2022 Head Kore 97 W

The 2022 Head Kore 97 W is an awesome all-mountain ski that has limitless potential. Built much like the other skis in the Kore line, the 97 W consists of a karuba and poplar wood core to go along with two sheets of fiberglass and two sheets of carbon. The upper laminate of carbon is curved along the top, offering a third dimension of performance and energy to go along with the already stout level of pop and snap that the Kore skis possess. At 97 mm in the 170 cm length, these skis are well-rounded and shaped to handle a wide variety of conditions and terrain. Thanks to the versatile and useful width, the Kore 97 W is an ideal choice for a one-ski quiver, especially if you’re looking and searching for something on the lighter end of the spectrum. Stiff, stable, and easy to turn, the Head Kore 97 W is the ultimate tool for true all-mountain skiing.

Louise Lintilhac skied the 170, noting the trueness to size, and a good length for her. Lots of 5’s and a couple of 4’s out of 5 for Louise on these skis, showing a very high range and average of scores. The only 4’s were given for flotation and playfulness, while the rest of the card had all 5’s. Very impressive, to say the least, and it sounds like the Kore 97 W was a winner in Louise’s experience. “This ski is the cat’s pajamas. It can do it all: high speed, low speed, big turns, small turns. The only limitation is your imagination. The Kore 97 shines in a variety of conditions as well. This ski is great for advanced skiers who don’t want a ski with limitations. This is your quiver of one—frontside to side country. If you want a ski that charges, this ski is for you.” The range of ability is pretty impressive for these skis, and we say it over and over, the weight is what stands out the most.

Alix Klein was also on the 170, and she thought it was on the long side for her, but would likely be the size that she’d get. The next one down is the 163, and that one might be on the short side. Alix gave top marks of 4’s out of 5 for stability, torsional stiffness, edge grip, versatility, and overall impression. Low scores of 2 for forgiveness is not surprising given the stiff flex of the ski. She states that “This is a big strong ski. If you are not on it, it will take you for a ride. This ski makes great turns and wants to charge.” That quote certainly echoes and backs up her scores, showing the ski’s ability to do a lot of things from a power perspective, while remaining pretty darn stout and stiff for less-than aggressive skiers. Catherine Ferguson found her 170 to be just right, and she had some high-praise for the high-performance of the ski as well. Her top scores of 5’s out of 5 for stability, torsional stiffness, and edge hold all make sense given the construction and intention of the ski. 4’s filled up the rest of the scorecard, resulting in a very high overall score for Catherine. Her quote is very similar to Alix’s: “This is definitely a strong ski you can really rip on. It is quick and versatile as well and can handle many different conditions. They can go fast!”

That’s the fun part of these skis—so much performance and confidence in such a light package. Skiers will be very surprised at how stable and powerful they are, not just in spite of the weight, but also overall. Advanced and expert skiers will be able to glean the best performance, while intermediates will be able to handle the skis, just not with full access to the potential.