Nordica Hell & Back review 2014
PROSKILAB™ reviewers' comments
The Hell & Back is a very good ski, but its extreme rigidity lost it points in view of our reviewers' physical stature. It's a good choice though for heavier, athletic skiers (> 85kg) who want a fast and dynamic mixed piste/freeride ski.
Review: Pros
- The Hell & Back is a dynamic and athletic ski. Its bite makes for a particularly pleasant experience on the slopes, where it displayed amazing grip and incisiveness for a ski in this category. The ski is very much at home carving out long-radius turns.
- Its off-piste performance is excellent overall, except on crud or uneven snow (see below). It scored well for flotability and ease of handling in powder.
Review: Cons
- On the other hand, the ski is pretty rigid and relatively unforgiving, meaning it requires a certain degree of physical prowess.
- Off-piste, it tends to jolt and punish the skier in the crud or on uneven snow.
The ski review scores
| Turn initiation | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 16.4 |
| Stability | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 17.0 |
| Stability/turning performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.8 |
| Grip | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 18.0 |
| Short turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 12.0 |
| Long turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.5 |
| Skid turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.3 |
| Handleability | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.2 |
| Comfort | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 11.8 |
| Snow contact | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.5 |
| Soft snow fluidity | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.0 |
| Freeride - Flotation quality | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.8 |
| Handling in powder | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.8 |
| Performance on hard snow | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.8 |
| Freeride - Performance on hard snow | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 10.7 |
| Any ground comfort | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 12.0 |
Who's it for?
Manufacturer's remarks
The Hell & Back boasts a new wooden core, the i-core, which combines a lighter wood core with an ultra light polyurethane centre stringer to give the same performance as a traditional wood core ski, while reducing its weight by 25%!!
That means you can ski with a real 98mm freeride ski underfoot (the sidecut is exactly the same as on the Enforcer), but you'll find arc turns much easier (less inertia) in difficult snow conditions. The rocker tip means your ski will always stay on top of the snow for an amazingly smooth ride!
You can either use the ski with Free rando bindings to enjoy the magnificent downhill Alpine valleys, or with Freeride bindings for on-piste precision!
Features of the Hell & Back
| Brand : | Nordica |
| Model : | Hell & Back |
| Year : | 2014 |
| Family : | All-Mountain back |
| Size tested : | 185 cm |
| Tip size : | 135 mm |
| Waist size : | 98 mm |
| Tail size : | 125 mm |
| Radius for the size reviewed : | Not available |
Your review
Reviewed by PROSKILAB™
in La Clusaz, France, March 2013