Question: Head Joy Poll

[MaineSkiLady]

@ Christy - definitely do this. Robyn beat me to this recommendation yesterday. With an account, you can not only change the location of delivery, but the date as well. Very convenient.

 

[BraidsAndBoots]

This is my first season back on skis since I started snowboarding 15 years ago. I rented the light joys and fell back in live with skiing. After 5 or 6 days on them i demo'd total joys and super joys. On saturday my ski shop is selling off their rentals and demos and I know I'm buying a pair of joys but I cant decide which is right for me!

 

[SnowHot]

Bonus points if you add info on which Joys you own or have tested, specs and length, your stats, and where and how you normally ski.

Feel free to add other info such as prior or current DD as well and how they compare. Thanks!

I've demoed the entire Joy line up from Head. Most recently the Wild Joy which is filling the gap between the Total Joy and Great Joy - at 90mm under foot.
To give you an example of how much I like the Super Joy, I bought it. That says a lot for me.

 

[luliski]

I've demoed the entire Joy line up from Head. Most recently the Wild Joy which is filling the gap between the Total Joy and Great Joy - at 90mm under foot.
To give you an example of how much I like the Super Joy, I bought it. That says a lot for me.

How did you like the Wild Joy? I have the Great Joy, but thought I might sometimes like something similar but narrower (not that I can get new skis now....).

 

[SnowHot]

How did you like the Wild Joy? I have the Great Joy, but thought I might sometimes like something similar but narrower (not that I can get new skis now....).

You can read all of my reviews of the +74mm skis here
This is my review of the Wild Joy
Head Wild Joy
Dimensions: 139-90-119
Radius: 14.4m@168cm
Size tested: 168
Design: All New

The Wild Joy is a ski that was missing from Head's lineup: it had the 75mm Super Joy, which you all know I love, and then the 98mm Great Joy, which has been a fan favorite. I got on this ski twice. The first time was at Copper Mountain on hard-packed groomers, and it did exactly what I expected it to do on the hard pack. It turned nicely and held an edge with confidence. The second time was at Snowbasin, at the end of the day, with a lot of bumpy, choppy, yucky snow. The Wild Joy didn’t disappoint. As light as it feels, it didn’t act light when it was time to power through the choppy yucky snow. Head has a winner with this one.

• Who is it for? Someone looking for a midfat everyday ski that will turn nicely.
• Who is it not for? Someone who is timid.
• Insider tip: Don’t think about the weight; this ski is light but powerful.

 

[luliski]

Thanks @SnowHot for this review! So true about the weight thing with the Head Joy skis. I am just starting to trust my Great Joys at speed because they are so much lighter than my old Nordica Conquers.

 

[santacruz skier]

Nice review @SnowHot ....now I'm wondering about both the Wild Joy and the Great Joy. Tell me, would you ski either one "true to size"? Found a Great Joy in 158 for $389 flat.... I demoed the 153 and it felt fine.... 5 cm make that much of a difference ?
Hope to get up one more time but MRI on Tuesday will determine whether I'm at the rec center sitting by the pool, riding my mtn bike, or skiing.

 

[CMCM]

In March I found a pair of Total Joys for such an incredible discount that I broke my rule and bought without doing a demo. I wanted to try them that bad! I was coming off several years of 163 length K2 Lotta Luvs (can you say "damp" and "heavy"). I was talked into shorter Joys, got a 158, and I'm still on the fence about whether I truly like them or not. Very different skiing experience from my Luvs! The Joys are waaaayyyy lighter all around. Fantastic when carrying them around, but the light weight makes them very different on the snow. I was turning easier and quicker (much smaller turn radius) so that was good. Very responsive. They were different enough that I didn't feel as secure on them for some reason, although possibly that was all in my head. I didn't fall or anything, not even any near accidents, but they did seem quite different from what I'm used to. They are supposed to edge well, but I didn't feel they were any better than my Luvs. I only got a few days on them and not in a wide variety of conditions, either. One day was soft snow due to the warmth, and I didn't feel they did as well in those conditions as my heavy Luvs, which I always felt did quite well plowing through the mushy stuff. Bottom line is that had I just demoed the Joys, I most likely would not have bought the skis. Lesson learned (again): always demo first!

 

[SnowHot]

To be clear, what is it that you wanted to get out of a new ski?
And, yes the Total Joy is a ton lighter, which you may be seeing as twitchier, but it could be that you like a ski that's a little more damp and not as lively as the Joy line.

 

[Christy]

I demoed the Great Joy today and really liked it. I don't think I loved it as much as I loved the Black Pearl 98, but I also skied the BP first and the HGJ last, when I was tired and the snow was cruddier. Which they handled fine, but you know, the overall experience was less fun. Anyone loving the HTJ and want to rave about them? I need a ski in the 90s underfoot, for the PNW. At this point I know it might just come down to what is still available (neither ski changed since last year and I want them now).

