Head Discovery 78 sport — Review

The Head Discovery 78 sport is the Sport-tier sibling to the Discovery 78 pro in Head's new 26-27 Discovery line. Same 78 mm waist, same Allride Rocker profile, same Protector PR 11 GW system binding — but a wood-composite core rather than a full 3D wood core, and a noticeably tighter 11.2 m turn radius at 170 cm. This is the more forgiving, more turn-friendly version of the same chassis.

The 78 sport feels lively in short and medium turns. The 11.2 m radius is unusually tight for an 80-ish mm waist — closer to slalom territory than typical all-mountain — and the soft wood-composite core makes initiating each turn very low-effort. It carves cleanly on groomers and is well-suited to skiers practicing rounder, more frequent turns rather than long high-speed arcs. Push it into long high-edge GS-style turns and the chassis softens noticeably compared to the wood-cored 78 pro. Off-piste behavior is the same modest tip + 78 mm waist story: usable on soft chop at the side of the trail, but not a deep-snow tool. The PR 11 GW system keeps the binding mounted to a Power Rail for a clean integrated feel.

A wood-composite core (a blend of light wood and synthetic) sits at the heart, surrounded by Auxetic Tech (lattice that stiffens progressively under load) and Head's Superframe construction with Graphene reinforcement. There is no full titanal layer. Lengths: 156 / 163 / 170 / 177 (no 184 — that top length is reserved for the Pro). Sidecut at 170 cm is 128 / 78 / 110 mm with an 11.2 m radius. Weight at 170 cm is approximately 1517 g per ski — light for the all-mountain frontside segment, and a touch lighter than the 78 pro. The ski ships as a system with the Protector PR 11 GW alpine binding on the PR Power Rail.

The clear delta to the Head Discovery 78 pro is the core: the Sport uses a wood-composite blend rather than full 3D wood, and pairs that with a much tighter turn radius. The Pro is the longer-arc, more demanding ski; the Sport is the shorter-arc, easier ski.

A confident-intermediate skier who lives on piste, prefers quick rhythm rather than long arcs, and wants a low-effort daily ski that still has Head's progressive-flex tech under foot. Compared to the Head Discovery 78 pro it carves shorter but with less authority at higher speeds — pick the Pro if you want a more confident high-speed feel. Against the K2 Disruption 78Ti it is lighter, softer, and noticeably more turn-oriented — the K2 holds a high edge angle better but feels more demanding. The Head Kore x 78 lyt pr is the touring-oriented brand-sibling: lighter still, but less stable on hard groomers.

Pros

• 11.2 m radius makes short to medium turns effortless.
• Wood-composite core is forgiving and low-effort all day.
• Light at ~1517 g per ski (170 cm) — easy to swing around.
• Auxetic Tech adds support as the skier pushes harder.
• Integrated PR 11 GW system gives clean power transfer.

Cons

• Softens at high carving speed compared to the 78 pro.
• 78 mm waist limits off-piste utility in deeper snow.
• System mount removes the option of a future touring setup.
• Strong skiers will quickly outgrow the wood-composite chassis.

Verdict: The easier, more turn-oriented Discovery 78. Excellent for confident intermediates who carve short turns on groomers, but the 78 pro is the better pick if you prefer longer arcs at speed.