraped-off, icy groomers better than most wider all-mountain skis. But if I was looking for a piste-specific ski and I knew I’d be skiing a lot of very firm groomers, I’d probably look to the alternatives in this class, most of which would be a bit narrower and stiffer.
That said, on fresh corduroy or what I’d call “average” mid-winter piste conditions in the Rockies, the Steadfast 85 DC feels secure on edge and is capable of being pushed pretty hard. When skiing it, Carv says I averaged between 2 and 3g’s of force at the apex of turns when I was skiing my best, which is a bit higher than average for the skis I’ve so far tested while using the Carv 2 system. However, I wouldn’t say the Steadfast 85 DC feels really powerful and supportive all the way through its tail; most of its edge hold comes from the middle of the ski and the tail finishes turns a bit less precisely than, say, the Volkl Peregrine 82.
As for energy, I wouldn’t call the Steadfast 85 DC a standout — in a good or bad way. It’s not dead, nor is it explosively springy.
However, the Steadfast 85 DC does offer very nice suspension. Chalk it up to Nordica’s Double Core construction, the ski’s slightly heavier-than-average weight, or something else, but the point is that the Steadfast 85 DC does a good job of absorbing / muting out unwelcome vibrations from the snow.
It’s not a monster truck of a ski; it’ll still get bounced around a bit if you want to make Super G turns in rough snow. But I’d say its preference for medium-ish turn sizes is more of a limiting factor there, rather than the ski’s ride quality.
Off Piste Maneuverability
Coincidentally, our ski reviews this season have covered skis that started out fully piste-specific (Fischer The Curv GT 85), then the next one offered slightly more off-piste capability (Stöckli Montero AR), and the Steadfast 85 DC continues this trend — it’s more intuitive off piste than both those skis and several others in its class.
Now, as we’ve covered in those other reviews, how much you’ll enjoy the Steadfast 85 DC off piste depends a whole lot on your personal preferences and the specific conditions you’ll be skiing.
Back at Taos, I was surprised by how predictable and easy the Steadfast 85 DC felt when skiing the chalky steeps of Mt. Kachina. As long as I stayed centered or slightly forward over its shovels, it was easy to carve or skid the ski. Now, the important caveat there is that the chalk was pretty smooth and consistent (not punchy), and there weren’t giant moguls to deal with (see the photos of Jonathan in this review for an idea of the conditions).
I also didn’t mind taking the Steadfast 85 DC into some big but widely spaced moguls in the spring, but that was largely due to the fact that there was a soft, slushy layer of snow over a firm base.
So, the Steadfast 85 DC can be a fun off-piste option in conditions that aren’t prone to grabbing a narrow ski and causing it to hook up when you don’t want it to. And it will likely be more enjoyable if you’re not dealing with really tightly spaced moguls that don’t give you much room to work with for each turn.
However, in our early-season moguls, the Steadfast 85 DC has been more of a handful. In these tight, firm bumps, I have to dial back my speed and pay more attention to unweighting this ski’s tails, compared to how I can ski on a slightly wider, more rockered, more tapered, and/or softer all-mountain ski (e.g., Salomon Stance 90).
I wouldn’t call the Steadfast 85 DC a piste-specific ski by any means, but for those who truly plan to ski all over the mountain in all conditions, I think Nordica’s marketing copy about it overemphasizes its versatility. Its off-piste capabilities are more limited in certain conditions and terrain than most wider all-mountain skis.
For me and the terrain I primarily ski, I’d view the Steadfast 85 DC as a ski I’d probably keep on piste 75-90% of the time. It’s maneuverable enough for me to enjoy taking it into some bumps, trees, or steeps when the snow is right (I think “chalky” or “slightly slushy” are this ski’s ideal off-piste conditions). But if I planned to spend more time off piste, I’d start looking at skis that more closely resemble wider all-mountain models.
Who’s It For?
Those who want a piste-oriented ski that they’ll use to make medium-radius carves on slopes that are neither super steep nor totally flat, and who will do so in just about any on-piste snow condition. For that demographic, the Steadfast 85 DC stands out for its smooth suspension and intuitive transitions between carved and skidded turns, and it feels more predictable and maneuverable in off-piste terrain than many 80-85 mm skis.
There are better alternatives if you want an ultra-precise carver for icy conditions. And the more you’re concerned with off-piste maneuverability, the more it makes sense to consider some wider skis (such as Nordica’s Unleashed or Enforcer series). However, the Steadfast 85 DC is a nice option for those who will spend most of their time on piste but still like to occasionally hit some moguls, trees, and other off-piste zones.
Bottom Line
The Nordica Steadfast 85 DC is an approachable carver that feels at home on most groomed slopes that fall around the middle of the bell curve when it comes to pitch and speed. It’s predictable on very firm conditions, can be a blast to carve hard when the snow is grippy, and offers impressive suspension that keeps it calm in variable snow.
Compared to many other “all-conditions carvers,” the Steadfast 85 DC stands out more for how accessible it can feel in certain off-piste conditions, rather than how locked-in it feels on edge or how much energy it produces in a hard carve. That could be a great combo for skiers who like to make high-edge-angle GS turns when the snow is good, but who don’t want a ski that requires 100% commitment all the time in order to feel intuitive.
Our Deep Dives, Winter Buyer’s Guide, & Flash Reviews
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Deep Dive: Nordica Steadfast 85 DC
We compare the Steadfast 85 DC to the Nordica Enforcer 94, Stockli Montero AR, Elan Wingman 86 CTi, Fischer The Curv GT 85, Rossignol Arcade 88, Volkl Peregrine 80, Kastle MX84, Head Supershape e-Rally, K2 Disruption 82Ti, Head Supershape e-Titan, Atomic Maverick 88 Ti, and Dynastar M-Cross 88.
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23/24 Nordica Steadfast 85 DC
We just got our first day on the widest ski in Nordica’s Steadfast collection. Here are our initial thoughts on the Nordica Steadfast 85 DC and how it slots into the narrower all-mountain and wider piste-oriented categories.
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I see that Nordica hasn’t canceled the Dobermann Series skis, I am wondering what market these skis are aimed at? I am also very interested in how they compare to the Nordica Dobermann Spitfire 80RD model as far as turn shape, turn initiation, stability and suspension?
To me it would be a given that it can handle crud and chop better as well as anything approaching off-piste, given the wider width and description as “a ride that’s playful and forgiving,” and talk of bumps and trees. I have a pair of the 2022 Dobermann’s and I consider them my dedicated carvers.
I am older, skied Dynastar’s in a 203 back in the day, am 5′ 7″, 210#, and am an aggressive, directional skier, who skis in the PNW. I consider myself to be an experienced, but not really up to an expert level. 70’s era freestyle experience; but no racing background.
I haven’t had the opportunity to test a bunch of skis, but also own:
Ca. 2018 Nordica Enforcer 100 which I find fairly planted, versatile and stable at speed. (for several years my only ski.)
1st gen Peak 88 by Bode-My new everyday ski. I really love them so far. A fair bit less planted; but quick, versatile and handle speed.
1st gen Peak 110 by Bode-My new ski for freshies, but not likely to ski regularly. Surprisingly nimble in moguls, and edge hold on piste