No other ski brand is as dedicated to the proposition that all skis must be carving skis as Head. The Great Joy has the surface area of a Big Mountain ski, yet it still has the sidecut and gripping power of a carving ski. Its ability to hold a precise trajectory is all the more remarkable because the Great Joy doesn’t use a shred of metal; quite the opposite. The Great Joy uses a blend of Graphene, Koroyd and carbon – along with a bit of wood and glass – to concoct a cloud-weight ski (1767g @ 168cm) that holds a tight turn (14.3m @ 168cm) at speed.

The Great Joy’s exceptionally light weight combined with potent edge grip is a rarity by itself, but what most distinguishes the Great Joy from other women’s All-Mountain West skis is its thin core profile. The Great Joy isn’t a system ski, so the skier is closer to the snow than all other Joys but the new Wild. The sensitivity to the snow is almost otherworldly, whether the snow is soft or firm. Great Joy, indeed.