Because all new skiers begin their ski lives on groomers, the Frontside category reaches farther down the price ladder than any other genre. Every major brand has a layered Frontside collection that offers a series of stepping-stone models that will take a never-ever all the way up to expert status. In Head’s Joy line of women’s skis, the Absolut Joy lies at the center of the five-model series, just where you’d expect an intermediate gal to find her kind of ski.

Because the Realskiers methodology is intended to identify excellence, a middle-of-the-line ski like the Absolut Joy has little chance of performing at the same level as our Recommended models. But the Women’s Frontside genre is very different from the men’s, favoring softer, more compliant skis than the powerhouses the men prefer.  In this context, where the best skis are Finesse skis, the Absolut Joy fits right into the skills progression program.