The guiding principle of Head’s Joy collection can be succinctly stated: make light right. In the case of the latest addition to the Joy family, Wild Joy, this means applying the same ultralight carbon/Koroyd/Graphene construction used in the 85mm Total Joy to a 90mm footprint. Not lost in this translation is the typically deep sidecut favored by Head engineers, imparting a predilection for precise, carved turns on freshly tilled slopes.

The combination of a particularly deep sidecut in the forebody paired to its featherweight frame makes the Wild Joy “super easy to turn,” according to the testimony of Margit from The Sport Loft, who speculates it “would be great for a petite skier.” Her last point is well taken: bigger gals who like to step on the gas may overpower the Wild Joy, but less massive lasses will find its Finesse and Power traits in perfect balance.

Because it’s not a system ski, there’s no binding interface to elevate the skier off the ski. Bringing the skier almost in touch with this thin profile, supple-flexing ski is like removing a muffler or switching from mittens to gloves; you can feel the snow surface as it passes underfoot, a sublime sensation like no other. You’ll want to milk every meter of a medium-radius turn, totally tuned into to what’s happening underfoot. For its ever-ready maneuverability throughout the recreational speed range, we award the Wild Joy a Silver Skier Selection.