금년부터는 우리 Base 인 용평외에도 작년 동계 올림픽을 계기로 다시 애용하기 시작한 스타힐 스키장을 같이 이용하기 위해서 스키가 하나 더 필요하기도 한데다, 2012-13 시즌부터 타오던 Rossignol Demo 스키가 이제 거의 수명이 다되가기에 새 스키를 하나 장만하기로 하고 시장 조사에 들어갔다.
해외 스키 매거진 및 다양한 사이트에서 본 트렌드는 역시 자유로운 영혼을 위한 Waist 가 굵은 스키로의 변화다. 매년 한 두번 해외 원정에서는 그런 all mountain 스키가 힘을 쓰겠지만 국내의 On Piste 뿐인 열악한 환경에서는 그런 스키가 안 어울리니 이 세계적인 추세를 받아 들이기가 힘들다.
이런 딜레마 속에 열심히 찾다보니 괴물 스키가 하나 불쑥 튀어 나온다. 바로 HEAD KORE 93 이란 넘이다.
이젠 나이가 들어 하루 종일 타려면 가벼운 스키를 필수 조건으로 꼽고, Front-end 에서의 Carving 에서도 발군이면서도 Powder, Crud 등 all mountain 상황에서도 능력을 발휘하는 스키를 찾고 있었는데 HEAD 가 어떻게 나의 이런 바램을 알았는지 바로 그런 스키가 시장에 작년부터 나온 것이다.
https://www.head.com/en-IC/sports/ski/kore/
https://www.head.com/shop/en-IC/kore-93-92.html?___SID=U
HEAD KORE 시리즈는 All Mountain / Free RIde 용 스키로서 waist 사이즈에 따라 93, 99, 105, 117cm의 4 기종이 나온다. 그중 가장 가는 93 은 깊은 파우더에서는 약점을 보이는 대신 Frontside Category 에서도 Best Ski 로 평가 받을 정도로 On-Piste 에서의 카빙 및 다양한 turn, 고속 안정성이 발군인 스키로 Intermediate 부터 Expert 스키어를 대상으로 하며, 가장 가벼운 스키로 방점을 찍었으니 바로 딱 내 스키인 것이다 ~ ㅋㅋㅋ
여러 스키 매거진 등으로부터 딱 그런 평가를 받았다. (자세한 건 하단 참조)
- Head’s Kore 93, which the brand had tested in our All Mountain Category last season (where it did very well), is actually better served in the Frontside category. - by Gear Institute
- From the front to the back, the soft to the firm, these are the only boards you need. You don't even have to check the snow report because these skis always deliver. - by Ski Mag Gear Guide 2019
- Kore skis come back unchanged this year, and that’s really good news for the skiers who fell in love with them last year and didn’t get a chance to buy them because Head could not keep them in stock. - by Ski Essentials.com
근데 스키를 고르는 것과 사는 것은 전혀 별개라는 현실의 벽이 있었다. 문제는 국내 스키샵에서 구입할 수가 없었다. 이런 스키를 찾는 사람이 없어서 아마 수입을 안하는 것 같다. (최근에 알았는데 TOLES 스키샵 온라인 쇼핑몰에서 판매하는 것으로는 되있더라는.....)