 

[SnowHot]

I demoed the Great Joy today and really liked it. I don't think I loved it as much as I loved the Black Pearl 98, but I also skied the BP first and the HGJ last, when I was tired and the snow was cruddier. Which they handled fine, but you know, the overall experience was less fun. Anyone loving the HTJ and want to rave about them? I need a ski in the 90s underfoot, for the PNW. At this point I know it might just come down to what is still available (neither ski changed since last year and I want them now).

The Head Wild joy is better than the Total Joy. That is 90mm under foot.

 

[santacruz skier]

I demoed the Head Wild Joy in Tahoe 2 weeks ago and really liked it. Really felt like a great carving ski at 90 mm in Tahoe.
Demoed the Head Great Joy last year in Switzerland and almost bought it. Skied it in chopped up fresh snow and was great.

The HWJ is a great carver..... had so much fun on it at Heavenly! Really liked it.... also tried the BP 88 in Taos for carving and that was very fun.... @SnowHot your professional opinion for a ski around 88-90 mm for Tahoe when lack of snow? Just got back from Mammoth with about 6 feet of snow this week and skied my Black Crows Camox Birdie @ 97..... could have used a wider ski but was very fun.... except when it rained.

 

[SnowHot]

I demoed the Head Wild Joy in Tahoe 2 weeks ago and really liked it. Really felt like a great carving ski at 90 mm in Tahoe.
Demoed the Head Great Joy last year in Switzerland and almost bought it. Skied it in chopped up fresh snow and was great.

The HWJ is a great carver..... had so much fun on it at Heavenly! Really liked it.... also tried the BP 88 in Taos for carving and that was very fun.... @SnowHot your professional opinion for a ski around 88-90 mm for Tahoe when lack of snow? Just got back from Mammoth with about 6 feet of snow this week and skied my Black Crows Camox Birdie @ 97..... could have used a wider ski but was very fun.... except when it rained.

Comparing the Black Pearl 88 and the Wild Joy (90) the WJ is better at carving and charging, the Black Pearl is more playful.
As for a wider ski than the Camox Birdie, I still like the Sheeva 10 for someone your size.

 

[Christy]

Thanks! I have the Total Joy so I think the Wild is too close underfoot. I do like the idea of having an 85 (which is essentially my Sun Valley ski) and something noticeably wider, so maybe that's a reason to go with the BP 98, which is more appropriate for typical Cascade conditions.

 

[santacruz skier]

Comparing the Black Pearl 88 and the Wild Joy (90) the WJ is better at carving and charging, the Black Pearl is more playful.
As for a wider ski than the Camox Birdie, I still like the Sheeva 10 for someone your size.

I really liked the Sheeva 10 for 2 days in Heavenly fresh snow. Maybe they will go on sale soon! At first I was unsure about the Wild Joy and then I realized the more I "charged" , the better the ski performed..... Okay now I need 2 more pairs of skis? BTW, it was good to see you at mammoth!

 

[CarverJill]

I think I have the great joy - purple ones, 98 underfoot right? Man the names are so confusing to me. I absolutely love them. They are my one ski quiver for anything other than east coast-like ice and carving. Wjat I like abou them best is the turning radius. You can really lad down some rail road tracks on them! I have had some perfect carving condition runs where I can literally touch the ground with my hand if I reach down. Mine are 4 years old an am seriously considering getting another pair to replace them since they are looking a bit beat up these days.

 

[SnowHot]

I think I have the great joy - purple ones, 98 underfoot right?

Yup, you got that right.

Man the names are so confusing to me.

Confusing for you???
Imagine all the skis and numbers I have clogging my brain. And don't get me started on Phil. That dude is a ski numbers machine.

 

[newboots]

Is Absolute Joy the pure white one? I've never skied any of these, but I saw the white one in a shop and wanted it.



Sorry to hijack the thread with my silliness. My knees are killing me so I took an oxycodone. I may post something even more ridiculous. I should go to bed.

 

[santacruz skier]

Is Absolute Joy the pure white one? I've never skied any of these, but I saw the white one in a shop and wanted it.



Sorry to hijack the thread with my silliness. My knees are killing me so I took an oxycodone. I may post something even more ridiculous. I should go to bed.

Think it is the white one as @marzNC has it. I have tried the Wild Joy and Great Joy and loved both skis.

 

[santacruz skier]

I think I have the great joy - purple ones, 98 underfoot right? Man the names are so confusing to me. I absolutely love them. They are my one ski quiver for anything other than east coast-like ice and carving. Wjat I like abou them best is the turning radius. You can really lad down some rail road tracks on them! I have had some perfect carving condition runs where I can literally touch the ground with my hand if I reach down. Mine are 4 years old an am seriously considering getting another pair to replace them since they are looking a bit beat up these days.

You do and you rip on those skis!