The Best Men’s All-Mountain Wide Skis of 2022: Head Kore 105
Check out how the all-new Head Kore 105 performed at SKI Test after more than a dozen skiers tried it at Solitude Mountain Resort.
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Brand: Head
Model: Kore 105
Overall Ranking: #13
Overall Score: 3.66 / 5
Specs
Tip / Waist / Tail (mm)
135-105-125
Lengths (cm)
163, 170, 177, 184, 191
Radius (m)
17.8 (184 length)
Waist Width (mm)
105
Gender
Male
Level
Advanced to Expert
Rocker Technology
Yes
Core Material
Caruba, Graphene, Carbon
Stability at Speed
3.67 / 5
Quickness / Maneuverability
3.67 / 5
Playfulness
3.79 / 5
Forgiveness
3.79 / 5
Hard Snow Performance
3.33 / 5
Crud Performance
3.46 / 5
Balance of Skills
3.58 / 5
Flotation
4.04 / 5
While the dimensions of the Head Kore 105 didn’t change, the ski’s construction did get modified for the 2021-’22 season. Head removed the Koroyd in the ski, leaving a full sheet of carbon above and below a poplar and caruba wood core. The Kore skis still are the only ones on the shop wall that include Graphene, a material that earned its creator a Nobel prize for its unique characteristics. In skis, Graphene gives a near-Titanal like torsional rigidity but at a fraction of the weight. Head puts this material in the tip and tail of the Kore 105. The ski also features a polyester fleece topsheet, which further reduces weight.
The result is a ski that is “smooth and balanced in any condition,” notes tester Mike Rogan. As long as testers kept their turn radius fairly wide, the Kore 105 went punch-for-punch with nearly every ski in the category, as it usually does. But testers found short, quick turns to be erratic and unpredictable at Solitude. “These skis are lightweight and quick to respond to input,” notes tester Jon Sexauer. “But they feel a bit anxious when away from consistent snow and terrain.”
Still, for a ski in this weight classification, testers remained fairly impressed by the Kore 105’s smoothness and how comfortable it was at a variety of speeds. “The blend of light touch yet smooth stability stands out as the ski moves comfortably between turn sizes,” writes veteran tester Bob Gleason. “Head has done a unique job in blending the smoothness and power with a light feel.”
- Strengths: Flotation (2nd in category), Forgiveness (5th)
- Weaknesses: Stability at Speed (15th), Crud Performance (14th)
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