Nordica’s Patron is super fun, damp, easy to schmear, with an ability to inspire confidence in all off-piste conditions. “Balanced” was a term many testers used to describe this ski, which really means that it has a big sweet that is easy to find even when the snow gets a little dicey.

Although the Patron did not flat out own any single category, it still gained very positive impressions from everyone who skied this ski. This is a great third option for anyone who might think Rossignol’s Super 7 is too light, or that HEAD’s Cyclic or Blizzard’s Bodacious seem too much like off-piste race skis.