The Patron has been on the top shelf of Nordica’s freeskiing lineup for a couple of years and this year is no different. The playful powder slayer hits the sweet spot with a floaty, yet agile waist width that you can take almost anywhere. A playful wood and carbon core, with a rockered tip/tail combo, make it a ski you can easily surf or carve on. “Good times in any and all snow conditions,” said one tester. Another felt right at home on them, saying, “I kept feeling a sense of balance on this ski. Very natural flex to it.”