Goode NANO ONE review

Every few years a new ski design comes out that surpasses the hype. Before anyone heard the name NANO ONE the rumor mill was buzzing about some new ski from Goode. More intriguing was the feedback from skiers who were not previously on a Goode ski. As the ski made its way into the hands of more and more skiers it became clear that this was something new and perhaps something special.

As a ski reviewer I sincerely attempt to be as unbiased as I can. Considering that I equaled my personal best the first time I rode the NANO ONE makes being unbiased harder. To make this review more challenging, the NANO ONE breaks with design convention and defies accepted attribute descriptions.

The NANO ONE comes in a 65.25" ski for skiers from 110 pounds to 190 pounds and a 66.75" ski for bigger skiers. The shape of the ski is the result of Nick Parsons searching for a design that would support his 6'4 and 205 pound frame but turn like a short ski.

The general feel
The NANO ONE is supremely forgiving and stable. This amount of predictability and stability in a ski usually means that there has been a compromise and some performance has been sacrificed. In this case that is not true. At a skier's hardest passes, when the most mistakes are made, is where the NANO ONE comes to life and allows the skier to round a few more balls.

The Definition of Speed
My two definitions of a fast ski are "a ski that achieves width with less than optimal rope tension from the second wake out" and "a ski that requires less physical strength and effort to get from side to side". Generally speaking fast skis tend to be finicky at the apex of the turn and are less stable approaching the ball.
Slower skis are often described as having a more stable and tactile feel approaching the ball. Especially at 34mph, slower skis require better management of rope tension to achieve width and more strength to get from side to side.

The NANO ONE does not really fit into these constraints. Like a fast ski, it achieves ample width without perfect rope tension and it is does not require a lot of physical strength to get from side to ski. Approaching the ball and through the turn it feels like a slow ski. At this point the NANO ONE feels surprisingly stable under foot and nearly always carves a tight radius without perfect inputs from the skier.

From Second Wake to Ball

This is where the magic of the NANO ONE become especially apparent. Ease of width, a feeling of stability and forgiveness are not generally found in the same slalom ski. This ski not only gets out wide without perfect rope management skills but it gives the skier a stable platform to stand on.

Because of the ski's user friendliness approaching the ball, skiers are less apt to make mistakes and the mistakes that are made are less likely to be fatal.

Quirks and Notes
I find that I need a wider and more aggressive gate on the NANO ONE than on other skis.

If there was a BallOfSpray Ski of the Year Award it would clearly go to the Goode NANO ONE for 2012.