The 2019 Head Kore 105 returns for its second year, and as far as we can tell, will not suffer from any type of sophomore slump. It’s still the biggest, lightest ski on the market for a non-touring specific board, making it a must-ski for all advanced and expert level skiers who prize quickness and maneuverability out of their gear. Lighter weight skis tend to stay atop of fresh snow in a more user-friendly way, making deep powder days fun and easy. Featuring a wood core with layers of koroyd and graphene, the ski avoids metal in its construction. The shape of the tips is spoon-like, and the rocker/camber/rocker profile allows for easy float. As a result of the metal-free ski, the Kore 105 in a 180 comes in at a paltry 1847 grams. By contrast, a Rossignol Soul 7 HD in a similar length weights 2042 grams. With reduced weight you’d expect reduced performance, but with Head’s high-tech construction practices, this is not the case. They do feel light, but also stable. The combination is a great one, and our testers continue to be enamored with the versatility of the 105 mm waisted ski.
Marcus Shakun is a fan of the Head Kore 105. He skied the 189 cm length and scored the ski 4.5 out of 5 for torsional stiffness, overall impression, playfulness, and stability. Among other categories, he was still a pretty high grader. That combination of edge hold and playfulness is a great one for a ski of this width. “The lightness makes the edge to edge transfer seem like you’re on a narrower ski,” he says. Commenting on the ability to make the ski perform in adverse conditions, Marcus goes on to say that the Kore 105 is “solid and stable at high speed through soft and manky snow.” He’s a big believer in ski construction technology, and states that the skis are “not too stiff, but not too soft, just right. Might have something to do with the Graphene stuff.” Whatever it is, the combination of materials that Head employs sure seems to make a difference when it comes to blending lightness and performance.
Bob St.Pierre skied the 180, and because of the spoony tips, he thought it felt a bit short. Despite this feeling, Bob called it “pretty great nonetheless.” Giving the ski 4’s out of 5 for most categories including overall impression, it’s fair to say that Bob appreciates the versatile nature of the Kore 105. “Lightweight (no metal), decent pop!” In terms of target audience, Bob says that “upper intermediates to lighter weight experts will love this ski in all snowy day conditions, but especially in fresh snow.”
Mike Thomas thought that the 189 was a perfectly floaty product. He scored the ski 5 out of 5 for flotation, stability, and overall impression. He calls the Kore 105 “classic Head feel. Smooth with a bit of life to it. Needs to be told what to do, but it responds great when driven.” This notion of skier input is pretty important. Despite the fact that the skis have no metal, the pilot still has to push into it to get the best results. “Best for a strong skier who is willing to drive the ski. It takes effort to make it wake up.”
Mike Aidala skied the 180 and scored it 4’s out of 5 for all categories. This type of well-roundedness is rare in our test, and it’s a great sign that the Kore 105 is a serious and legitimate freeride ski. “The Kore 105 is a freeride ski at 105 mm underfoot that makes short quick turns as well as high speed wide turns. The skis are rather damp plowing through the soft snow and float very well.” Sounds like a great review from Mike, who did not have one even remotely negative thing to say about the Head Kore 105.
Returning unchanged for 2018-19, the Head Kore 105 will continue to make advanced and expert level skiers happy in all snow conditions, but especially the soft stuff. If you’re looking for that wider ski to use as your only ski, the Kore 105 is a great option.
