Curated Skiing Expert Hayden Wright got his hands on the 2024 Icelantic Nomad 105 this spring. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but consider the fact that each and every skier is different; if you have any questions about the Nomad 105 or need recommendations on which ski would be best for you, reach out to a Skiing Expert here on Curated.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Icelantic claim about this ski? Icelantic claims that the Nomad 105 is your all mountain, freeride, surfy, poppy, and playful ski. It does hold true!

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of the ski? My overall impression of the 2024 Icelantic Nomad 105s was that they’re a very forgiving, playful ski. The 105 mm waist width was perfect for the day I got to test them on. We had 6+ inches of powder and the first couple of laps were untracked - it was more playful. But, once it became more tracked pow, we got back on track and they did awesome. It's very rare that I get to test skis during the conditions that they're designed for, and these were so, so fun in untracked snow. We skied them on a little bit of groomed snow, too.

How does the shape of the ski affect the way it rides? It's a full wood core ski, and Icelantic has their own wood core called the Hybrid Flight Core. It consists of Poplar and Paulownia wood. This creates a really forgiving ski. With just a little bit of camber underfoot paired with some early rise in the tip and tail, this truly is a very versatile ski.

Carving

How does the ski turn? For being 105 mm underfoot they were really nice getting over edge to edge on that ungroomed and choppy tracked pow. But, as the day got longer and the powder became more scarce and it got a little harder, these weren't the best carving skis.

What is the edge hold like? So with a bit of camber underfoot, these hold edge great when it's softer snow or a little bit of untracked chop. On the harder, icier stuff, because it is a pretty playful and forgiving ski, they're not going to be the best carving ski.

Freestyle

Could you speak about playfulness and pop? They're not the stiffest ski, so you're not going to really get a lot of pop. They're more of a softer, buttery, playful ski with that Hybrid Flight Core.

Is it good for skiing switch? The Nomad 105s do have early rise in the tip and tail, so you are able to ski these things switch on groomers and even in a little bit of powder.

How is the ski with jumps? I did take them off some jumps and they felt fairly stable underfoot. I will say, though, if you landed really far back seat on these, it might flex out on you.

Freeride

How is it for freeride skiing? For freeriding, the Icelantic Nomad 105s are awesome. This ski truly, truly shined. It was an absolute blast skiing it on ungroomed stuff and on the actual groomed runs that weren't groomed that day.

How is it skiing in the trees? How is its maneuverability? Even being 105 millimeters underfoot, I found that these were real nimble and felt pretty good to the trees. That being said, the conditions were softer so keep that in mind.

What terrain is this ski good for? For the freeride category, the Icelantic Nomad 105 truly shined on those untracked pow days. Even if it's a day or two after a storm, the Icelantic Nomad 105 would still be a great option to take. These really thrive in that Colorado and West Coast snow pack (as they are handmade in Colorado!).

What terrain should skiers avoid with it? If you're skiing harder snow, these aren't going to be the best option. You could ski them still, but they're just going to be a little bit more chatty.

Recommendations

If you could pack these skis for anywhere in the world, where would you take them? If you're going up to AK, Whistler, or even if you're going on a Colorado ski trip with the family, and you're not sure if there’s going to be powder all week long (or no powder at all), the Nomad 105s will be a great ski for you.

Who would you recommend these skis to? I would recommend these to any skiers that enjoy a playful, forgiving ski. With the 105 waist you're not limited to only skiing on the groomers or only having this be your big, deep powder ski. This is right there in the middle and is truly versatile.

Who should avoid these skis, there are better options out there for them? If you're a really tall and heavy skier skiing out on the East Coast, or strictly groomers only, there are other skis out there that will be better for you.

Now, with that said, if you are a bigger and taller skier and you do like a softer ski and you only ski on the softer days, the Icelantic Nomad 105s could be for you.

Skis work differently for different types of skiers. If you are wondering whether the Nomad 105 is the right ski for you, chat with Hayden or any other Skiing Experts here on Curated, and they’ll put together free, personalized ski recommendations on the best skis for your needs.