Discovery 78 pro review

Overview

The Head Discovery 78 pro is the narrower piste-first member of Head's new Discovery Pro line for the 26-27 season, slotting beneath the Discovery 82 pro and Discovery 86 pro. With a 78 mm waist, a 13.7 m turn radius at 170 cm and a Protector EVO PR 11 GW system binding, it is built to be the daily groomer ski that still handles a soft snow detour without protest. The "Pro" tier here means a full 3D wood core, the same Auxetic Tech progressive flex and Superframe construction that the wider Pros use — what changes is the geometry, not the recipe.

On-snow performance

On corduroy the 78 pro carves cleanly and predictably. The Allride Rocker — roughly 20% tip rise with 80% classic camber underfoot — gives an early bite without forcing the skier to drive the shovel hard, and the Auxetic core firms up once you commit to a higher edge angle, so longer carves at speed stay quiet. It is not a slalom-stiff race carver, and skiers used to a titanal Supershape or Worldcup Rebels chassis will notice the softer flex along the running length. In return, the ski rewards mid-radius arcs and is forgiving when you finish a turn early. Off-piste it stays composed in chopped-up snow next to the trail thanks to the wider tip and the Superframe damping, but at 78 mm waist it is not a deep-snow tool. The PR 11 GW binding sits on a PowerRail mount and keeps the ski feeling integrated rather than dead, with a clear power transfer from boot to edge.

Construction & specs explained

The Discovery 78 pro uses a 100% wood core in a 3D layout, Auxetic Technology (the lattice stiffens progressively the harder you push), Superframe construction for torsional support, and a graphene reinforcement layer aimed at vibration damping. There is no full titanal layer here — the stiffness comes from the wood + lattice + frame combination, not from a metal sheet. Lengths run 156 / 163 / 170 / 177 cm, with a 128 / 78 / 110 mm sidecut and a 13.7 m radius at the 170 cm length. Weight at 170 cm is around 1605 g per ski, which is light for the all-mountain frontside segment. The ski ships as a system with the Protector EVO PR 11 GW alpine binding on a PR Power Rail; the integration is part of why touring suitability is essentially nil.

Who it's for & comparisons

This is a confident-intermediate to mid-advanced piste skier's ski — someone who skis groomers most days, occasionally drops into soft snow at the side of the trail, and wants a single quiver that does not punish technique mistakes. Compared to the K2 Disruption 78Ti it is lighter and a touch softer in the running length, which makes lower-speed carving easier but trades away some high-edge-angle hold the titanal K2 offers. Against the Nordica Enforcer 80 s it is more piste-biased and less powder-capable — the Enforcer 80 s rewards a more all-mountain mix while the Discovery 78 pro is happiest on hard snow. The brand-internal sibling, the Head Kore x 78 lyt pr, is a different brief: lighter still, more touring-oriented and less stable on hard groomers — the Discovery 78 pro is the better choice if you almost never tour.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Easy to roll on edge without high speeds.
• Auxetic core firms up under load for stable longer arcs.
• Integrated PR 11 GW system gives clean power transfer.
• Light for the segment at ~1605 g per ski (170 cm).
• Forgiving enough for intermediates progressing into proper carving.

Cons

• No titanal layer — strong skiers seeking race-bite will find it soft.
• 78 mm waist limits off-piste utility in deeper snow.
• System binding makes mounting choices and resale flexibility narrower.
• Touring is not on the menu — the integrated mount precludes any tech setup.

Verdict: A well-balanced piste-first all-mountain for skiers who live on groomers and want a forgiving, light, predictable carver from Head's new Discovery Pro line. Pick a wider sibling if your week mixes more off-piste than on.