결국 직구를 하기로하고 해외 사이트를 뒤졌으나 popular 한 171 cm 이상만 있지 내 체격조건에 맞는 162cm 짜리는 인터넷 판매를 하는 곳이 거의 없더니 다행이 캐나다 Whislter 에 소재한 Fanatyk Co Ski & Cycle, ( https://fanatykco.com/ )
에서 SKI C$ 699, Biding C$ 200 에 Tax 12% 해서 86만원 정도에 구입했다. (원래 바인딩 장착은 무료로 해주는데, 사용할 스키 부츠 없이는 장착 못해준다고 하는 바람에 따로 받았음) 스키는 나중에 밴쿠버 사는 지인이 한국 나올 떄 가져다 주기로 하고 ㅋㅋ
여기서도 해프닝이 벌어지는데, 인터넷 주문 때 자신하던 밴쿠버 도착 배송일자가 Canada Post의 부분 파업으로 인해 4일 늦어지면서 밴쿠버 지인의 비행기 출국 일자를 이틀 늦추고 비행기 표를 C$120 차지하고 날짜 바꾸는 불상사가 있었다 결국 스키 샵에 클레임해서 바인딩 값을 무료로 하기로 하고 그 금액만큼 refund 하기로 deal 은 됬지만....ㅠㅠ
문제는 도착해서도 계속 발생했다. 최고의 정비샵인 Knife Edge조차 이 스키와 바인딩에 맞는 Jig (Tyrolia 92W) 가 없어서 바인딩을 부착할수가 없단다. 결국 수작업까지도 각오하고 첨부한 문서 
Tyrolia Biding Drill Template.pdf
같은 template를 준비했는데, 다행히 Knife Edge 의 임부장님이 Head 한국 지사에 Jig가 있는 걸 확인하고 거기 가져가서 드릴링 작업해와서 잘 부착할 수 있었다.ㅋㅋ
온갖 우여곡절 끝에 드디어 손에 들어온지 2주만인 11월 30일 제대로 탈 수 있는 스키가 되었다 바로 아래와 같은 검둥이다 ~!!! 바닥 사진, 상판 모습, 기존 로시뇰 데모 스키와 비교 사진이다.
녹색 바인딩외에는 온통 까만 색이라 아래 위로 슬쩍 스티커를 부착했다 ~ㅋㅎㅎ
바인딩도 가벼운 대신 DIN 11 까지만 지원되는 걸로 달았더니 총 무게가 기존 로시뇰보다 거의 800g 덜 나가는 총 4.9kg !
사이드 컷도 로시뇰 데모 감마가 118-72-110 / R 15M 인데 비해, 이건 127-89-110 / R 14M 으로 훨씬 굵지만 회전 반경은 오히려 1M 작다는...ㅋ
여태 쓰던 스키와는 워낙 달라서 실제 어떨지는 기대 반 우려 반이지만 재밌게 탈 수 있을 걸로 기대된다.
참고로 이 스키를 사기 위해 찾아본 각종 Review 들이다, 링크 다는 대신 언제라도 바로 읽을 수 있게 복사해뒀다.ㅋㅋ
[SKI Magazine Review] Gear Guide 2019 / Men's All Mountain Narrow Skis Aug 21, 2018
“From the front to the back, the soft to the firm, these are the only boards you need. You don't even have to check the snow report because these skis always deliver.”
What: Narrower planks with a penchant for groomed, crud, and even pow.
Who: Those who explore the entire mountain with ease in all conditions.
Where: Ski areas where fresh snow is measured in inches, not feet.
BEST IN TEST, BEST VALUE: HEAD Kore 93
Once again, the Kore 93 dominated this category. Showing off for testers, this ski could perform a variety of turn shapes at a variety of speeds in ways that can make intermediate skiers advance and expert skiers smile. Made with graphene, a Nobel-prize winning compound that is super light and strong, fused with a karuba wood core layered with KOROYD, this ski wowed testers in all conditions. Larson: “So solid and stable, nothing comes close.”
Strengths: Versatility, Forgiveness; Weakness: Stability at Speed
Overall Rating: 4.24 / 5 Tip / Waist / Tail : 133-93-115 cm
Lengths : 153, 162, 171, 180, 189 cm Radius : 16.4 M
MSRP: $750
[ Powder Magazine Review ] The Best Skis for Carving of the Year
These are the sticks for those who prefer a ski with backbone, who arc wide, sweeping turns, and above all, like to ski really damn fast without any of that annoying chatter. Most of the skis in this group include metal in their construction and are often found on the frontside of ski resorts slashing down a steep shot.
HEAD KORE 93
This season, Head cut the fat on their new line of freeride skis by stripping the Head Kore 93 of its traditional plastic top sheet and leaving the polyester fleece top layer exposed and making it the lightest ski in the line.
