After the standing ovation received by Head’s Joy skis for women when they debuted last season, the first use of Graphene™ in a ski, the market was keen to see what Head would do with the miracle, one-atom thick material in a series of men’s models.

Perhaps no ski could have satisfied such lofty expectations, but whatever the gulf between imagination and reality (say, where are all our jet-packs, anyway?), suffice it to say the new Monsters take a few runs to figure out.  In the one-run-and-done world of ski testing, this is a fatal flaw.  When, due to heightened interest, dozens of testers submit cards, any doubts about performance will multiply, pulling scores down.

If this sounds like an overlong apology, it is, for the Monster 88 shouldn’t have to sit in the back at the awards ceremony.  In addition to Graphene, all Monsters are encased in two sheets of Titanal so they thirst for speed.  It’s when they’re shackled to a succession of short turns that they protest too much.  Left to exercise their right to charge, they slice through whatever’s in front of them.  Anyone expecting a lightweight pixie stick will be disappointed, but someone with skills and a dab of athleticism will be able to guide it through just about any terrain.

All of the new Monster models from Head are priced at the same MSRP and are likely to be market priced likewise. For our money, the 88 is the most marvelous of the Monsters.