Nocturne 88

I've spent years avoiding skis like this as I have tried lots of bigger lightweight skis to find that they are unpredictable in chunder and didn't have predictable releases when you wanted it, so were never worth cutting weight to have that experience.

One lap around the spearhead on these bad boys and I was sold. Stable, predictable and confidence inspiring - they ski like a scaled down big ski vs a lightweight nightmare! (Also, surprisingly surfy in deeper snow too)

Great ski 🫡

After a winter on big, reverse camber skis (usually ranging from 120-132mm underfoot) and in deep powder, I was very skeptical about these Nocturne 88’s. I mean, I haven’t skied something this skinny since…2005?! Anyway, now that spring has rolled around, the snowpack has gone diurnal, and I’m spending lots of time walking uphill, it turns out that the Nocturne is absolutely the way to go. Obviously a skinnier, lighter weight ski is optimal for long tours and for carrying on the back (hello scrappy ski mountaineering adventure), but what I didn’t expected was how well these would perform on the downhill. Wow, they’re so stable, hold an edge, and ride through corn and variable snow like no other! Don’t be apprehensive like I was, these are amazing skis from an amazing company. For reference, I’m 145lbs, 5’11” and am very happy on the 172cm ski.

Two turns in and I knew this ski was going to be high on my list of favorite skis. These things rip and their capabilities extend far beyond corn snow or pool table smooth wind board. In the first couple days of owning this ski I put on a little over 25 miles and around 10k in vert. They’re light weight and make touring seem effortless. During this time I encountered all flavors of snow from blue ice to head-high pockets of low density pow to hot slop and they shined every step and turn of the way. The progressive flex creates a sense of stability and encourage you to trust that edge when things get steep and spicy while the tip shape and early rise keeps you from diving a tip when managing your way across breakable crusts or farming some pow turns.
The Nocturne 88 hasn’t let me down yet. Much recommended for all seasons and adventures on snow.
I ski the 178cm and I’m 5’11” @ 170 lbs

As a connoisseur of ultra light and skinny skis when the conditions call for it, the Nocturn is an exceptional tool for long days and the variety of conditions you can expect to find when seeking corn, spring powder in the steeps, and high alpine objectives. The shape and flex of this ski strikes the perfect balance for me. Setting it apart from other skis on the market in this category, the more centered stance and slightly heavier weight result in a spring ski that can go the distance but still rip through a variety of conditions. Paired with a race-style binding and 1,000g boot, the set up is still light enough to handle a massive day across all the elevation bands. The mid-stiff tips, slight camber, and radius all make for a ski that provides confident edge hold on firm steeps while still playful in soft snow and can also handle crud/mank/breakable conditions as well as you could hope for with a ski in this category. The more centered mount gives it a quick and balanced feel when executing high consequence hop turns. This is the ski I will choose for guiding multi-day hut trips in the Alps this spring, couloir hunting missions, and Cascade style volcano skiing. It's a skinny ski for the freeride skier who wouldn't be caught dead in spandex.

This is the first sub 98mm waisted ski I've had in many years, and it was a scary move at first! Fortunately WNDR has again designed a specialized tool for excellent backcountry travel. I have ridden this ski in a wide variety of conditions ranging from ice and breakable crust to powder and even at the shorter length I went with (172cm), it is amazingly stable and fun to ski. I have carried it on my back on class five rock to the tops of couloirs and turned it through aspen glades and am stoked on it all. I can't wait to take it to some big glaciated peaks this spring. Get some!