Nordica Takes Best Overall

[skigirl]

I skied the Firefox and liked it, but it was too long for me. I am mad at Nordica for claiming to make Woman's skis but not making all of them short enough for all woman! The Firefox stops at 154cm and I need a 146cm!

I did ski the Speed in a 146cm and really liked that ski a lot.

I still Love my Fischers above all.

 

[skigrl27]

I've mentioned this in other threads and no one has replied but as far as I can see the Firefox and the Dobermann Spitfire have the same dimensions, construction etc except the Firefox is only available in the US and the Spitfire is only available outside the US, is this the same ski???

Firefox

https://www.nordica.com/dynamic/ski.php?idColl=21&idCat=277&siteVersion=2&idL=1&restart=1&

Target

Built from the ground up specifically for expert women.
Sizes

154(R12), 162(R13), 170(R14), 178(R15.5)
Sidecut

(154cm – 162cm) 120-70-103 (170cm – 178cm)
122-70-105

Construction

Full 2V ACTIVE Ti /
Type of core

Comp-mono wood
System/binding

X-BALANCE SYSTEM INTEGRATED

Dobermann Spitfire

https://www.nordica.com/dynamic/ski.php?idColl=43&idCat=55&idP=140&siteVersion=8&idL=1&restart=1&

Target

Expert skiers, advanced skiers, ski instructors who want have a polyvalent ski for all the turns.
Sizes

154 (R12), 162 (R13), 170 (R14), 178 (R15.5)
Sidecut

122-70-105 (SIZE 170-178); 120-70-103 (SIZE 154-162)

Construction

FULL TWIN V ACTIVE TI
Type of core

comp-wood
System/binding

X-BALANCE SYSTEM INTEGRATED - N0312 TI or N0311 TI binding by Marker - 3D top

So those 2 skis have the same tip to tail measurements? Really?

 

[perma-grin]

Nope that is in correct on the webpage. The Firefox is 120-70-103 not 122-70-105. I am very sure of this, actually I'm positive. I ski on them every day it's printed on the tails, and there are no changes with that ski for next year.

 

[lynseyf]

Both the firefox and spitfire have different measurements for different sizes ( according to the website) so the stats you quote are for your skis which are the shorter lengths, the bigger stats are for the firefox and spitfires above 170cm. I am interested in this because of all the rave reviews on the firefox on here and also because they don't sell both skis in the same country, if you go to the Nordica page and choose Europe or UK you will see the Spitfire.

 

[IcyBum]

Hey Greekpeak!
Have fun with the demo's but try to ski a couple of different length in the Firefox if you can. One of my girlfriends just bought a pair (two weeks ago), she had skied mine in (a 162 cm) And frankly she wasn't that impressed with them! She was not even mildly in love with them. However when she got on the 154's she bought them right then and there! You could have knocked me over with a feather, when I rode up the chair with her and saw what she was on! I said hey what gives? I thought you said that they weren't making your knees weak with need? She informed me that the shorter length just really felt more comfortable for her. With the 154 she was definitly in "Love "not just ski lust so she bought em'! So be picky, because contrary to what most men will tell you size really does matter! Lol!

About what are your girlfriend's height and weight? Just curious...tks.

 

[perma-grin]

Hi Lynseyf and Icybum,
I gave up on having mr. perma-grin translate the tech manual over the phone to me (he's back home) and called the rep. He said the woood core densities are different and one other thing they had to do for the longer length in the Firefox. I appologize but I can't recall now after last night. Two trout slayer ales and a couple of glasses of Le creme with dinner it all runs together (I seldom drink). No more apres ski for me! I still don't think that you could go wrong with either ski. Icybum my friend is 5'5, and around 200 lbs. However she is not what I would call an agressive skier. When she gets on the steep or in tough snow she tends to throw her hips around. I She knows this , we (myself and another ski trainer) have worked on getting her to get forward and tip both feet to equal edge angles in the snow( she likes to flatten that inside ski and platform off it.) Hopefully with the rapid edge engagement of the Fire fox she'll gain the confidence (in her ski) that she needs to power through the tough snow instead of backing away from it to engage the falline. But again if you have the oppourtunity to demo that ski in different length I would do that. I realize that this isn't always possible but it make the ski selection process very cut and dried. The one thing that really impressed me about this web site is that the women here aren't willing to settle for someone else deciding what they should or shouldn't be skiing on. I love that everybody ask lot's of questions about the skis that they are interested in and the amout of demoing that goes on is awesome! I know that demoing can be kind of a hassle and can be expensive but I really feel it's worth the effort. I hope I didn't make that as clear as mud.

 

[lynseyf]

Thanks that is really interesting, I would still like to try the Firefox if they sold it outside of the US but if I see any good deals on the Spitfire I am going to buy a pair, something tells me I won't as thye seem to have been a really popular ski in Europe :(

 

[IcyBum]

Lynsef,
Though ski construction experts should weigh on this....I do think you are correct in your hypothesis that they are the same ski, just on the basis of the descriptions on the respective web pages for those skis. The U.K. Nordica website's description of the Dobermann Spitfire looks identical to the USA Nordica website's description of the FireFox.

Just to make matters more interesting for us Diva Sleuths, though, the Firefox description looks to have a little typo in it where the sidecut is listed for smaller lengths:
"(154cm – 162cm) 120-70-1053..." (1053? 103, I'm guessing, based on Perma-grin's skis)
https://www.nordica.com/dynamic/ski.php?idColl=21&idCat=277&idP=1740&siteVersion=2&idL=1&restart=1&

The only other inconsistencies (apart from graphics, which don't mean much) is that "Type of Core" for Spitfire is "comp-wood" while the Type of Core for the Firefox is "comp-mono wood"; and bindings are shown on the Spitfire but not with the Firefox.

Enough for now, my head is starting to hurt!

 

[IcyBum]

Press release from: Nordica Canada "The Nordica 08-09 collection: Pleasure, performance and versatility"

"Firefox
The women’s version of the Spitfire, introduced following a strong demand by consumers, the Firefox was officially launched this season..."

https://openpr.com/news/36357/The-Nordica-08-09-collection-Pleasure-performance-and-versatility.html

 

[perma-grin]

Hooray! Looks like Jilly is going to get her wish!!! The comp wood and the comp-mono wood are the densities that I was referrering to in the earlier post. I wonder why ski manufacter's don't make all of there models avalible for purchase, in all of the countries that they sell to? Seems a little silly not distribute them in as many markets as possible.

 

[lynseyf]

I agree, I wonder if there is more of a market for expert womens skis in the US?? I hope they do bring the Firefox out in the UK as FS skis seem to be cheaper than unisex skis here so maybe I could get a bargain on them

 

[SkiGirly]

I'm not surprised, I like Nordica. I bought some of the Beasts this year and I love them. They are a great all around boot for me without being too stiff. They also fit me great because I have huge calves and need the room in the cuff.