Ski: 2024-2025 Head Oblivion 102, 189 cm
Test Location: Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Colorado
Days Skied: 7
Available Lengths: 173, 181, 189 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 186.7 cm
Stated Weight per Ski: 1788 grams (181 cm)
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski (189 cm): 1806 & 1884 grams
Stated Dimensions: 136-103-126 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 135.3-102.2-125.3 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (189 cm): 25.1 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 65 mm / 57 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 5 mm
Core Materials: poplar / recycled-PET hybrid core + elastomer layers + carbon & fiberglass laminate
Base: UHM C
Factory Recommended Mount Points:
- SC: -0 cm / 93.3 cm from tail
- All-Mountain: -5.3 cm / 88 cm from tail
- (Additional lines marked each cm between true center & -5 cm)
Boots Used: Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 S GW & Lange Shadow 130 LV
Bindings Used: Tyrolia Attack 13 MN
[Note: our review was conducted on the 23/24 Oblivion 102, which returns unchanged for 24/25, apart from graphics.]
Intro
This 23/24 season, Head, with the help of their talented athlete roster (including Cole Richardson), expanded their Oblivion collection of freestyle-minded skis by adding a wider Oblivion 102 and Oblivion 116 to the collection.
Upon first inspection, these skis look like scaled-up versions of park skis. On snow, the story is a bit more complicated, but before we get to that, let’s take a look at the details of this new all-mountain freestyle ski. For starters, here’s our video with Head from Blister Summit 2023, where Andrew Couperthwait ran us through the design and development of the new Oblviion skis:
What Head says about the Oblivion 102
“The Oblivion 102 suits everyday skiers who aspire to ski like HEAD’s premier freeski athletes. With a softer feel in the tip and tail, plus a tighter turn radius, the new Oblivion is stable at speed and playful in powder. The core construction blends poplar and Recycled-PET for a dynamic feel. The twin tip shape accommodates switch landings, while the 102 mm waist allows the ski to float or carve, depending on how creative you want to approach the mountain.”
Pretty standard stuff here, though I wouldn’t exactly call a 25.1 meter radius “tight,” even for an 189 cm ski. Though, maybe that phrasing is in reference to the Oblivion 116, which features an even straighter 30.8 m stated sidecut radius in the same length.
Construction
Head has become known for lightweight all-mountain and freeride skis for the past several years (e.g., the Kore series), and they didn’t stray too far from that recipe with the Oblivion 102. However, this ski and the wider Oblivion 116 do feature a construction not found elsewhere in Head’s lineup.
The two newest Oblivions use a hybrid core that consists of a mix of poplar wood and recycled polyethylene terephthalate (aka PET, in this case from recycled plastic bottles), with the goal of making the skis both pretty lightweight and less environmentally harmful.
Also used in the Oblivion 102 are layers of elastomer, above the core and between the edges and core, designed to aid in vibration damping. The Oblivion 102 also features a fairly traditional mix of fiberglass and carbon laminates, “Tuff-Wall” sidewalls, and a UHM C base for smooth sliding.
Shape & Rocker Profile
On paper, this is what makes the Oblivion 102 stand out from the rest of the mid-wide, all-mountain-freestyle class. Featuring almost no early tapering at its tips and tails, the Oblivion 102 has a very long effective edge. It also has a distinctly straight shape for its class, with its aforementioned 25.1-meter radius for the 189 cm length. While it’s not super uncommon to see that long of a sidecut radius number for a ski in this class, mixing that with almost no tip and tail taper is certainly unconventional.
The Oblivion 102 also features very shallow rocker lines, with the vast majority of the ski’s running length being cambered. It’s a fair amount of camber too, maxing out at 5 mm underfoot per ski. Overall, this is an interesting combo that we don’t see much of anymore in modern all-mountain-freestyle skis.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Oblivion 102:
Tips: 6
Shovels: 6-7.5
In Front of Toe Piece: 8-10
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 10-8.5
Tails: 8-6
Overall, the Oblivion 102 is a pretty strong ski, but as Head notes in their description, it does soften up a good bit at the tips and tails. But, in line with most of the Oblivion 102 being cambered and its long effective edge, most of the ski is pretty stiff.
