Head Total Joy, Women’s Ski of the Year

The Head Total Joy crept up on us…

We were very close to going conventional, with a couple of excellent freeride models making eyes our way (and they’ve been rewarded with recommended tags). However, when we started thinking harder about what we want to reward, when
we have the chance, it’s clear that what Head have done this year is take the game and alter the shape of the playing field. 

The new wave of carbon lightweight skis is ‘A Good Thing’, but right now they’re expensive and aimed at the super keen. The Joy series, which gets interesting once you pay over £570, brings lightweight performance within reach, and proves just what clever use of honeycomb and composites, mixed with a wood core, can achieve. 

Oh, and we nearly forgot the Graphene, the new super-material that Head has locked down exclusively for its sports gear and, innovatively, thought to introduce to its women’s line-up first. 

As with all tech, the key isn’t what it is, but how it works. We worked these skis, because we really needed to see if they perform. We hounded them for a week, handed them to a bunch of riders and instructors, got them to thrash them and then stuck some big fellas aboard to see if they broke. Verdict? They do everything a performance ski should, but win the car park carry award every time. 

Head class the Total Joy as an expert’s ski, and the better skiers certainly got the most from it. The softish nose and rather aggressive shovel shape speeds turning and delivers effective lift, and those super-light ends make it extremely flickable. 

The graphics won over everyone who came into contact with the Total Joy. This colourway was the pick of the range, and this size fits right into the do-it-all category we get excited about. 

Oh, and this tech will most certainly be rolling through the Head range next season. It’s time to seriously consider going light.