In the golden age of incremental change that we’re currently experiencing, it’s rare to see a major manufacturer commit to an all-new ski construction. When that manufacturer is Head and the new lay-up includes no metal laminates – a cornerstone of Head design for decades – the implementation of a unique use of materials is particularly noteworthy.
While the Kore 93 reminded a lot of our testers of the Enforcer 93, the Kore isn’t out to imitate anyone, but to set a new standard in lightweight performance. Every feature on the ski focuses on weight loss, from the Karuba wood core, to the Koroyd honeycomb that plays a major structural role, to the inclusion of Graphene in the extremities. Head even left off the usual topsheet to save a few grams.
If all there were to the Kore 93 is an absence of mass, the ski might be a disaster, but the Kore 93 is all business once it’s on snow. As the narrowest member of an off-trail family, the Kore 93 is predisposed to skiing crud and junk for every meal. But it still has plenty of life and security on hard snow.
“A great ski,” acknowledges Bob Gleason, “agile yet stable. Performs well in all applications. Clean and smooth in the carve, yet easy to smudge and smear. An awesome one-ski quiver, it’s one of the best new skis of 2018 –a must-try.”
The posse from California Ski Company is gaga over the Kore 93’s versatility. “Better than anything in its class!” crowed owner Greg Whitehouse, who cited the Kore 93 as “the best ever men’s all-mountain ski from Head.” Winks felt a telepathic connection with the ski. “I could move, turn or pivot with just my thoughts. While it loses some stability on hardpack, it provides smiles for hours off-piste!”
Lighter weight has always had a particular appeal for women skiers, and the Kore 93 comes in 153cm, 162, and 171 lengths to accommodate the fairer (and lighter) sex. (I suspect that if the Kore 93 had been tested by an all-women panel it would have scored even higher than it did.) Liz Elling of Gravity Sports calls the Kore 93 “a carving limousine,” a sentiment seconded by Stephanie Humes of Jan’s, who correctly spotted its core attributes. “Solid, damp but lively,” she notes, adding, “What a nice surprise!”