Mount Point
The Oblivion 102 comes with six different potential mount points marked on its top sheet, starting from the true center of the ski, and then 1 through 5 cm back from true center. Nothing is explicitly marked as “recommended,” but the most rearward -5 cm line is marked as “all-mountain.”
Weight
At an average of ~1845 grams per ski in the 189 cm length, the Oblivion 102 is definitely on the lighter side for alpine skis in general, as well as the all-mountain-freestyle class in particular.
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.
1707 & 1752 4FRNT Switch, 184 cm
1805 & 1833 Liberty Origin 101, 182 cm
1824 & 1843 Season Kin, 181 cm
1806 & 1884 Head Oblivion 102, 189 cm
1869 & 1873 Line Sakana, 181 cm
1925 & 1934 Black Crows Camox, 186 cm
1929 & 1982 Faction Mana 2, 183 cm
1938 & 2003 Nordica Unleashed 98, 186 cm
1946 & 1962 Black Crows Atris, 184 cm
1947 & 2011 4FRNT Devastator, 186 cm
1951 & 1957 RMU Apostle 106, 184 cm
1960 & 1962 Majesty Dirty Bear XL, 186 cm
1956 & 1976 Blizzard Rustler 10, 186 cm
1970 & 1993 Moment Deathwish 104, 184 cm
1973 & 1997 Volkl Revolt 104, 188 cm
1997 & 2001 RMU Apostle 106 Pro, 184 cm
1997 & 2001 ZAG Slap 104, 188 cm
2009 & 2015 J Skis Allplay, 186 cm
2019 & 2022 Rossignol Blackops 98, 182 cm
2022 & 2029 Icelantic Nomad 106, 188 cm
2040 & 2061 K2 Reckoner 102, 184 cm
2049 & 2053 Whitedot Altum 104, 187 cm
2073 & 2074 Season Nexus, 183 cm
2024 & 2112 Dynastar M-Free 99, 185 cm
2077 & 2096 Line Blade Optic 96, 184 cm
2015 & 2170 Armada ARV 106, 188 cm
2126 & 2129 Line Chronic 101, 186 cm
2230 & 2290 Line Blade Optic 104, 185 cm
Enough of those numbers — let’s get into on-snow performance:
FULL REVIEW
Dylan Wood (5’10.5”, 160 lbs / 179 cm, 72.5 kg): When we received the Head Oblivion 102, I was immediately intrigued because of how different this ski looks relative to just about anything in its class, and I was super curious as to how it would perform on snow. So, we did what we do around here, which is put those curiosities to the test by skiing it in a wide range of conditions and terrain, and I’m happy to share my findings.
Powder / Fresh Snow
My expectations for the Oblivion 102’s powder performance weren’t all that high, given its modest width, centered mount point(s), and shallow rocker lines. But after getting this ski in fresh snow, I’m definitely happy with its performance.
In the 189 cm length we’ve been testing, this ski provides impressive flotation relative to its width, and its wide, fairly soft shovels do a good job of planing above the snow surface. When assuming a more “point-and-shoot” style and keeping the ski mostly headed down the fall line, it can be skied with a more centered or slightly forward stance without worrying about the tips diving.
The Oblivion 102 is not a very rockered ski and does have a lot of camber. I found that this makes it a bit more difficult to move around and pivot in deep snow at slower speeds, with a lot of the ski being under or close to the snow surface. But, this ski also has a long sidecut radius and correspondingly pretty straight shape, which creates a pretty loose and surfy feeling in 3-dimensional snow, so long as you have some momentum, maybe 7+ mph (11+ km/h for non-Imperials).
