Had a wonderful time trying out the 2011 Icelantic Nomad Skis this weekend. Conditions were packed powder/firm in many places but it did not matter for the Nomad it would go anywhere on the mountain that you wanted to take it and with a lot of power to boot. With an 18m turn radius the Icelantic Nomad skis loved skiing straight down the fall line and high speeds. When pushed up snow was in the way it did not matter they would just absorb the bump and keep on carving down the face. Extremely good edge hold for a ski at 105mm’s in the waist and the the lack of weight does not affect the rigidity of the ski, even the Nomad Soft would hold at higher speeds with no problem at all. If you were thinking of getting a Volkl Gotama or a K2 obsethed and you are looking for a lighter weight sidewall ski that is handmade in Colorado then I would highly recommend that you look a little more into the Icelantic Nomad Skis. At 190lbs the 181cm was the perfect length. They seem to feel shorter than they actually are which is a great thing when they get into powder conditions. If you are looking for an ultimate one ski quiver or a versatile Alpine Touring/Slack Country Ski the Icelantic Nomad is a top choice for sure.
Home of the Untracked Gnar…
I have the 2010 model i agree whit you adam it is incredible ski, who go anywhere on montain and it is very easy ski
If you like the Nomad, you’ll love the Shaman. More surface area. Goes through anything and always up on top in the powder. I have skied both the Nomads Shamans and ended up selling the Nomads and keeping the Shamans for crud and powder. I also have a pair of pilgrims for the groomers, non powder days. I think the Pilgrim / Shaman combo is second to none.
Simeon,
I agree for people that are looking for a fun all mountain ski the Nomad is a great choice. I personally ski on much wider skis as my everday ski but when testing I have a much more open mind and have others in mind.
Tom,
Its funny you say I’ll love the Shaman because I really do love the Shaman and just had not had the chance to write my review about it yet. Pilgrim is afun energetic ski as well but honestly I try to stay away from skis under 100mm in the waist anymore. I will be writing my review on the Shaman and please feel free to chime in on your thoughts.
I’ve skied the 2009 168cm Nomads for 2 seasons now and just love them especially in the trees. They also perform fine on the groomed. (Much prefer skiing trees to groomed though). After 10+ days straight skiing can still drive these skis. For me they handle all conditions and are definitely a fun all mountain ski. Mine are mounted with Marker Duke bindings which give me a much higher degree of contact and control from boot to the ski compared with standard bindings (originally tried on standard bindings and thought there was less boot to ski connection for the 105cm waist). Would highly recommend these especially with the Duke bindings. The 168cm suits my 80kg(176lb) frame.
My son lent me his Nomad’s and I never gave them back. Most fun ski I have been on. Super quick, great tree ski, but fine at speed on groomers.
This is going to be my 3rd season on the Nomads they make me feel and ski 10 years younger than my 60+ years + triple-by-pass
It is an amazing ski isnt it! It is so surprising how easy these skis are to ski everytime you get out on them. You can ski them in shorter lengths with out losing any stability and the power you get out of the ski with the little amount of work you need to use is unmatched right now. Was talking with the Icelantic guys yesterday and they are really going to spend a lot of time this winter with their skis out on the hill for consumers to try which is great for everyone. Keep loving those Nomads, and I know you love the durability of them too!
I was wondering if anyone here has skied the Nomad SFT and can compare it to the regular Nomads.
I did ski the Nomad SFT and had an absolute blast on the ski. It is a great ski for lighter skiers or if you want a versatile AT ski for doing everyhting the SFT is an awesome choice. It is a little more playful than the normal Nomad and just as versatile.
Had the pleasure of skiing on a pair of Nomad’s (stiff 168) at Crystal Mountain yesterday during a demo day. Conditions were firm with no new snow in weeks. I was amazed on how quick these skis were edge to edge. Fun on the groomed, really fun off piste. Powder must be amazing.
Hi Bill,
Yeah the Icelantic Nomad is really an awesome ski. Extremely lightweight yet incredibly versatile and amazing stability for a ski with no metal. They ski all conditions well and when it comes to powder you will feel like a kid in the candy store.
Adam
Adam,
I’m looking to set up the nomads with plum guide AT bindings. I am 5’10” and weigh 180 lbs without gear. What length nomads would you recommend? The regular or SFT? Any advice would be greatly appreciated
JP,
For your height and weight I would say the 168cm length. If you are aggressive all the time and really enjoy speed then go with the 181cm, but the 168cm is plenty of ski. As for SFT or not it really depends on what you are looking for. These skis are already light and where you can ski them so short I would think you would want the regular version. If you want a lighter ski that is a little more forgiving in the bumps then go with the SFT, but for what you are doing I think you will enjoy the regular version.
Hello! I living in Russia and im searching for reviews about Nomad and found this topic. Here in Russia its a big problem to find Icelantic brand and i dont have any people who can i ask about this ski. =( guys im 150 lb and 5.576ft (170cm) How do u think 168 cm Nomad will be good for me or get 181cm (or its will be to hard to ride?)
And its really good riding in groomer? Right now i have curving ski and want to change to all mountains and same time powder skis)
Thx for reply if this topic still alive))
The great thing about Icelantic is the way their skis are built you can ski them in shorter lengths so I think the 168cm length would be the best length for you at your weight. The will carve with no issues at all on groomers and you will have a ton of fun riding the. It iwll be your one ski quiver ski.
Thx Adam! Will do order tomorrow! Nomads 2010/11 – the best looking skis i seen ever) on my opinion for sure:)
One last question is Marker Griffon 13 will fit good? is it a good bindings for this ski?
Great fit for that ski!