2021 Head Total Joy

The name says it all. These skis are just a Joy to ski on. Within the Joy model line, the Total is the most versatile in terms of front side and all-mountain performance. At 85 mm underfoot, these skis have the perfect blend of torsional stiffness and all-mountain versatility that'll take you wherever you want to go. Thanks to this shape, the build, and the profile, the Total Joy hits a lot of the right notes when it comes to quick turns, light weight performance, and ease of use. These things are pretty high-tech when it comes to construction, with Head using a lot of materials that are space-age in nature. Starting with a light Karuba wood core, Head adds Graphene and carbon to the mix. The Graphene is an incredibly light and strong material, and carbon is pretty much ubiquitous in ski building these days, so if you're looking for the high end of light weight and performance, these fit the bill. They're able to accomplish a lot of the same performance characteristics of a ski with metal laminates but at a fraction of the weight. While this is great news for lighter weight and less-aggressive skiers, it is a bit prohibitive for heavier and more advanced athletes looking to push a ski. They use what's called "woman's camber," and while we're not really sure what that's supposed to mean, it basically translates to tip rocker with camber underfoot and through the tail. This gives you excellent edge grip and energy out of the turn while keeping the initiation phase simple and smooth. We love these skis for all-mountain intermediate to advanced skiers who love to cruise and prefer a simple, yet effective ski on their feet.

While for many skiers on the planet, the combination of build and shape will make for a fun set of skis, they're certainly not ideal for bigger or more aggressive skiers. Jascha Herlihy is a pretty powerful skier, so this thing isn't really in her wheelhouse. She skied the 158, and unsurprisingly, she found it to be short. She did manage to make a pretty fair and accurate vehicular comparison, noting that it has an equivalent in the Toyota Corolla. This compact to mid-size sedan similarity is pretty valid, as the skis, much like the car, check a lot of boxes for a lot of drivers, but don't necessarily excel in any one (or two) particular areas. Where they are very effective, though, is in the put the key in and drive segment. For the skis, simply click in and go-there's not a whole lot complicated about the situation, and there's a ton of drivers out there who are going to find the Corolla a totally useful and easy to drive car. Same goes for the Total Joy-just get in and go.

Mar Kuhnel skied the 163, and while she's a little taller than Jascha, she still found that length to be short for her. Scores of 5 out of 5 for quickness, maneuverability, and forgiveness for Mar, with 4's for playfulness and overall impression. She clearly had a better experience, and likely that extra length had a lot to do with it, so don't be afraid to size up. "This felt like a really solid ski for an intermediate skier looking to advance and gain confidence. Super-quick and great for short turns and it held a nice edge while making bigger turns, even on the super-icy spots that developed later in the day." But like the Corolla in real life, "Speed was the ski's undoing-it fared fairly well at medium speeds but kind of lost it a bit at higher speeds."

And that's fine-not many skiers are going to take any ski to its limits, and certainly not the type of skier that will love the Head Total Joy. For simplicity, ease of use, and mid-level performance, these skis are totally perfect.