Graphene in the tips and tails provides a thin profile that the Union skiers fell for hard. “High level performance inbounds on hardpack, crud, and soft old pow,‰” said Crystal Sagan. “I would love to ski this with tech bindings on the uphill.‰” On the downhill, the Head Kore 93 railed on corduroy and shocked the Union when it didn’t chatter at high speeds thanks to the use of a thermally welded honeycomb material called Koroyd. The lightweight, but strong material gives the Head Kore 93 a notable dampness that isn’t typical of skis at this weight.
“This is an exciting new ski,‰” said Abigail Barronian, noting the ski uses the same honeycomb core that is typically found in helmets. “It carves amazingly on groomers, is responsive and I felt really confident on it right away. It rips.‰”
The Karuba wood core keeps the Kore 93 poppy and playful, and ski instructor Kelsey Barnes said as hard as she tried to push this ski to wobble and bounce, it remained stable. For deeper days, the Union collectively agreed they’d rather opt for a wider ski underfoot, like the similarly constructed Head Kore 105.—Sierra Davis
[SKI Essentials.com Review] 2019 HEAD KORE 93 / Men's All Mountain Category
The success of last year’s Head Kore 93 was enormous. Right when the skis came out, we knew we’d be hearing a lot about them. Aimed at the Enforcer 93 from Nordica, the Head Kore 93 shared similar shape and profile characteristics, but with vastly different construction techniques. Whereas the Enforcer had pretty standard wood core with dual metal laminate sandwich construction, the Kore 93 had the wood core but with graphene and koroyd layers. This made the Kore’s lighter and quicker than the Enforcers. The Kore has a more broad appeal, and can be mastered by a larger majority of skiers. The skis come back unchanged this year, and that’s really good news for the skiers who fell in love with them last year and didn’t get a chance to buy them because Head could not keep them in stock.
Our testers return to re-visit the skis, and again, have some pretty high praise for this top end all-mountain freeride ski.
Jamie Bisbee skied the 180 and thought that the Kore 93 made some pretty sweet turns. “The Kore felt really turny but not in a bad way. Fun ski to slash around with.” Jamie also noted that heavier skiers may overpower the Kore 93, most likely due to the lack of metal in the skis. His high scores for playfulness and forgiveness are unsurprising, as many of our testers share this sentiment.
Also skiing the 180, Jason Krupsky loved the versatility and forgiveness of the skis. His feedback is short but sweet: “Great all-mountain ski for the skier that is looking for a one-ski quiver.” Bottom line for Jason is that if you could only have one ski, this would be an excellent choice.
James Stewart gave a top score for quickness and maneuverability. He also skied the 180 and found them to be “lightweight skis, no doubt and it skis that way but it is not limiting.” Great point from James, that just because a ski doesn’t weigh a lot doesn’t mean that it doesn’t perform well. “Fun to brush turns on the sides of the trails or ripping across the fall line.” This echoes his score of 4 out of 5 for playfulness. The Kore 93 is an extraordinarily playful ski, especially considering the fact that it is a very high performance ski.
Alix Klein took the 171 out for a few runs and enjoyed the torsional stiffness and edge hold of the skis. Stability was also a high mark for her, and we get the sense that she saw the skis as more of an on-trail product, which is a great perspective. “While this ski is specific for groomers and frontside skiing it does a great job at it. Roll your ankles and the ski is on edge for you. This ski tracks through the snow with ease and finesse.” The Kore 93 “makes effortless mid-radius turns. They hold speed and allow you to stay forward in your boots.” She concludes her review by stating that the Kore 93 “does it for you.” We like hearing that skis have an intuitive nature and talk to the skiers accordingly.
For the second year now, the Head Kore 93 will appeal to a huge group of skiers. The width and playful nature of the skis are enough to satisfy intermediates all the way up to experts. And while larger, heavier skiers may overpower the Kore 93, they still have the construction and profile to impress the bulk of the skiing population.
