Monster series is a storied product for Head, it has always been known for being an uncompromising charger ski in the "ski me if you can” mold. The new Monster seems to be a continuation of the lineage, but with fairly significant changes. I skied the 98 mm underfoot model, which at least on specs would be on anyone's list as an everyday Tahoe ski. The current trend favors 85-88mm skis as that daily driver slot, but I still prefer a mid-90 ski in Tahoe. Test conditions: plenty of good groomers, some wintry fluffy snow in the trees, plenty of sun-affected refrozen crud elsewhere.
Design and construction: This ski almost completely eschews the two defining design elements of the last 5 years, rocker and taper. The ski has a smidge of early rise and the tip has no taper whatsoever -- in fact, it even widens a little near the engagement point (see the photos comparing the shape and profile with the unabashedly "modern" rockered and tapered Kastle FX95HP). The tail is rounded and again does not have any significant rise. The ski flexes evenly and is quite stiff; in fact, it flexed stiff to the point that I was worried about skiing it.
Skiing impressions: Right off the bat there were two surprises:. First, the ski was really damp, not Kastle-level damp, but significantly more than even a high-quality wood-metal laminate like a Bonafide or the Enforcer. Head knows how to make a good damp laminate. You can run the Monster as fast as you want, it will laugh at you. Second, it didn't ski nearly as stiff as it flexed; in fact, it was almost mellow. The tip shape makes itself known on the groomers, the ski engages right off the tip, the carving is competent, but not race-ski level energetic. Couple it with the dampness and you get a very confident fun solid ride. It skis every inch of its 184cm length, and as you can see in the photo, it engages tip to tail. No need to size up on that ski, in fact, I suggest keeping your ego in check on the length.
Off piste the ski felt damp and unflappable. To get the best out of this ski, it is best to ignore the underlying landscape and maybe get a little speed, then enjoy blasting through anything. It is not as devilishly clever at adapting to the terrain as the Kastle, instead it just shrugs and goes through stuff. It does manage to keep things fairly nimble, even in bumps, the shorter length relative to my normal 189 ski was a welcome antidote to the stiffness. Where that stiffness still manifested itself was in very tight spaces, where the Monster became more of a handful compared to many of the rockered skis in the same class. Overall the ski delivered solid performance that did not necessarily jump out on any particular terrain, just solid confidence everywhere. It is a good ski.
Further Thoughts: Even though I believe the phrase " wide GS race ski" is overused, it's a fairly accurate description of the Monster, although it is tons more user-friendly than a real race ski. A better comparison would be to the two well-known entries in that category- the old Mantra and the Rossignol Experience 98. Mantra always has that weird flex pattern where the tail was significantly stiffer than the front. To me this Monster has a much better flex pattern, and tip design that is at least as effective and maybe more neutral. Compared to the Rossi, the tail is significantly more forgiving and more versatile. Monster 98 is also significantly more damp than either of those two.
The ideal audience for this ski is probably the skilled people who feel put off by the feeling of a rockered ski and are willing to trade in some versatility on the extreme ends to enjoy predictable smooth ride in a ski that turns in right from the tip. Old Mantra fans who are turned off by the recent full rocker versions, this Monster may be your ski.
The demo pair was provided by @Sierrajim and Blue Zone Sports, which (judged by the content of their demo ski rack) carries a full line of Head demos.
Design and construction: This ski almost completely eschews the two defining design elements of the last 5 years, rocker and taper. The ski has a smidge of early rise and the tip has no taper whatsoever -- in fact, it even widens a little near the engagement point (see the photos comparing the shape and profile with the unabashedly "modern" rockered and tapered Kastle FX95HP). The tail is rounded and again does not have any significant rise. The ski flexes evenly and is quite stiff; in fact, it flexed stiff to the point that I was worried about skiing it.
Skiing impressions: Right off the bat there were two surprises:. First, the ski was really damp, not Kastle-level damp, but significantly more than even a high-quality wood-metal laminate like a Bonafide or the Enforcer. Head knows how to make a good damp laminate. You can run the Monster as fast as you want, it will laugh at you. Second, it didn't ski nearly as stiff as it flexed; in fact, it was almost mellow. The tip shape makes itself known on the groomers, the ski engages right off the tip, the carving is competent, but not race-ski level energetic. Couple it with the dampness and you get a very confident fun solid ride. It skis every inch of its 184cm length, and as you can see in the photo, it engages tip to tail. No need to size up on that ski, in fact, I suggest keeping your ego in check on the length.
Off piste the ski felt damp and unflappable. To get the best out of this ski, it is best to ignore the underlying landscape and maybe get a little speed, then enjoy blasting through anything. It is not as devilishly clever at adapting to the terrain as the Kastle, instead it just shrugs and goes through stuff. It does manage to keep things fairly nimble, even in bumps, the shorter length relative to my normal 189 ski was a welcome antidote to the stiffness. Where that stiffness still manifested itself was in very tight spaces, where the Monster became more of a handful compared to many of the rockered skis in the same class. Overall the ski delivered solid performance that did not necessarily jump out on any particular terrain, just solid confidence everywhere. It is a good ski.
Further Thoughts: Even though I believe the phrase " wide GS race ski" is overused, it's a fairly accurate description of the Monster, although it is tons more user-friendly than a real race ski. A better comparison would be to the two well-known entries in that category- the old Mantra and the Rossignol Experience 98. Mantra always has that weird flex pattern where the tail was significantly stiffer than the front. To me this Monster has a much better flex pattern, and tip design that is at least as effective and maybe more neutral. Compared to the Rossi, the tail is significantly more forgiving and more versatile. Monster 98 is also significantly more damp than either of those two.
The ideal audience for this ski is probably the skilled people who feel put off by the feeling of a rockered ski and are willing to trade in some versatility on the extreme ends to enjoy predictable smooth ride in a ski that turns in right from the tip. Old Mantra fans who are turned off by the recent full rocker versions, this Monster may be your ski.
The demo pair was provided by @Sierrajim and Blue Zone Sports, which (judged by the content of their demo ski rack) carries a full line of Head demos.
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