2022 Head Kore 103 W

The 2022 Head Kore 103 W is an awesome choice for ladies who rip up the whole mountain, but who are looking for something to handle softer snow with a bit more ease and fun. The big thing about these Kore skis is that they’re light and stiff, so they’re easy on the legs as well as being high-performance, and this is a rare combination in the ski world. Normally, a ski that’s stable and damp must be heavy, but the Head Kore 103 W turns that supposition upside-down. For this year, Head has added a shaped upper carbon laminate to the ski that provides three dimensions of performance and energy. It really works differently when the carbon laminate is curved on the sides and flatter on the top—this adds to the energy and liveliness of the ski, which is something that Head has really improved upon this season. In addition, there’s a tighter sizing gap for this year, as this ski is available in a 163, 170, and 177, highlighting a 7 cm spacing versus the 9 cm spacing of years past. Another new thing you may notice is that the ski is called a 103, which is the waist width in the 170 cm length. It gets one mm wider in the longer and one mm narrower in the shorter. Stiff, responsive, light, and fun, the 2022 Head Kore 103 W gets the upgrades it deserves.

Kristi Brown skied the 177 and noted that it was too long for her, and she’d have preferred the 170. In general, she found the Kore 103 to ski long, so if you’re in between sizes, and don’t live in a place with a bunch of wide-open snow fields, then you should consider the downsize as well. Kristi scored the ski all 3’s and 4’s out of 5 with the top marks going for stability and flotation—all the rest of the categories were 3’s. On one hand, these are some consistent scores for what’s supposed to be a versatile, wide-ish, all-mountain ski, and on the other, we normally see better numbers for a ski like this, but it’s all in the eye of the tester. Kristi, as poetic as ever, states that “Butter makes the Kore 103 ski better. Slides in & out of turns while skiing planky difficult finding sweet spot.” If you’re on it, and the ski is already on the long side, it sounds like the Kore 103 W prefers more of a smeary arc, and that’s what a whole lot of skiers like to do.

Lauren Lepage skied the 170, and found it to be on the long side as well. “It’s on the stiff side for being as long as it is. There’s just a lot of material there, and it’s all pretty stiff, so it’s kind of hard to get a good read on. I’d definitely prefer the 163 in this ski.” Lauren scored the ski 5’s out of 5 for flotation, stability, torsional stiffness, edge grip, and versatility. 2’s for playfulness and forgiveness show the demanding side of the 103 W. “I really liked a lot of things about this ski, but without being on the right size, it’s hard to get a good impression. Quite stiff, but that’s a good thing if you’re in a tight or sketchy spot, as it allows you to get good purchase on the ice, while staying light enough for being maneuverable. I’d like another chance at this ski, because I really think it checks a lot of boxes, just not on that day in that length.” Conditions and ski length do have a lot to do with skewed responses from our testers, and it sounds like this one got the better of both of our lady skiers, and that’s all part of the fun.

If you’re looking for something on the lighter, stiffer, and wider side of the spectrum, the Head Kore 103 W has a lot of updates and upgrades that will really put a smile on your face. Our testers did find them to ski a bit long, so take that into account when you’re in the decision phase. Overall, advanced and expert skiers will be able to get the best results from these stiffer, spoonier Kore skis, opening up new avenues and terrain in an all-mountain format.