2022 Head Power Joy

For a real-deal on-piste carving ski, look no further than the Head Power Joy. These skis have the build, shape, and profile to lay down some of the cleanest and roundest turns on the mountain. Constructed with Head's ERA 3.0 build and World Cup Sandwich Cap Construction, we're getting a light weight wood core with two sheets of metal and a graphene laminate. The light wood core starts the ski off nice and energetic, with the two sheets of metal coming in and making the ski extremely smooth, stable, and damp at any speed. In addition, the ski gets Head's Energy Management Circuit that filters out the unwanted vibrations of the ski, adding even more dampness and silence to an already ninja-like ski. This construction is perfect for on-trail skiing at any speed and on any firmness of snow.

In terms of shape, the skis have a 68 mm waist, which is basically bordering on race-width. Skiers should have a pretty good idea of how difficult it can be to balance on the edges of a ski this narrow, as they have more in common with hockey skates than powder skis. As a result, skiers need to know that they should be on edge most, or all, of the time when they're on the Power Joy. In the 163 cm length, these skis generate a 12.7-meter turn radius, again leaning us towards the race shape, and more specifically to the slalom-style of skiing. Former racers, and those experts who appreciate the short-swing carved turn will definitely gravitate to the shapeliness of the Head Power Joy.

A few other cool things round out the Power Joy, most notable, their use of the Superflex PR Base High binding plate. This is basically a lifted system plate that uses a metal bar to connect the toe and heel pieces. As a result, the connection is far more direct, and the energy transfer from your boot to the edges of the ski is way more powerful. The metal underfoot adds a whole new layer of strength and edge grip to the ski, and the high stand height makes it easier for you to lay over the ski and generate some seriously high edge angles. Speed Rocker profile is a bit of a misnomer. It basically means a full-camber ski at this width, and that's great news for skiers who want the longer effective edge of the ski, and aren't afraid to drive the tips into the turn.

Advanced and expert skiers will glean the best performance out of these skis, as their race-like construction and technology puts them in a league of their own in the ski world. With a narrow waist and a strong construction, carved turns will come fairly naturally to the Power Joy, but more so on the feet of expert skiers and former racers who appreciate the narrower waist of a ski.