Easy Joy review

Overview

The Easy Joy is the entry model of Head's women's Joy line for 26/27, sitting below the Pure Joy. Head says the name says it all: a new shape designed to boost women's confidence with a more forgiving, easy-to-turn ski, built on a lightweight core and a 70 mm waist. It is sold as a system set with the Joy 9 GW SLR binding on a pre-mounted SuperLiteRail base (Protector SLR 10 GW optional). The sidecut is 117-70-103 mm in all lengths and the radius runs from 9.6 m at 143 cm through 10.5 m (148), 11.3 m (153) and 12.2 m (158) to 13.3 m at 163 cm. Head rates it On Piste / Beginner / Slow / Short Radius and lists 1,698 g per ski without binding at 163 cm.

On-snow performance

On paper the Easy Joy is designed around low effort. Allride Rocker gives it 20% tip rocker and 80% camber, so the shovel lifts early and the ski should skid, pivot and start turns without much input, while the camber underfoot still gives edge grip once the skier begins to carve. Radii between 9.6 and 13.3 m favour short, round turns at slow to moderate speed. Head's women-specific Better Balance Technology adds ramp angle in the plate, designed to put women in a centred, balanced position; the construction suggests a ski that feels natural to stand on without having to drive the front of the boot. The narrow 70 mm waist helps edge-to-edge speed, and at about 1.7 kg per ski it is light enough for lifts and car parks. This is not a ski for fast skiing or soft snow: the soft flex and narrow waist will reach their limit as speed and confidence grow.

Construction & specs explained

• Construction: Head's spec sheet lists LYT Tech construction (lightweight Karuba wood with Graphene) together with a lightweight Superframe synthetic core.
• Plate: Better Balance Technology — women-specific ramp angle built into the plate.
• Base: UHM C base, a tough base built to last.
• Profile: Allride Rocker — 20% tip rocker / 80% camber / 0% tail rocker.
• Binding: Joy 9 GW SLR system binding on a pre-mounted SuperLiteRail base; Protector SLR 10 GW optional. PROTECTOR ready.
• Sidecut: 117-70-103 mm in all lengths.
• Radius: 9.6 m (143), 10.5 m (148), 11.3 m (153), 12.2 m (158), 13.3 m (163).
• Weight: 1,698 g per ski without binding at 163 cm (Head figure; production deviations possible).
• Lengths: 143, 148, 153, 158, 163 cm.

Who it's for & comparisons

The Easy Joy is for women who are learning to ski or returning after years away, and for cautious skiers who want a light, calm ski for green and blue pistes at slow speed. In Head's own line, the Head Pure Joy (75 mm, 13.1 m at 163 cm, 1,738 g at 158 cm) is the next step up with a bit more width and support for progressing beginners. Elsewhere, the Atomic Cloud c7 (71 mm, 14.9 m at 156 cm) is Atomic's women's beginner piste ski in the same class; the Rossignol Nova 4 ca (75 mm, 12 m at 154 cm) is a slightly wider, light option; and the Salomon S max n8 (72 mm, 13 m at 155 cm) is a unisex beginner carver with a similar shape.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Soft, forgiving flex and Allride Rocker for effortless turn initiation.
• Better Balance plate puts the skier in a centred stance.
• Light at around 1.7 kg per ski, with a women's system binding included.
• Five lengths from 143 to 163 cm.

Cons

• The soft, metal-free build is outgrown quickly once speed and confidence rise.
• A 70 mm waist and 80% camber are for groomed snow only.
• The SuperLiteRail system binding limits binding choice.
• The longest length is 163 cm, short for tall women.

Verdict: The Easy Joy does exactly what the name promises: a light, forgiving women's beginner ski for slow, round turns on groomed pistes. Women who already link parallel turns should start at the Pure Joy instead.