The name of the game these days is building a ski that’s incredibly lightweight without compromising downhill performance—no easy feat. However, HEAD has accomplished this goal with flying colors with its new KORE series. The secret: Mind-numbingly light and poppy Karuba wood complemented by Graphene and Koroyd. Graphene (incredibly thin, yet strong as a silverback gorilla) in the tips and tails allows the ski profile to be thinned and weight reduced without loss of stiffness; Koroyd also has a high strength-to-weight ratio and provides dampening; and triaxial-woven carbon fiber bolsters torsional rigidity. One ski tester, who shared the sentiments of many, fell in the love with the ski: “There’s zero nervous energy, the flex is absolutely perfect, they’re springy and fun, ideal for any day, any time.”