Three seasons ago, the Joy family of women-specific carving skis underwent the same sort of across-the-board transformation that the Kore series experienced last year. Head’s justifiable focus on Graphene, carbon in a one-atom-thick matrix – that allows Head to tinker with flex in ways previously unimaginable – makes it sound as though the ultralight Total Joy were made of synthetics and pixie dust, but it’s actually grounded in an all-wood (Karuba and ash) core, with carbon, fiberglass and lighter-than-pixie-dust Graphene providing structural support.

Its ultralight insides aren’t all that’s unique about the Total Joy.  It’s also the maven of a covey of carving skis, and it’s built more for on-piste edging than off-trail smearing. In this respect the Total Joy is the Kore 85 W’s polar opposite. Its mildly rockered, multi-radius forebody itches to find an edge, and its deep-dish sidecut wants to hold onto it like it like it was a long-lost child. It’s ideal for an accomplished frontside skier who occasionally dabbles in off-trail pursuits.

Robin Barnes, director of the Portillo Ski School and a PSIA National Team Member, gets where the Total Joy fits in the Grand Scheme of Things.  If she seems to know more about Head women’s skis than most, it’s because she’s been a Head-sponsored athlete and ambassador for years. Here’s her thumbnail report on the Total Joy:

“The original recipient of Head’s Graphene technology (and other state-of-the-art technology) was the Joy line of women’s skis.  One of the coveted skis in that line was the Total Joy, and although it is a smidge narrower at 85mm at the waist, it’s also a ski (like the Kore 87 W) to be enjoyed in a variety of conditions. The Total Joy would be my go-to ski recommendation for a woman who is getting used to skiing all over the mountain, skis with moderate speeds, and wants a ski to help build her confidence.”