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Ten years ago, Goode introduced the Nano 1. That ski has become one of the most influential ski designs in the modern era and a personal favorite of mine. The Nano 1 was eventually refined at Goode to create classic skis such as the XT and XTR. The Goode XTR Team is the latest evolution of Nano 1.
General Feel: Stability and forgiveness are the two attributes that are immediately apparent when riding the XTR Team. As with the very first Nano 1, a skier can get surprisingly far depending on strength and determination. When the skier focuses on the fine mechanics of slalom skiing this ski delivers an additional level of performance.
Turns: On both sides, the finish of the turn is controlled by the amount of front bevel in the water and how aggressively the ski is rolled to the inside. When the front bevel is engaged there is a distinct feeling of the front of the ski being pulled under the line. This is as opposed to the tail of the ski sliding or smearing through the turn.
With any of the settings used for this review, at no time, did the tail of this ski feel loose.
The XTR Team does not shut down noticeably nor does it carry excess speed into apex. This ski seems to provide a happy medium in this regard. The result is that it is easier for the skier to keep a tight line approaching and leaving the ball.
Toe Side (Off Side) Turn: The ski’s stability approaching apex allows the skier to move forward and roll the ski in with confidence. The finish of Off Side turns on the XTR Team are sharp and fast. The ski dependably finishes with substantial angle.
Heel Side (On Side) Turn: This skis tolerance for imperfect skier technique is most evident at the On Side turn. When the skier is at their hardest pass and starts making mistakes this ski still turns when other skis would refuse.
As with Off Side turns, the amount of the inside bevel in the water and roll to the inside dictates the radius and speed of the turn.
From Ball to Second Wake: The XTR Team makes ample speed into the first wake, but it does require more physical effort than some other skis. The same attributes that makes the ski so stable and forgiving approaching the ball makes it not as fast leaving the ball. Some of the previous iterations of the original Nano 1 such as the XTR CC were faster leaving the ball but less friendly at apex. I much prefer the balance of the XTR Team.
From Second Wake to Ball: The above-mentioned stability is most evident from the second wake to the ball. It is noteworthy both in terms of tip-to-tail (pitch) as well as side-to-side (roll) stability. This gives the skier more confidence and the opportunity to control and drive the ski as opposed to reacting to it.
The ski initially moves out and away from the pylon automatically at the edge change and then lets the skier moderate the amount and rate of roll for the rest of the way to apex.
Although the ski is not distinctively fast, width at the ball is not an issue.
Conclusion: The XTR Team has earned a place among my all-time favorite skis. When I am skiing technically it is absolutely on point and after I make a big mistake at my hardest pass it gives me a chance to recover and keep going. It gets better as the rope gets shorter. I love this ski. Dave would have been enormously proud of the Team.
The Nirvana Plus is the mid-range slalom ski from Reflex. The Nirvana Plus is a wider version of the Nirvana. Besides being aesthetically beautiful, the most noteworthy attribute of the Nirvana Plus is its speed. This ski makes a surprising amount of speed with very little effort from the skier.
The speed of the Nirvana Plus becomes evident at the gates. For this review, I had to pull out earlier and lighter than normal. Once in the course, the ski’s inherent speed means the skier can work less and still be very early at every buoy.
The additional width of the Nirvana Plus provides stability from the second wake to the buoy. This stability allows the skier to adjust and stand where they need as they approach the turn.
The Nirvana Plus turns best when the skier is less aggressive, rolls the ski in, and lets the ski do the work. Turns on both on side and off side are fast and sharp.
As with all mid-range skis the Nirvana Plus is designed to work best for skiers at longer rope lengths and slower boat speeds. The Nirvana Plus is best through 32 off / 34mph ( 13m / 55k). For this review, the ski was ridden into 38 off (11.25m) but a standard width ski from Reflex would be a better choice for this level of skiing.
