Curated Expert Rob G. got his hands on the 2023 Head Kore 99 skis and put them to the test at Powder Mountain in Utah this spring. Check out how they performed. But don’t forget, every skier is unique; if you have any questions about the Head Kore 99 or would like recommendations on what skis would be ideal for your needs, reach out to a Ski Expert here on Curated.

Before we jump in, a quick note that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands, all of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Head claim about these skis? Head claims that this ski is a light, versatile, all-mountain charger. It's a 99-millimeter waisted, all-mountain ski for a variety of conditions.

Overall Impressions

What's your overall impression of these skis? I had a hard time believing that a ski that's this light, could be so stable, and so responsive to aggressive skier input over a wide variety of conditions. If you're out west and you want a one-ski quiver, this would be a great candidate for that. It is very light, nimble, and makes all kinds of turn shapes. The one thing that it is not is super damp, and that's a trade off for the lightness of the ski. I’m using fairly heavy rental bindings, but you could slap a pair of touring bindings on these to be used as a 50/50 in-bounds, out-of-bounds ski—especially if you like exploring slack country. It's light, but it performs really well.

Carving

How do they carve? This is not a carving ski. It's also not a freestyle ski, but it's definitely a free-ride all-mountain ski. But for a 99-millimeter-waisted ski, I could not believe the carves I was getting and the performance I was getting while carving.

How well do they turn? I felt super confident riding these through little, tight tree shots. These skis are happy making both short turns and arching big turns. Especially if you're spending a fair amount of time riding in soft snow, this would be a great choice to have.

Is there any chatter while skiing? Because this ski is so light, one of the trade offs is that it's not super damp. When I was riding over re-frozen terrain, I felt a fair amount of chatter. That's a trade off I'd be willing to make for a ski that is so versatile, capable, and light.. Especially if I were focusing on keeping the weight down on the ski.

How does their weight affect their performance? This is a light ski that's also very stiff. A lot of light skis are usually soft and kind of “noodley.” They typically don't hold up to aggressive skiing techniques. This ski does it, and it does it in spades.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this ski to? It is so light that I believe an advanced skier who's got aims to get better could really enjoy this ski. Because they’re easy to put on edge, ride really smoothly, and the tip holds up even if you're driving through the ski, I also believe it’s a really great ski for aggressive all-mountain skiers.

Who should avoid these skis? I do not think this would be a good ski for beginners, or even lower intermediates. This is a ski that responds really well to aggressive input and is agile. But if your goal is just to cruise groomers, there are other choices that are probably better for you.

Skis work differently for different types of skiers. If you want help finding the right skis for you, reach out to Rob or any other Ski Expert here on Curated for free, personalized recommendations.