If you follow the fortunes of Head-sponsored athletes on the World Cup circuit, you know that they own a lease on the podium in every event but slalom. Curiously, our testers, who of course aren’t wearing WC start bibs on the weekends and who struggle to bend the Rebels i.Speed and would probably wake up in the clinic if they ever essayed a true World Cup DH or SG ski, positively adore the Head Rebels i.SL RD. Just goes to show, as if any further proof were needed, how deep and un-bridgeable is the gulf between the planet’s best skiers and the rest of us.

The point of this intro, aside from administering a dose of humility, is that Head keeps tinkering with this model even though what they had was already perfect from our panelists’ point of view.  The latest tweaks do nothing to dull its performance attributes, but the latest i.SL RD requires the full attention of its pilot if it’s to be fully appreciated.

“Very sturdy, powerful machine,” assessed Footloose’s Corty Lawrence, “Push as hard as you want, go as fast as you want.  Have to be a tad careful at high speed not to pressure the tip too quickly, but rebound is symmetrical.”  Other testers concurred with Corty that the i.SL RD skied its best when tilted at a steep enough angle to allow the whole ski to bend.  “What a beautiful, balanced feel throughout the turn,” agreed one of The Sport Loft contingent who regularly rates race skis.