Ski: 2021-2022 Head Kore 87, 184 cm
Available Lengths: 156, 163, 170, 177, 184, 191 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 183.2 cm
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 1735 & 1752 grams
Stated Dimensions: 133-89-113 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 132.5-88.6-111.8 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (184 cm): 17.1 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 59.5 mm / 19 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 6 mm
Core: karuba/poplar + graphene at tips & tails + titanal binding reinforcement + carbon & fiberglass laminate
Base: sintered UHM C
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -11.1 cm from center; 80.5 cm from tail
Intro
A few months back we talked about Head’s 21/22 lineup of Kore skis, starting with the brand-new Kore 111. We’ll be testing all the skis in the lineup next season, but while we wait for snow, we wanted to go to the opposite end of the spectrum and take a closer look at the narrowest unisex model in the lineup, the Kore 87. This is also a Kore ski that we had not previously reviewed, so we’re excited to see how it compares to the rest of the Kore skis and the other narrow all-mountain skis on the market.
What Head says about the Kore 87
“The Kore 87 is the ultimate bridge between the frontside and the backside with great touring capability.”
This brief description is interesting, mostly because I think the Kore 87 is the first ski where I’ve seen both “frontside” and “touring” included in the marketing copy. Though, particularly given the rise of skinning uphill at ski resorts, maybe we’ll start seeing more of that. It’s also interesting that, in Head’s 21/22 catalog, the Kore 87 is the only ski in the lineup with a description that mentions touring — even though all of the skis in the Kore collection are really light.
Anyway, the Kore 87 is supposed to handle groomer laps, time spent off piste, and it’s lightweight. That seems to be the jist here.
Construction
This is the main difference between the 20/21 and 21/22 Kore skis. We went into more detail in our First Look of the Kore 111, but here are the main points:
- The 21/22 Kore skis now come with a karuba / poplar wood core, whereas the previous skis were reportedly purely karuba.
- The 21/22 skis get two layers of carbon fiber (reportedly one more layer than the previous skis).
- While they still feature a sidewall visible around the whole ski, the new Kore skis do feature a “chamfered top edge,” which basically just means that the top of the sidewall is angled / rounded, rather than being a 90° angle (similar to many “semi-cap” or “micro-cap” skis). This should help reduce top sheet chipping.
Shape / Rocker Profile
The Kore 87 looks a lot like the Kore 93 we reviewed in the past. The Kore 87 doesn’t have as radically of tapered tips and tails as the wider, more “freeride-oriented” skis in the collection (105, 111, 117), though I’d say the Kore 87’s shape still looks a bit more tapered at the ends than a lot of similarly narrow skis.
The wider Kore ski’s rocker lines are on the shallower end of things compared to similarly wide skis, but the Kore 87’s rocker lines are more “typical” in terms of what we see from other ~87mm-wide all-mountain skis. The Kore 87 doesn’t have quite as much tip or tail rocker as, say, the Nordica Enforcer 88 or DPS Pagoda Piste 90 RP, but it’s got a bit more than the Salomon Stance 90 and Liberty Evolv 90.
Like the other Kore skis, the Kore 87 also features a significant amount of camber through most of the ski, with our pair having about 6 mm of camber underfoot.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Kore 87:
Tips: 8.5
Shovels: 8.5
In Front of Toe Piece: 9-9.5
Underfoot: 9.5
Behind the Heel Piece: 9.5-9
Tails: 8.5
The Kore skis are all very stiff skis, and their flex patterns are all very similar to each other.
Now, Head says that they made the wider Kore skis a bit softer and more playful for the 21/22 season. But at least when hand-flexing them, our pair of the Kore 87 is actually very subtly softer at the ends than our pair of the Kore 111 (both in the same length).
We’ll see how that actually translates to on-snow feel, but the main point here is that the Kore skis are still really stiff (and pretty consistently stiff from tip to tail), and the Kore 87 is no exception.
Sidecut Radius
Nothing weird here. At a stated 17.1 meters for the 184 cm length, the Kore 87’s sidecut radius is pretty much par for the course in this category.
Mount Point
Like the other Kore skis, the Kore 87 has a very traditional, rearward mount point of -11 cm from true center. While we’re now seeing more directional skis with more progressive (i.e., forward) mount points, the Kore skis are not following that trend.
Weight
The previous Kore skis were all really light (especially for skis not marketed as touring skis). The new Kore skis are even a bit lighter.
The difference isn’t massive, but these 21/22 Kore skis are still some of the lightest in the all-mountain category. Our pair of the 184 cm Kore 87 is coming in at about 1743 grams per ski, which (I believe) makes it the lightest resort-oriented <90mm-wide ski we’ve weighed. That said, the Kore 87 is still significantly heavier than some touring-specific skis like the Salomon MTN Explore 88.
