2012 Icelantic Skis Review continued . . . Nomad & Nomad SFT

The Nomad & Nomad SFT


The 2012 Icelantic Nomad is cosmetically and spiritually symbolized, with good reason, by the mountain goat. Mountain goats have a natural ability to descend down precarious rock faces, traverse across jagged cliffs, and shuffle down sloughing slopes faster, and with more grace than Sly Stallone dodging a melee of gunfire while cascading a two-step down a mountain cliff hanger. Yeah - that fast, and that graceful!


A fitting creature to represent a ski with an equal amount of versatility and maneuverability. I know I've said it before, but this ski is the one quiver ski. With a narrower waist than the iconic Shaman, the Nomad surfs in at a cool 105 mm underfoot. Another brilliant ski from Icelantic that is a crowd favorite due to its adaptability and explosive power. It's as shapely as Marilyn with dimensions running 140 mm in the tip, 105 mm on the waist, and 130 mm in the caboose, and as balanced as Daniel LaRusso, Crane-Style against the Cobra Kai nemesis, Johnny Lawrence. Although, its sidecut is not as drastic as the Shaman, it provides a different style of all terrain shredding.


The turn radius runs 14, 17, and 20 meters respectively for its 156, 168, and 181 cm lengths. I'd categorize this ski under anyone looking for one ski to literally do a little bit of everything. If you like hitting little booters in the BC - no problem - with its balance and exceptional control, it's super fun and playful. If you run into groomers a lot in the Midwest and out East, it can handle it, and handle it well - holding edge on hard pack with surprising side to side quickness. If you make it out west a couple times a year and hope to stumble upon some blower conditions, or you want to hike a ridge you've had your eye on, then no need to demo a powder ski, ride your Nomads with pride and feel the solid planks keeping you confident on that precarious ridge, and floating you to the promised land. 


The Nomad SFT is a lighter, more flexible version of the Nomad. It features Icelantic's soft Nollie Flex Core. It's a big mountain jib ski that allows skiers to take their front-side antics to the BC. One rider I spoke with on a lift was rocking the Marker Schizo binding on his SFTs and was grinning from ear to ear talking about how fun his set up was. He remarked, " . . . it has awesome flex for park days (and the Schizo adds ability to turn your traditional mount into a center mount (with a few key turns on the toe piece ) and even with the 105 mm underfoot, it's light enough to go back side on tree runs and throw down, and so easy and effortless when you want to carve around with your Grandma." I added Grandma.


If you feel the call of the mountain goat, and have spoken to him in your dreams, ask him why his cousin eats leather, and tell him to guide you on your journey to skiing nirvana with the 2012 Icelantic Nomad and Nomad SFT.


Dimensions:
140, 105, 130
Lengths:
156, 168, 181
Radius:
14, 17, 20


Currently, Icelantic can be found at the following Midwest and Great Lakes Shops for the 2011-12 season.


The House Board Shop (St. Paul, Minnesota)
The Ski Hut (Duluth, Minnesota)
Summit Sports, Inc. (Michigan)
Benchmark Outfitters (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Phillip Galls Outdoor and Ski (Lexington, Kentucky)
Aspen Ski and Board (Columbus, Ohio)
Savvy Skate (Bismarck, North Dakota)
Laacke and Joys (Madison, Wisconsin)
Viking Ski Shop (Chicago, Illinois)
Village Snow (North Olmsted, Ohio)
Geiger's Ski Haus (Cleveland, OH)
Big Powderhorn Ski Resort (Ironwood, MIichigan)


Dealers interested in carrying Icelantic can contact Josh at Marino.Midwest@gmail.com.