2022 Head Kore 85 W

For 2022, the Head Kore 85 W gets a new name and a few upgrades that makes it one of the quickest and most agile skis in the category. Still built to the same rigorous standards as the skis in the rest of the Kore line, the 85 W consists of a karuba and poplar blend of wood. Add to that, two sheets of fiberglass and two sheets of carbon. The top layer of carbon is curved on the sides to match the profile of the ski, and this adds a three-dimensional shape and performance level to the skis. As a result, the Kore 85 W is a lot livelier and more energetic than the outgoing 87 W. In terms of that name, they’re simply calling it what it is, which in the 170 cm reference length, is 85 mm underfoot. Sizing has been tightened up for 2022 as well, with 7 cm increments rather than the 9 cm span of years past. This fine-tunes the lengths for sure, and the big winner here is the skier. We’re loving these new upgrades from Head, as they’re taking an already awesome ski and propelling it to the next level.

If you’re a fan of short turns and quick and agile skiing, you’re going to love the Head Kore 85 W. Alli Ruschp was certainly in that category, as her 163 test length ski was true to size, but “the quickness made it feel short.” As a result, a 5 out of 5 for quickness and maneuverability was her top mark. Just on the heels of that 5, 4’s were given for torsional stiffness and edge grip, with the rest of the scores as 3’s. Alli states that the Kore 85 W “is a fun and quick ski! Not quite the top end of the speed spectrum, but really happy making a lot of short and agile turns. If you are an all-mountain skier that prefers to stay on the groomers, these are a great choice, especially since they’re so light. A bit twitchy at speed, but when you find the sweet spot in terms of turn shape, these skis are in a class of their own.” Getting up in size as well as width in these Kore W skis makes a big difference in terms of their stability at speed. As such, the shorter length in the narrower ski will likely be the least fun when going fast.

Carly Monahan also skied the 163, noting that it was not only true to size, but also perfect for her. Lots of high scores showed up on Carly’s card, with 5’s out of 5 given for quickness and maneuverability, and 4’s the rest of the way, including versatility and overall impression. Carly states that “Though not a super heavy ski by any means, I was impressed by how maneuverable and quick the ski was for how solid it felt. Equally at home bopping through corn and soft bumps or arcing big turns. I would definitely say I was surprised by how playful and versatile it was!” We always love it when a skier says that they’re impressed and surprised by a ski, and this one certainly rings true for Carly and her experience on the Kore 85 W.

Ideally suited for intermediate to expert skiers who value quickness and light weight, but with a high-performance ceiling, the 2022 Head Kore 85 W is the answer to a lot of skiers' questions. For all-mountain skiing with an emphasis on front side carving, these skis check a whole lot of boxes, and they do so for a very wide range of skier types and abilities.