For reference, here are a number of our measured weights (per ski in grams) for some notable skis. Keep in mind the length differences to try to keep things apples-to-apples.
1390 & 1439 Salomon MTN Explore 88, 184 cm (15/16–21/22)
1543 & 1565 Salomon MTN Explore 95, 184 cm (15/16–21/22)
1728 & 1750 Renoun Atlas 80, 177 cm (19/20–20/21)
1735 & 1752 Head Kore 87, 184 cm (21/22)
1758 & 1758 Head Kore 93, 180 cm (19/20–20/21)
1766 & 1785 Head Kore 93, 184 cm (21/22)
1790 & 1828 Black Crows Orb, 179.1 cm (19/20–21/22)
1798 & 1815 DPS Pagoda Piste 94 C2, 178 cm (20/21–21/22)
1801 & 1839 Salomon Stance 90, 176 cm (20/21–21/22)
1810 & 1828 Armada Declivity 92 Ti, 180 cm (20/21–21/22)
1849 & 1887 DPS Pagoda Piste 90 RP, 184 cm (20/21–21/22)
1855 & 1877 Liberty Evolv 90, 186 cm (19/20–20/21)
1863 & 1894 Blizzard Rustler 9, 180 cm (18/19–21/22)
1911 & 1917 K2 Disruption 82Ti, 177 cm (20/21–21/22)
1935 & 1964 DPS Pagoda 100 RP, 184 cm (21/22)
1937 & 1945 Fischer Ranger 94 FR, 184 cm (19/20–21/22)
1947 & 2022 Liberty V92, 186 cm (19/20–20/21)
1952 & 1958 Renoun Endurance 88, 184 cm (21/22)
1990 & 2036 Blizzard Brahma 88, 177 cm (20/21–21/22)
1999 & 2060 Line Blade, 181 cm (20/21–21/22)
2008 & 2015 Folsom Spar 88, 182 cm (18/19–20/21)
2043 & 2089 Volkl M6 Mantra, 177 cm (21/22)
2049 & 2065 Volkl M5 Mantra, 177 cm (18/19–20/21)
2098 & 2105 Nordica Enforcer 88, 179 cm (19/20–21/22)
2131 & 2194 Nordica Enforcer 88, 186 cm (19/20–21/22)
2178 & 2195 Volkl M6 Mantra, 184 cm (21/22)
2235 & 2236* Elan Wingman 86 CTi, 184 cm (19/20–21/22)
*weights include binding mounting plates
Some Questions / Things We’re Curious About
(1) Many people break out their ~87mm-wide skis when conditions are firm and challenging. So, given how light the Kore 87 is, how smooth and comfortable will it feel on those days?
(2) Some skis in this width look like piste-specific carvers, but the Kore 87 isn’t one of those skis. So how well will the Kore 87 handle firm groomers, and how nimble and maneuverable will it feel off piste?
(3) What sort of skiers are going to get along best with the Kore 87, and what skiers will be better off with a heavier, more traditional ski?
(4) The Kore 87 and Kore 93 look very similar on paper, so what are the most noticeable differences when you get them on snow?
Bottom Line (For Now)
The new Head Kore 87 brings what we’ve come to expect from their wider Kore skis to a narrower, firm-snow-oriented package. It’s a very lightweight, stiff ski with a shape and rocker profile that look similar to wider all-mountain skis. We’re curious to see what that combination feels like, and will be finding out as soon as we can next season.
Flash Review
Blister Members can now read our Flash Review of the Kore 87 for our initial on-snow impressions. Become a Blister member now to check out this and all of our Flash Reviews, plus get exclusive deals and discounts on skis, and personalized gear recommendations from us.
That’s a weird set of lengths, 163, 170, 173, 184?
Good catch and my bad — the “173” should’ve been a “177.” Just updated.
I JUST PURCHASED A SET OF KORE 87 BUT THESE DO NOT HAVE “KORE” ON THE BOTTOM INSTEAD ITS PLAIN BLACK. MY MODEL SAYS 87R. DOES ANYONE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?
Any chance they’re 87R for “Rental”?
Hi, Im about to order a pair of Kore 87. I am 171cm tall and weight 72kg. I have to decide between de 163 cm and 170 cm. I probably will be skiing mostly on groomers, but I like to go off piste once in a while and ride trees and moguls. I consider myself and intermediate/advance skier and I am really looking forward to improve my skiing skills. Which length would your recommend for me? Thank you in advance!
Hi, just found this site so the reply’s a bit delayed. I go with the 170 if you’re primarily groomers. They’ll give you a little more stability at speed which will hopefully help you feel more comfortable the more you ski. As far as moguls, with a stiffer ski, the mogul tops and connecting ridges are where all the good snow is. Avoid the ruts! Hope these boards put a big smile on your face and most of all have FUN!
Hi!! What is the difference between a Head Kore 87 and a Kore 93?
Bruce