The Head V-Shape V10 returns for 2022 unchanged, and that’s a great thing for skiers who are looking for a versatile, light, and turny ski that will take them all over the mountain. In the mid-80's underfoot, this V10 takes up a good amount of the middle ground—being neither too stiff nor too soft, not too wide nor too narrow, and with just the right amount of power and precision to handle a wide variety of snow conditions and terrain. Built with a wood core with graphene, these skis get quite a bit stiffer without adding much weight. This makes them incredibly quick and agile, and capable of making a whole lot of turns. The karuba wood core is also bolstered by carbon, adding that next dimension of light weight performance to the V10. One of the things that makes this ski stand out most of all is the shorter turn radius. At 14.8-meters in the 177, it’s on the short side of the spectrum, and skiers who prefer to make more turns at mellower speeds will really gravitate to the V10 and its agile and nimble nature. With an 85 mm waist, these skis have a well-rounded shape for a bunch of different ski styles and applications, and our testers remain enthusiastic about the ski’s versatility and easy-turning ability.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber
CORE MATERIALS
Graphene
PREFERRED TERRAIN
Groomers
Steve Sulin was on the 170, and he noted that it was too short for him. The 177 would be better, and “given the turn radius, I might even bump up to the 184.” Steve gave top marks of 4 out of 5 for stability, playfulness, forgiveness, torsional stiffness, edge hold, and overall impression. These are some good scores to have, and they definitely all fall in the high-end of the spectrum. Steve notes that the V-Shape V10 is a “great all-mountain carver that’s quick and agile from edge to edge. I should have skied the 177, but still had fun on the 170. It’s a bit stiff for the bumps, but is quick enough to make up for it.” It’s hard to get a good read on a ski when it basically has a slalom radius in an all-mountain ski, but Steve picks up on some of the subtleties here for sure.
Bob St.Pierre skied the 177, and that was too short for him, although the 184 is likely too short for him as well. Lots of 3’s on Bob’s scorecard, including those for quickness, maneuverability, playfulness, forgiveness, and versatility. “With such a short turn radius, it’s hard to get a good read on the high end of the skis. That’s why there were so many 3’s on my scorecard—it just sits right in the middle of everything. For a lot of skiers, that’s going to be a really good thing, though, and it will help people who need a bit more from the ski in terms of getting on edge and staying on edge. This ski really loves to be on edge due to the short radius. I was surprised at how solid and stable the ski was in the trees and bumps, and it’s a great all-mountain ski on the lighter side with a slower than average speed limit.”
If you spend most of your time on groomed terrain making symmetrical turns, the Head V-Shape V10 is an amazing choice. It’s light, quick, and energetic, and loves to be on edge, with great grip and amazing turning ability. With just a bit of extra width to really make the ski more versatile, these skis will do anything you want, just at a bit slower of a pace. They’re all about allowing you to enjoy and maximize your time on the hill, and they do quite a good job at that.
