2023 Head Kore 117

The Head Kore 117 is the widest in the line, and the most freeride-oriented as a result. For 2023, the Kore skis get a bit of a refresh, but for the most part, they stay true to their roots of being strong, light, and capable skis for pure freeride performance. At 117 mm underfoot, this thing is clearly on the long side, and it has the appropriate rocker profile and taper shape to prove it. With rather gargantuan splay, these things float like boats, which is a good thing, because they have that Kore stiffness that we’ve talked about for years now. Built with a blend of poplar and karuba in the core, the skis also get two full sheets of carbon, with the top one being curved to match the chamfered edge. This gives the upper part of the ski extra stiffness, so for how playful and drifty it is, it also likes being up on edge and has good responsiveness as a result. In the 184 cm length, the skis generate a pretty long 24.6-meter turn radius, so they operate quite well at higher speeds. Graphene still keeps the stiffness right where Head likes it—right at the top of the spectrum.

On the 184, Jeff Neagle loved the length for the width, noting that it skis a bit short due to the lighter weight. He scored it 4's out of 5 for torsional stiffness and edge hold, with a 5 for flotation. All other scores were 3's, showing a pretty well-rounded score card for such a one-dimensional ski. Jeff, however, noted that it has a surprising versatility to it, and also couldn't help noticing similarities with the Kore 111 as well. "I think this ski bookends the Kore series quite well, and the new build makes it just a bit more well-rounded and better-suited to more than just straight powder. Now with the 111, the 117 allows for that strong powder performance and a whole lot of fun. With more taper and rocker than the 111, the true powder junkies still have a ski that they can call their own, and while we don't always have that type of snow here in Vermont, there's a whole lot of places that this ski is very useful."

Also on the 184, Bob St.Pierre noted that while it skis true to size, he'd prefer the 191. "I just feel with all of these Kore skis that I like the longer length." At 6'3" and 225 pounds, that's not a crazy thing to ask for, especially due to the light weight of the ski. "As per usual, the Kore skis deliver some of the strongest strength to weight ratios of any ski on the planet, and this 117 is no different. I love the grip and the energy, as those two attributes are usually not found in skis of this width. Way quicker than other 117(ish) skis, and quite a bit grippier as well. If you're looking for a ski that is light, maneuverable, floaty, and precise, it's hard to do better than the new Kore 117."

We’d love to get this thing out in some crazy deep snow just to know what it feels like in bottomless fresh. We can’t always dial up a powder day here in Vermont, so that’s kind of an issue, but from our experience on the ski, the deep snow performance will likely be off the charts.