e total joy review

Overview

In the 25/26 season Head sold the widest ski of its women's Joy line as the e-Total Joy; for 26/27 it became the Head Total Joy. Ski Essentials describes that season's e-Total Joy as a carryover with the same shape and build as the year before, and Head's 26/27 Total Joy page lists the same 128/85/114 mm sidecut, the same radius at each length and the same 148–168 cm size run. Sport Conrad even sells Head's current article number 315626 as the "E-Total Joy SW", so the old and new names describe one ski. It is the all-mountain member of the Joy family, sold with the Joy 11 GW SLR binding, and Head rates it Advanced, All Mountain and Medium Speed.

On-snow performance

The 85 mm waist is what sets it apart from the narrower Joys. It gives more support in soft, cut-up snow at the side of the piste and a bit more float on a morning with a few centimetres of fresh snow. On firm snow, carbon in the poplar core and the Carbon Sandwich Cap construction should keep the ski precise without the weight of metal. The Allride Rocker (20% tip rocker, 80% camber) makes turn entry easy, and Head says the newer, longer sidecut forgives more mistakes. With 11.8 m at 148 cm and 14.7 m at 163 cm, the shape favours medium turns over long, fast arcs. It remains a piste-first ski: in deep snow a wider ski will float better.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: lightweight poplar wood core with carbon.
• Construction: Carbon Sandwich Cap with LYT Tech and graphene.
• Damping: EMC (Energy Management Circuit).
• Stance: Women's Camber and the Better Balance base.
• Weight distribution: Superlightweight Distribution.
• Base: Structured UHM C.
• Rocker: Allride Rocker, 20% tip rocker / 80% camber / 0% tail rocker.
• Sidecut: 128/85/114 mm; radius 11.8 m (148), 12.7 m (153), 13.7 m (158), 14.7 m (163).
• Lengths: 148, 153, 158, 163 and 168 cm.
• Weight: 1698 g per ski without binding at 163 cm (Head's figure for the same ski under its 26/27 name).
• Binding: Joy 11 GW SLR (DIN 3–11) on Head's SLR base.

Who it's for & comparisons

The e-Total Joy suits an intermediate-to-advanced woman who wants one ski for the whole resort: groomers in the morning, softer snow next to the run in the afternoon. Compared with the Head Absolut Joy, it is 5 mm wider and lighter (1698 g against 1773 g at 163 cm) with a slightly shorter radius. The Blizzard Black Pearl 84 has a titanal inlay and rocker in both tip and tail, which suits mixed snow better; it also weighs a little less (1590 g at 164 cm). The Salomon Stance w 84 is also sold with a system binding but uses a titanal layer, for a firmer feel on hard snow. For a much lighter ski, the Volkl Blaze 86 w weighs about 1280 g at 159 cm.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• The 85 mm waist widens its range beyond the groomed piste.
• Carbon in a light wood core: about 1698 g at 163 cm.
• Allride Rocker and the longer sidecut make it forgiving.
• Five lengths from 148 to 168 cm.
• Sold as a ready set with the Joy 11 GW SLR binding.

Cons

• No 143 cm size for short skiers.
• Not a powder ski; deep snow needs a wider ski.
• System binding: no flat or touring binding option.
• Less grip at high speed on ice than a titanal ski.

Verdict: The all-round choice of the 25/26 Joy line, sold under its old name and the same ski as today's Total Joy. Choose it if you want one ski for groomers and soft snow next to the piste.