[ Gear Institute Review ] Head Kore 93, November 19, 2018
THE VERDICT
Head’s Kore 93, which the brand had tested in our All Mountain Category last season (where it did very well), is actually better served in the Frontside category. The ski is a revelation of lightweight Carving performance. A topsheet free ski, thanks to a weight-trimming construction technique that include laminates of Graphene, Koroyd, and something Head has named “topsheet free construction,” which eliminates the traditional plastic topsheet for a simple, stripped-down look. The ski garnered high scores for its ease of initiation and Carving skills, its top of the line Stability, and its excellent grip. The Kore 93 is not the best floater, and features more dampness than energy and pop, but it is still well designed to ski the entire mountain, and is so ethereally calm and light underfoot, that you’ll want to ski it from first to last lift. The Kore 93 is a great pick for anyone rocking a season pass.
The Good · Lightweight · Easy carver · Super stability · Very good Frontside ski · Incredible grip | The Bad · Not as much float · Not as much pop · Needs to be on edge |
FULL REVIEW
Head’s Kore 93, the thinnest of the brand’s Kore line, which was introduced last season, aims to be one of the lightest skis in the category by utilizing unique, weight-shaving materials such as Graphene, Koroyd and Head’s “topsheet free construction,” which eliminates the traditional plastic topsheet. It also features carbon fiber construction and Karuba woodcore for power and dampness, along with Head’s TNT Rocker, with moderate rise in the tail and more pronounced rise in the tip. The Kore has a very unique, stealthy look, like some sort of secret skunkworks helicopter or phantom jet, which the ski matches with its easy-to-access, high-end performance. With “Excellent” ratings across the board, and one pick for “Favorite,” the Kore 93 got its highest reviews for how quickly and smoothly it sinks into a turn, how well the ski holds an edge, its supremely smooth Stability, and its excellent grip. The lightweight feel and propensity to stick short to mid-radius turn – even at slower speeds – also resulted in above average marks for Responsiveness.
Despite its tip rocker, and even more due to the ski’s reassuring dampness, the Kore 93 did not get as high marks for Resort Float in the All Mountain category, nor for its energy and pop. While bumps and light windpack were easy to arc on this ski, it performed at its best on prepared snow and steep hardpack. The “Stealth Carver,” as one tester deemed the Kore 93, is best suited for technical skiers who want to ski the whole mountain with a light, predictable, but powerful ski with vacuum-smooth edge to snow contact. Season passholders and weekend warriors alike will love this ski for how quickly it generates a calm sense of confidence. Or, as the tester who ranked the Kore 93 his favorite remarked, “Head is killing it!”
Overall 8/10
The Head Kore 93 earned top marks for its Overall classification, including several 10s (out of 10), 8s, and one 6 from a tester who wanted “more sidecut,” and “a beefier tip.” The majority of our testers remarked how stable the ski is, how easy it is to initiate a turn, and how smooth it felt in a carve, with hold and performance that is remarkably easy to access.
Floatation 8/10
Floatation was not the Kore 93’s strongest suit, but the early rise rocker meant that even the longer skis we tested were still maneuverable and easy to steer in on and off-piste conditions, although the predominant damp feel of the ski still makes it feel like more a pure carving ski in some conditions (i.e., softer snow and powder) where it might have benefitted from some more energy and pop.
Stability 9/10
Stability is also one of the Kore 93’s top assets, as long as you don’t try to ramp it up to kind of high speeds that a ski like the Blizzard Brahma demands when you ski it. The damp feel is especially reassuring the moment you get over the surprise that a high performance ski can be this good at such a lightweight. Some testers suggested it might prefer a lighter, foot-steerers touch, especially on steeper terrain, but the majority spent plenty of time laying down strong medium-radius arcs and got a consistent level of stability no matter how hard they pushed it.
Edge Hold 8/10 Carving Pleasure 9/10
The way the Kore 93 holds an edge, reliably, confidently, with such a serene sense of control, puts it near the top of the Carving classification. This ski also provides a bit more of a true all terrain feel, promising skiers the chance to keep finding new pleasures and abilities to arc effortless turns the more they ski it.
Turn Shape Variability 8/10
The effectiveness of the tip rocker, the lightweight maneuverability, and the wonderfully smooth flex of the Kore 93 make it so easy to initiate, while the super Edge-hold grabs onto every turn you make. We found the ski prefers short to medium radius turns, but can also be pushed into longer turns without much effort because of its great balance.
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