Question: Head Cool One

[snowball16]

I'm looking to buy skis soon and I'm trying to make sure I get just the right pair for my skiing level. Being 16 years old and a ski instructor I consulted one of the older instructors to try and help. We think that the Head Cool One would be a good ski for me but I wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this ski or any other recommendations. I want a ski that is on the intermediate closer to advanced side. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Jilly]

OK, where and what kind of conditions are you skiing? Are these to use for instructing primarily? Which level are you treaching. For example if you usually teach beginners, believe it or not, twin tips work the best. Have you ever had a chance to demo skis?

 

[snowball16]

I teach at Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania. I think I am going to keep my old skis for instructing because I teach little kids that are anywhere from beginners to advanced. I haven't had a chance to demo ski and won't before I buy a pair. I want something that's good for all mountain skiing. As for twin tips I'm not sure if that's something I"m really interested in.

 

[Robyn]

I wouldn't consider the Cool One an all mountain ski. I would think the Great One or the Wild One would be better choices for an all mountain ski out of the Head line up. Are you willing to look at other manufacturers as well?

 

[Jilly]

OK, so these skis are for you to ski on. Conditions and terrain are similar to anything in the east. Are you looking for an all mountain, or just a carver? And like Robyn asked, are you open to other manufacturers?

 

[sdskiqueen]

I don't know too much about the Cool One, but I have the Head Wild One and I love, love, love it. I skiied on it all last season (161) here in the West - Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, etc. It's described as an all mountain expert ski. I found it to be great in all conditions from packed to powder to spring slush and crud. It is very, very stable and can be a blast when you want some speed. I highly recommend the Wild One. I have the 08/09 version. I know you can get them on ebay for a really sweet price.

 

[snowball16]

I would prefer something all mountain but getting a ski thats good for carving is my main concern. I'm open to other manufacturers as well.

 

[astridhj]

I love my Völkl Aura. (Someone had to be the first one to suggest it ) I have not skied Head skis in years, so I do not know how they will compare to the Aura. I ski mostly in Norway with different conditions all the time.

Good luck with finding a new ski. There are sooo many interesting skis on the market.

 

[vanhoskier]

I teach at Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania.

Hey, that's my home mountain! If you want skis for conditions at Blue, you definitely want something that will hold a good edge! If you go for Head skis, I'd do the Wild One or Great One because they will perform better when it gets mushy, slushy, or for when there's new snow. I skied my Head Monster 78's at Blue a bunch, and they are a fantastic ski for that mountain....they hold an edge REALLY well on hardpack, they carve short and long-radius turns very nicely (good for showing your clients how it's done!) and when it's deeper or cruddier, they float right through. They are unisex skis....I've found that some women's skis are too soft for me and don't hold an edge well.

In fact, Nestor's in Whitehall has some Monster 78's from last year in stock...you may be able to get a good deal.

The Monster has rounded tails (not a true twin tip, mind you) that makes skiing backwards easy....that may be a bonus when you are giving a lesson and keeping an eye on your clients.

I also ski the Fischer Progressor 8+ at Blue....more of a carving ski with a narrower waist, but they perform great and I've used them in varying conditions as well.

 

[snowball16]

The problem with the Wild One and Great One is that im very short (under five feet) and I want to stay with something in the lower 140s and I know the shortest they come in is 150. But I do plan on buying my skis and Nestors : )

 

[vanhoskier]

I have a girlfriend who is 4'10" and has trouble buying stuff. Fischer makes a nice women's ski, the Breeze, in a 140-something length. It's 74 underfoot so should handle Blue Mountain conditions well. Nestor's is a Fischer dealer. They do have a bunch of last season's stuff still in stock as well; definitely go talk to them and see what they can find for you. Good luck!

 

[Jilly]

The Breeze is excellent on ice! Tremblant is full of it and those babies held the edge like nothing I've been on before.

 

[vanhoskier]

Glad to hear that, Jilly. I hadn't skied the Breeze personally. I was going by its stats, and the fact that Fischers generally hold an edge nicely.

