As far as all-mountain cruisers go, the 2020 Head V-Shape V6 is in a class all its own. These shapely carvers love to be on edge, and their short-turn nature is perfect for today’s intermediate and advanced skiers. Best suited for front-side skiing, the 78 mm waisted skis can hold a great edge. The wood core is bolstered by Graphene, which gives it some stiffness and snap, but really no discernable weight gain. Tip rocker helps get the ski on edge, but the camber underfoot and through the tail creates a ton of power in the carve. Short turns are the name of the game with the V-Shape V6, with a 13.5-meter turn radius at the 170 cm length, these things were built to be on edge. You’ll love the quickness and maneuverability, as did most of our testers.
Bob St.Pierre skied the 177 and it was a bit short for him. Given the build (and his build), he’d be better off on a longer ski, but the 177 is the longest that Head makes, so we’ll just have to make do. As such, scores of 5 out of 5 for quickness, maneuverability, and playfulness are not surprising. Stability was a tad low for Bob, as his size obviously overpowered the ski. That said, he notes that the V6 is “very light and easy to turn. Skiers in the intermediate or mellow category will love the ease of use of this ski.” The wider tip and the narrower waist combine to make that shorter turn radius, so it’s a great choice for skiers who are looking to feel the carve from tip to tail.
Michael Rooney skied the 170 and found it to be appropriate. He had some high scores on his card, with all 4’s and 5’s. Torsional stiffness, edge hold, playfulness, and quickness all got 5’s with the rest of the categories getting 4’s. As such, it’s pretty easy to see that Michael is a big fan of the V6. “This is a very quick ski. It really likes to make sharp and gentle turns. It is a light ski and still solid in choppy stuff.” For skiers who are looking to mix up their turn shapes, it sounds like Michael thinks the V6 is a strong choice. The tail really likes to hook up, you just have to let it.
Rick Randall found the 170 to be a good length, and his highest score was a 5 for forgiveness. The rest of his scores were 4’s with the obvious exception of flotation. He calls the V6 “really easy to turn. It’s a lively ski with good stability at speed. Very light underfoot. For intermediate skiers looking to advance, the V6 is a really nice carving ski.” That lightness underfoot combined with the 78 mm waist width will make the ski a great choice for moguls or other terrain. It’s easy and quick to get on edge, so for skiers who are looking to mix it up, the V6 is an awesome ski.
For a 78 mm underfoot ski to be as versatile as the V6, it has to have a lot going for it. The construction makes them very light and easy to turn, while the narrow waist is perfect for swiveling along whether you’re in moguls or in the trees. It’s a pretty well-rounded carver that not only loves to make round turns, but also likes to switch things up and take on some more challenging terrain and snow conditions. The 2020 Head V-Shape V6 is a go-to model for intermediates looking for a bit of a challenge.