Despite what its tip and tail shape and rocker profile might suggest, the Oblivion 102 can sustain long drifts in powder without worrying about the ski hooking up across the fall line. In deeper powder of ~6 or more inches (~15+ cm), the Oblivion 102 starts to feel more difficult to slash around and requires a more dynamic approach, lifting the ski out of the snow to reposition into the next turn. The wider Oblivion 116 is, of course, a better powder ski, but for shallower days and hunting leftovers, the Oblivion 102 should satisfy most freestyle skiers’ needs. But, that’s far from the whole story with this ski.
Soft Chop
The Oblivion 102 definitely feels at home in these conditions, where its low weight and fairly stiff flex pattern make for a precise and dynamic ride. This ski isn’t very damp, but its wide, untapered shovels and straighter shape do make up for a lack of mass by plowing through soft snow and not getting deflected as much as similarly light but more tapered (and/or tighter-radius) skis. The Oblivion 102’s low weight can definitely be an asset in soft chop, where you can easily swing and flick it between turns. This is also a really energetic ski, suiting a dynamic and playful approach to soft chop quite nicely.
The firmer the snow, though, the more precise the Oblivion 102 feels, and it’s still not the loosest ski when conditions are soft. There are several better options in the All-Mountain Freestyle class for folks who appreciate a very surfy ski in soft snow — the Volkl Revolt 104 comes to mind. But the Oblivion 102 caters very nicely to edge-to-edge skiing, offering a secure, poppy feel, and you can definitely get it sideways with the help of some airtime or some targeted unweighting of the skis.
Firm Chop and Crud
While these conditions are rarely enjoyable on a ski like the Oblivion 102, I find it does just fine in frozen crud and other variable snow, so long as you keep expectations in check.
You’re working with quite a bit of effective edge with this ski, which can be a good or a bad thing. On the positive side, this ski has excellent edge hold for its class, and offers a secure feel on steep, icy slopes. But, that also means that the Oblivion 102 takes some more work to slide and pivot through icy, textured snow, and I did need to detune its tips and tails a bit to make it more agreeable in these conditions.
Don’t expect to be able to charge through firm crud on this ski, but so long as you pay some extra attention to what your edges are doing, the Oblivion 102 can grant you safe passage through choppy, variable snow while on your way to some (hopefully) smoother sailing.
Moguls, Trees, and Tight Terrain
In tight off-piste terrain, the Oblivion 102’s low swing weight, long running length, and long effective edge continue to define this ski’s behavior. It’s quick and nimble in bumps, facilitating some snappy movements when skiing a traditional “zipperline” mogul line. But at higher edge angles and in more spaced-out bumps, the Oblivion 102 can cater to a more slarve-y style, where its long radius allows for the ski to be slid around when you put enough force into the ski to release its tails. This is one of the most significant ways in which the Oblivion 102 differentiates itself from other freestyle-minded skis — it caters really well to folks who like to ski with higher edge angles off-piste, but who also enjoy a more playful, center-mounted ski than a more directional one.
With that in mind, piloting this ski through tight terrain does require a more dynamic approach where you’re frequently getting the ski in the air (or at the very least, unweighted) between turns. The 189 cm length we tested can feel like a lot of ski in tight spots, but its poppy flex pattern and mostly symmetrical overall design make for a ski that loves to make quick, choppy jump turns to navigate tight chutes and trees.
Groomers
As we’ve touched on several times at this point, the Oblivion 102 has a long stated sidecut radius of over 25 meters in the 189 cm length, and it isn’t the most eager to carve tight turns on piste.
That said, the Oblivion 102 has a long effective edge and, given that lack of tip or tail taper, you can utilize its somewhat soft extremities and bend the ski into tighter turns than its 25-m radius might suggest. It does require significant force to bend this ski into even Super G turns, and I struggled to achieve high edge angles on it, even on “blue” / “intermediate” groomers. But with enough pitch, speed, and force, the Oblivion 102 can be really fun to carve, offering great rebound out of each turn and secure, powerful edge hold, particularly for its class.
