With tester comments like “fast,” “stable,” and “built for extreme aggression,” the Nordica Hell and Back’s niche is pretty well carved out. One of the few directional skis in the test, the Hell and Back features early rise in the tip with contact points closer to the binding, which allow for more tip flotation in soft stuff and easier turn initiation. Built with Nordica’s all-wood core, the Hell and Back is light enough to hit the sidecountry but burly enough to maintain top performance. If you want to go fast and lay it down on any terrain, look no further than the Hell and Back.