2022 Head Kore 87

How can a ski as narrow-waisted as the Kore 87 come across as the most versatile ski in its wide-body family? After all, the Kore collection is 100% an off-trail creation; its avatar should be the new Kore 111, not this string bean. The improbable polyvalence of the Kore 87 is partly explained by a sleight of hand Head pulled off in the make-up of the narrowest Kore models in the 21/22 line. Taking advantage of Graphene’s ability to affect flex without a commensurate effect on mass, Head beefed up the Kore 87 to account for the certainty that it will spend much of its life on groomers. Its power quotient might have gone up a tick this year with the substitution of poplar and Karuba for Koroyd, which subtly enhanced its feedback on hard snow. The improvements made to the Kore’s capacities on hard snow don’t seem to have diminished its inherent talent for off-trail travel. This is when the Kore 87 shines, for they can be moved around on a whim. The sidecut is fairly straight underfoot, so it’s simple to swivel, an action made even more greasy by a new, beveled top edge that slices sideways without resistance. But the primary contributor to the Kore 87’s ease of operation off-trail is its ethereal light weight. An energy reserve that would otherwise sputter out before noon can last until tea time.