Playfulness / Freestyle Performance
The Oblivion 102 is playful in many regards, and not so playful in others. As I mentioned a few times, this ski is very poppy, and flexing it in a turn, a trough, or just loading up its tails or shovels results in significant rebound, aiding in getting the ski airborne.
This ski is also very balanced in the air, and combined with its low weight, the Oblivion 102 is super freestyle-friendly.
It’s very conducive to throwing tricks, offering a platform that’s easy to spin and flip as well as a big, stable sweet spot for landings. The Oblivion 102’s mostly symmetrical design also caters very well to skiing switch, though you do have to pay a little extra attention when reverting back to forward due to this ski’s lack of rocker and taper (it’s not as forgiving in that regard as some more tapered, more rockered freestyle skis).
The Oblivion 102’s precise feel does keep it from being as easy to shuffle out of over- and under-rotated tricks, but I found its long effective edge and running length helpful for “locking in” to landings. Similarly, it’s worth revisiting that this is not the best option for folks looking for something really loose and surfy; it takes significantly more effort to throw this ski sideways than softer, more rockered, and/or more tapered options like the K2 Reckoner 102.
(For more detailed comparisons to other freestyle-oriented all-mountain skis, check out our accompanying Deep Dive comparisons of the Oblivion 102.)
Mount Point
The Oblivion 102’s recommended “All Mountain” mount point is about 5 cm back from true center, but there are markings on its top sheet every cm between that and the true center of the ski. We opted to mount our test pair on the -5 cm “All Mountain” line, which I think was a really good decision. I found that I could drive the front of this ski from that mount point, but the Oblivion 102 is so light and symmetrical that it still felt very balanced at -5 cm, and I didn’t think I was sacrificing much freestyle performance at all.
Of course, the more you’ll be using it in the park and/or the more you prioritize a balanced feel over being able to ski it with a somewhat directional style, the closer to center you could go (though I don’t think that many people ought to go dead-center on this ski).
Who’s It For?
The Oblivion 102 fills a niche in the all-mountain-freestyle class that not much else covers. This ski is a really solid option for folks looking for something quick, dynamic, and playful, but who also find most skis in this class too soft, loose, or unstable. The Oblivion 102 can be skied hard, and its long-radius shape allows this ski to punch above its weight class when it comes to composure in chop and crud.
This ski is really freestyle-friendly, and basically resembles a wide park ski (with a few caveats). It feels very much at home when taking slushy park laps and when throwing tricks all over the mountain. There are many more playful options out there, but especially for skiers who like to keep a ski on edge (rather than pivot around more bases-flat), the Oblivion 102 offers a lot of precision and the freedom to make a variety of turn shapes and styles off-piste.
Bottom Line
Head’s Oblivion 102 performs like a wider variation of their narrower Oblivion park skis, facilitating a freestyle-friendly experience all over the mountain. But simply categorizing it as a wide park ski would be overlooking its precise, dynamic nature that encourages the skier to bend the ski and utilize its powerful, long edges. The result is something pretty uncommon in its class, and an experience that the right skier can really enjoy.
Deep Dive Comparisons
BLISTER+ members and those who purchase our Digital Access Pass can check out our Deep Dive comparisons linked below. Get our Digital Access Pass to view all our Deep Dives and Flash Reviews, or become a BLISTER+ member today to get access to that and a LOT more, including the best worldwide Outdoor Injury Insurance, exclusive deals and discounts on skis, personalized gear recommendations from us, and much more.
Deep Dive: Head Oblivion 102
We compare the Head Oblivion 102 to the Head Oblivion 94, Head Oblivion 116, Head Kore 105, Black Crows Camox, Nordica Unleashed 98, 4FRNT Switch, Majesty Dirty Bear XL, Line Chronic 101, Armada ARV 106, Dynastar M-Free 99, Moment Deathwish 104, Whitedot Altum 104, Atomic Bent 100, Season Kin, K2 Reckoner 102, Faction Mana 2, and Line Blade Optic 104.
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