We’ve seen a lot of versatility and carving performance come out of the Shape series from Head over the years, and it’s gotten a whole lot better with the E-V10. With a waist width in the mid-80's and a highly sophisticated build, the ski is able to handle a lot of different turn shapes and styles in a variety of conditions and terrain. While it’s still best-suited to on-trail skiing and carving, it does have the width as well as the shovel shape to make it work well for skiers looking for more adventure and versatility. Head manages to pack a whole lot of technology into this ski, from the shape and profile to the technological build. Mainly, we see this type of construction in advanced and expert skis, and while those levels are accessible in the E-V10, it’s still more into the intermediate realm, mainly because of how easy it is to turn.

The construction definitely sets this ski apart from many other mid-80's skis out there. We start with a karuba wood core with ash stringers, and this denser ash goes a long way in making the E-V10 a strong and sturdy ski with some good stiffness. Head does not stop there, though, adding two layers of carbon, a central strip of graphene and three layers of fiberglass. Most of these materials tend to fall on the reactive side of the spectrum, but since Head is able to add in a few damping layers to the mix, the ski ends up being quite silent and stable. In the central spine of the ski, Head uses a raised, three-dimensional portion that adds stability and power to the mix. This backbone helps keep the ski from chattering and counter flexing at the end phase of the turn. From a technological standpoint, we get Head’s Energy Management Circuit that filters out unwanted vibrations. This is found on their high-end skis as well, so it’s nice to see this tech make its way into the more recreational models as well.

At 85 mm underfoot, the E-V10 is a great width to be able to carve turns on groomers as well as being versatile enough to handle adverse conditions and terrain. While more of a front side ski, this V10 also has the ability to be an off-trail choice from time to time, but it isn’t really as effective as some other skis in this width range. There’s some tip and tail rocker, but it mainly exists to help turn initiation and completion rather than flotation in fresh snow. In the 170, the ski generates a 13.6-meter turn radius, so it’s a sharp and crisp turner for sure. It’s a bit tough to let it run, the ski much prefers to be utilized in that shorter arc format. For most skiers, this is a good thing, allowing for proper progression in learning confidence and style in a clean and round carved turn.

The 2024 Head Shape E-V10 is a great example of high-tech and high-performance attributes filtering into a recreational ski. This makes it feel like a top-end model with a lot of properties that are found in much more advanced and expert skis. They pack it all into a more appropriate package for intermediate and advanced skiers to enjoy in an on-trail format, and we think that’s a wonderful thing in the ski world today.