2021 Head Kore 105

Returning unchanged for 2021, the Head Kore 105 remains the versatile soft-snow ski in the Kore line. Now with the addition of the Kore 87, the 105 is the second-widest, and really starts to change its shape and profile versus the 99, and getting it a bit closer to the 117. For most skiers who are looking for a soft-snow ski or a western one-ski quiver, the ~105 range is a great place to be. It offers enough surface area for a bunch of new snow while remaining narrow and maneuverable enough to handle the firmer snow conditions that often accompany any given day out there on the hill. While nobody will mistake these for pure carving skis, they do have the edge grip to maintain stability and performance on a wide variety of snow surfaces and terrain, giving the 105 arguably the most versatility in the Kore model line. For here in Vermont, it's on the wide side for an everyday ski, but it's certainly not out of the realm. Still made with a Karuba wood core with graphene, koroyd, and carbon laminates, the Kore 105 is a fantastic blend of light weight and stiffness. There are a lot of companies out there trying to achieve this effect, and the Head Kore is as effective as any of them.

On the 180, Annie MacDonald loved the flotation, quickness, maneuverability, playfulness, and forgiveness of the 105, with those categories earning scores of 4 out of 5. These are some pretty consistently high scores that we're seeing for a 105, and we like it! Annie calls it "light and floaty so they work great in powder. Very quick turning and easy for a 105, but didn't really prefer longer turns. Good for woods and bumps and pow, but not so much for ripping groomers." Fair enough, Annie, we'll take that off-piste versatility for a 105 any day. Brooks Curran got to ski the big ski, the 189 and loved the flotation of the ski for sure. Brooks noted how different the Kore 105 was versus other skis, noting that they're "elusive beauties that made me feel like I was reading a different book let alone a different page. They inspired me to charge with the slick graphics, and the skis flip easily from one turn to the other."

Jeff Neagle skied the 180, and from the sounds of it, he's a pretty big fan of this ski in the model line. "The Kore 105 is my favorite of all the Kores. I like the rocker profile and taper shape in the 105. It gives it a more surfy, playful, maneuverable feel than the 93 or 99, which I suppose makes sense, but I just really enjoy skiing it. Still stable at speed, although not quite as stable at the 99. It feels softer than the 99 and the effective edge is a little shorter, so not quite the same stability at speed. It makes up for that with its increased float and more maneuverable nature in soft snow. Great daily driver for a western skier who spends most of their time off-piste. I've also seen a lot of eastern skiers choosing it as their powder ski, which I think it a great application as well. Pretty good candidate for a hybrid resort/touring ski too. Not super lightweight, but certainly light enough to justify putting a binding on it like the Shift or Duke PT and using it as a crossover resort/backcountry ski." There's certainly a lot to say about the versatility of the ski in terms of that application.

With a spooner-than-average shape and a fairly dramatic rocker profile, the Head Kore 105 is best suited for softer snow, and likely more in a western format, but for an eastern powder ski, it works properly as well. There's a lot to like about the light weight versatility and floaty nature of the 105, so if you're looking for a soft-snow ski without bulk, this is a fantastic choice.