Come to think of it, my Fischer Progressor 8+'s are 74 underfoot, too, and do well in varied conditions at Blue Mountain.

 

[vanhoskier]

Here's a Diva review of the Fischer Vision Breeze:
https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6595

I think for 2010 it's just the Fischer Breeze. There's also info. in this review on ski length for a petite person like Snowball16.

 

[snowball16]

After reading all of these posts I thought I was definitely going to go with the Fischer Breeze. But I talked to the ski instructor I work with who is hlping me find skis and after looking at them he still feels the Head Cool One would be better for me because of its shorter radius and narrower underfoot. No one here seems to be a fan of the Head Cool One but ultimately I think I'm going to buy one of these two skis. Anyone have any experience with the Head Cool One, how it holds and edge, skis in ice, etc?

 

[Jilly]

You have a number of women instructors telling you about the Breeze. Since this "guy" is pushing the Head - why?? His lady on it?? Head rep?? Friend of Head rep and getting a cut??

Alot of good skiers and instructors have posted reviews on all kinds of skis in the Gear section. I'm going to search for a review I did on a Head ski, because I can't remember the name, and I didn't like it.

 

[Jilly]

OK, I went back and it was the Power Thang for 2008.

 

[snowball16]

It's not so much that hes pushing the head. Hes been going online a lot and looking at a bunch of different skis Solomon Opal, K2 True Love, Dynastar Exclusive Active. Then when we narrowed it down to the Head Cool One and Fischer Breeze he just thought the Cool One would be a better fit knowing how I ski. I'm still very undecided at this point.

 

[vanhoskier]

Go read reviews online for both these skis. Also, go to Nestor's and talk to them (ask for Pete if he's there)....they deal with both Head and Fischer.

You don't need "narrower underfoot" than the Fischer, since it's 74, which is plenty narrow enough to carve very nicely, even on ice, and those few extra millimeters will help you when it gets cruddy, choppy, or when we actually have real snow! The Fischer Breeze is more of an "all mountain, all conditions" ski while the Head Cool One is for groomed slopes. You'll have to decide if you want a ski that's strictly a carver (the Cool One) or one that can carve, as well as handle some other conditions. I think it's going to come down to personal preference for you....don't let somebody just talk you into something.

I'm not sure how much the difference in turning radius between the 2 (Head = 12.4, Fischer = 14) will affect your skiing.....somebody here who's an instructor can chime in on that.

 

[volklgirl]

Go read reviews online for both these skis. Also, go to Nestor's and talk to them (ask for Pete if he's there)....they deal with both Head and Fischer.

You don't need "narrower underfoot" than the Fischer, since it's 74, which is plenty narrow enough to carve very nicely, even on ice, and those few extra millimeters will help you when it gets cruddy, choppy, or when we actually have real snow! The Fischer Breeze is more of an "all mountain, all conditions" ski while the Head Cool One is for groomed slopes. You'll have to decide if you want a ski that's strictly a carver (the Cool One) or one that can carve, as well as handle some other conditions. I think it's going to come down to personal preference for you....don't let somebody just talk you into something.[\quote]

Quoted for truth! Vanhoskier is wise.

I'm not sure how much the difference in turning radius between the 2 (Head = 12.4, Fischer = 14) will affect your skiing.....somebody here who's an instructor can chime in on that.

The shorter turn radius on the Heads will make it twitchy and grabby if the snow gets cruddy. Many can ride something narrow and turny in crappy snow, but it takes skill and finesse to do it well.

On groomers, the difference in turn radius is negligible, and performance differences between the 2 will be more directly determined by their overall stiffness, stiffness distribution, taper angle, and tail shape.

Also, seriously, don't discount the twin tips! Today's twins are an incredibly varied and versatile bunch and many have carving skills to rival the non-race groomer zoomers. Plus the twins make them ski shorter than you'd think and they're fun enough that you'll find yourself wanting to jump and spin just because "you can". They truly are today's "all mountain" skis!!