Is A Ski From The 80s Better Than Today s Skis?

How does a ski from the 1980s compare to a ski from today? Time to break out the old K2 KVC COMP 8.3 skis from 1989 to compare to the Head World Cup Rebels iSpeed Pro from 2018. The K2 skis were some of the most highly revered skis of that time. So they represent the best that the 1980s had to offer. The Head skis do not resemble the typical ski that you may find in a store today. Today s skis tend to be much wider with straighter edges, providing more stability for terrain parks and jumps, and great support in powder. The Head skis are more of a racing ski, designed to turn well, resembling the "parabolic" skis of the early 2000s. Perhaps the best way to compare is to ski with one ski on each leg. The results were the each ski has a very different shape, so each ski requires very different skills. While it was a challenge to focus on which skills to apply to which leg, ultimately, the Head skis were easier to turn, but less stable at higher speeds. The K2s required a lot more concentration and technical skill to turn, but when done correctly, they felt a lot more solid and powerful in the turn.