2016 Head Skis

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2016 Head Skis

Postby seskelson » Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:20 pm

My understanding is that next year the REV line goes away for Head and is replaced by a new Monster line with widths of 83, 88, 98 and 108. Also a new line of called Instinct -- 83 mm and narrower. I wondered if Harald or anyone else may have had a chance to see or try them at SIA and any initial comments.
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby jbotti » Wed Jan 14, 2015 4:56 pm

SIA 2015 for the 2016 gear starts 1/29 in Denver. I doubt anyone has seen them yet. You will hear a good amount about the new skis during SIA and the week or two afterwards. Harald usually goes and usually gets to demo all of the new Head line. I'm sure he will let us know his thoughts after skiing them. You can also do google searches during SIA and they usually put up a lot of video's detailing their new skis. Its each manufacturer's marketing but you can get a sense and specs on the skis.

Hopefully some of what has been mentioned is true that skinnier skis with camber/less rocker are making a comeback. I will believe it when I see it. Unfortunately skinny today means 85-100mm underfoot.
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby seskelson » Thu Jan 15, 2015 7:34 am

Thanks John. For some reason I had not paid enough attention and thought it was on now. I was emailing with the Head rep. yesterday who I work with and he mentioned them. You are right about "narrower" skis being the trend. But narrower means at best 80 to 90 mm or as you suggest under 100 mm. I was patrolling last night on my "beloved" Monster 78's. Mine still have plenty of zip in them -- guess it's because I guard them and ski them only when snow is fresh tracks.
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby Mac » Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:24 pm

Does the new Instinct line mean the end of the Supershape series? Might be helpful to know in case someone was thinking of buying a pair of SS's while you still can. That is, unless the new Instinct's are that much better than the SS's. Sometimes it's not always a question of change for the better, sometimes it's just a case of change for the sake of change.
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby am-i-ghetto » Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:55 pm

The new Head Instinct line replaces the REV line. The Supershapes are the same as last year.
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby zuschauer » Wed Feb 11, 2015 4:40 pm

Tried the 2106 Heads at the SIA on snow at Copper Mt. The Supershapes are unchanged except for graphics for 2015

Monsters feel a little more supple and traditional than the REVs to me... I think they have slightly larger radii which would reflect that. (less rocker perhaps)
The Instincts are new and feel stiffer than Supershapes and Monsters but solid and without an overt rocketed feel.

The Monstter 98 reminded me a little of the Rock and Roll and it's predecessors (check it out Max!)

Many people at the test were ecstatic with the Monsters, especially the 88
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby jbotti » Wed Feb 11, 2015 5:44 pm

zuschauer wrote:Tried the 2106 Heads at the SIA on snow at Copper Mt. The Supershapes are unchanged except for graphics for 2015

Monsters feel a little more supple and traditional than the REVs to me... I think they have slightly larger radii which would reflect that. (less rocker perhaps)
The Instincts are new and feel stiffer than Supershapes and Monsters but solid and without an overt rocketed feel.

The Monstter 98 reminded me a little of the Rock and Roll and it's predecessors (check it out Max!)

Many people at the test were ecstatic with the Monsters, especially the 88


Did you get to ski the Monster 83?
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby zuschauer » Thu Feb 12, 2015 8:01 pm

Yes John, it felt very similar to the 88, both skiing for me to their true length (177 and 170 tested) as opposed to many modern skis that seem to ski short due to "rocker" technology. The skis were compliant and stable, I liked them both better than the Revs and they were easier to bend than the Supershapes (Titan, Rally, Magnum etc.) I felt comfortable and able to ski as I wished immediately on them
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby theorist » Thu Feb 12, 2015 8:05 pm

zuschauer, how would you say it compared to the Peak 84?
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby Max_501 » Thu Feb 12, 2015 8:11 pm

theorist wrote:zuschauer, how would you say it compared to the Peak 84?


The 84 skis like the old Peak 78. The old Monster 88 was too stiff, none of us liked it.
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby zuschauer » Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:35 am

Max, for me, the new Monster is easier to bend than the the latest Revs (thinking mostly of the 85). It felt more stable and there was less rocker effect (disconnect at tip). I can't really compare to the old monsters or Revs accurately as for most of the day I was on the current major contemporaries (Blizzard Brahma, Kastle MX 88, Rossi Experience 88, Dynastar Powertrac 89, Elan 88Xti etc. It was easily the class of that field in stability, edge grip, ability to feather an edge. I felt "at home" immediately and felt no need to adjust my skiing to the ski. I know that this not very scientific or easy to decipher, but I ski the '15 Super Shape Speed quite often and this ski felt like a wider and friendlier brother to that ski.
I also tried the Monster 83 at our local demo a couple of days ago and got a similar impression, it felt perhaps a little stiffer (longitudinally and torsionally ) The 177 length felt a little long to me (5'9" 170 lbs) w/ low-mid level PMTS ability

So, I can compare the new Monster to the Rock and Roll, having been on that more recently. The Monster is lighter, more agile and equally stable. Accurate and compliant, the type of ski where you forget what you are on.
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby Max_501 » Sun Feb 15, 2015 3:44 pm

zuschauer wrote:So, I can compare the new Monster to the Rock and Roll, having been on that more recently. The Monster is lighter, more agile and equally stable. Accurate and compliant, the type of ski where you forget what you are on.


Did the remove the metal in the new skis? The RnR is already very light!
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby zuschauer » Sun Feb 15, 2015 6:59 pm

Their big new thing is Graphene in place of metal. It was successful for them with the women's Joy line and definitely lighter than metal. I look forward to your review of them (if you ever get some snow!!!)
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby jbotti » Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:18 pm

The Head rep was at my home mountain today with a demo day. I got to ski the 2016 Monster 88 and I was very impressed with the ski. I had on my Head Rock N Rolls (180) when I switched onto the Monsters (177) so I got to ski them back to back. I was expecting something similar to my old Head Monster 88's (which were very stiff and almost unbendable). The new 88 is much more similar to the RNR's. Perfect flex pattern, maybe slightly stiffer than the RNR's but they just skied great all over. They arc really nice turns on groomed snow and bend nicely when laid way over. I was amazed at how tight I could make the arcs. Off piste it was just awesome. Easily as forgiving as the RNR's but quicker. I rarely find skis that I feel like I would be happy to ski all day in all conditions but this (and the RNRs and my TT80s) fit that bill. This is a wonderful ski.

I also skied the SS rally in the 177 length. Wow tight TR, really nice carver. It reminded me of a wider version of my TT80 176s. I took it off piste and into some bumps and its very skiable all over the mountain. When my TT 80's die (luckily I can get two more seasons out of my 176s) I would consider replacing them with this ski.
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Re: 2016 Head Skis

Postby seskelson » Sun Mar 01, 2015 4:26 pm

John, very helpful comments. Thanks. What is your impression of the new Monster 88 versus the Venturi?
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