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2008 Head Monster iM 82 Ski

2008 Head Monster iM 82 Ski + add a photo
12 reviews
100% Positive Reviews
Rated #1 in All-Mountain Skis
Pros:
“damp, medium flex, good edge grip”
“Great all round ski”
Cons:
“Came with a poor base wax from factory, not specced with Railflex II as standard”
“Requires skill, less than ideal in powder”
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Member Reviews

Posted
By crudmaster

Pros: damp, medium flex, good edge grip

I've skied on about 50 skis in the last several years, and these are the best all-around, IMO.  Damp, medium flex, good edge grip.  Stiffer than I like in light powder, but excellent in crud and all other conditions.  I can ski faster with these.

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Posted
By WILDCAT

Pros: Stability, edgegrip, feel

Cons: Requires skill, less than ideal in powder

An often overlooked ski. Quicker than an Monster 88 with superb stability in all conditions. Medium radius turns are easy. Great crud-busting. Easy to carve. Very quick feeling midfat. Requires skill and is not really a deep powder ski.

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Posted
By Andrew R

Pros: Great all round ski

Cons: Came with a poor base wax from factory, not specced with Railflex II as standard

 This is a very capable all mountain ski that can carve but is very capable in all conditions and all terrain.

 

 

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Posted
By KevinVB

Pros: Stable, smooth at speed, really fun

Cons: My ability to use them to their potential

It's good stuff. Replaced a pair of Rossi all mountains from1995, and holy cow, what a change! Super fast from edge to edge. No complaints here at all. If u have em, you'll keep em. : )
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Posted
By sailsarah

HELP. I don't know what skis to get my husband for Christmas. He is 5 ft 11, weight about 12.5 to 13 stone, learned to ski by being taken to the top of the mountain as a 17 year old in the army and told to get down for supper! He skis black runs with moguls (with instructor and subsequently) and claims to be intermediate but french ski instructor said "non - advanced follow me" and took him on hair raising adventure off piste which he loved. He uses Atomics - Second hand about 11 years old. Last year I bought him new head boots with the fitted lining and moulded sole which he loves. We are going skiing for new year and I really want to buy him some skis but I am at a loss. All I know is his boots are red, his present skis are red atomics! I dont know how lont they are. He says longer is for beginners, shorter for intermediates. I pretended to be asking about me? Help???!!!  Also, since I am new to skiing do I have to get bindings separately or can I ask for these to be included?  Sorry I know I look like an idiot please help!  If someone can tell me how to post in ski gear I would be grateful I guess them I will get more answers?!

 

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Posted
By yakski

Pros: feels solid, medium responsiveness, short radius turns good and good crud ski

Cons: feels slightly damped in response

 

 

I finally got to try my last May purchase from the now defunct Tramdock website :( ....

 

I am 170# 5' 11" advanced skier who stays away from groomers except to go from here to there..

Ski length is 184cm..

First impressions were from hardpack and a 4" snow day at ski areas around Salt Lake...

Jan 22-29, 2011... Wrong time to ski Utah... powder all season until that week ..

 

I sold my Volkl AC50s (170cm) just before the trip because I could not stand them... I hear they got rave reviews from this years ski mags but unless they changed something ... well.. I thought they sucked...  I loved my AC4s but hated the AC50..

 

So I am going to compare these skis to my AC4s with a 1" missing edge which I so dearly still love.

 

Right out of the gate these skis rocked....  STABLE Solid Feel.. is probably the thing to say about them.. first thing... I took them in Fred's trees at Alta first run and felt awww comfortable... they turned sweet and I zoomed comfortable around the tightest trees on the run even in packed chopped snow conditions.  They require a reasonable amount of effort to make tight short radius turns ... not hot easy but not slugs either.. they are stable thru the chop...

 

Skied out the high traverse the first day onto the ice that was horrible in the morning.. my 2 buddies went for ice slides of 50-100 feet on the first turn but I kicked down the face with graceful difficulty.. new edges on new skis probably the reason but I stll felt good on them..

 

Bumps the next day at Solitude after it softened up.. good not great but this is not a bump ski.. it was reasonable and I could follow my bump expert buddy down some nice tight lines in them... I think with a little bit of time I can work em good in the bumps...

 

What else to say .???.. this is a stable reasonably quick ski that holds well thru the crud..

 

It crushes the clunky dead tire Volkl AC50.. ski

 

Yak

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Posted
By choucas

Pros: Smooth, predictable, powerful.

Cons: Ugly, ugly, ugly. Top surface should be more durable.

I have these (177 cm., I'm 6"0" -- 180lbs. top expert level skier) set up with Fritschi Freeride+ bindings and use them when I travel and know that I'll be doing some touring or hiking to off piste runs.  They are fantastic all around skis that break the common all mountain mold of being a ski that does everything okay and nothing very well.  They are very quiet and stable at speeds and like good children from the olden days, only speak when spoken to.  Very easy turning.  They are quite neutral, i.e. you don't have to jump on the tips to make them go, just roll them up on edge and go along for the ride.  They'll make any turn radius and don't dictate what kind of turn to make.  They're great in a foot+ of powder.  They rail on the groomers.  Skiable in bumps and predictable in cut up snow.  These are the ugly green ones with the hideous red totem pole graphics, last year of the Monsters.  The top surface is easily cut up.  I'm very easy on my gear but the tops do show normal wear too easily.  It's too bad that Head dropped this design.  It's a classic metal/glass sandwich ski that does everything very well.  A poor man's Kastle.

Getting deep on Corvatsch 4-2-10.JPG

They do work in powder.  April 2010.

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Posted
By mppederson

Pros: Good edge grip on the groomed and stable in crud.

Cons: Seemed lifeless to me and did not like short turns. Poor durability, top sheet condition after being skied 10 times made skis look 10 years old.

I'm a level 8 skier, weigh190Ibs, 5'-10", 53 yrs old.  I expected much more from these after owning several pairs of Head racing skis and skiing several times on the iM88's at Mt. Baker.  Loved the iM88's in a 175cm length, but thought the iM82's in the 172cm length would be quicker, boy was I mistaken.  The iM 82's seemed lifeless to me, lacking rebound on the groomed and in the bumps.  The iM82's did well in long GS style turns at speed but did poorly, for me, in shorter turns at both slow and fast speeds-the slow speed I can understand.  The ski seemed like a good cruising ski for all conditions, but beyond that, I did not enjoy the ski.  I have found much better overall performance from my Sugar Daddys and Katanas in 183cm and love my replacement ski for the iM82's, my 2010 Sultan 85's, which have much more energy and so far, durability.  

 

I had my iM82's skis tuned twice and adjusted the railflex binding for and aft several times with no success.  I found that my friend's Volkl AC4's had more rebound energy then the 82's, and so did he.

 

Regards,

 

MP, Stevens Pass, WA          

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Posted
By Ilive2ski

Pros: Carving bullet train and crud buster

Cons: As most say, not for deep pow

Got the Monster 82's in 177cm off Back Country recently. Been skiing them for a month now. I also have the 09 78 Monsters both with Mojo12 bindings. Me--5' 10" 150lbs 66 yrs old. Still aggressive, fast skier. Play all over the mountain. The 82's let me do anything I want except deep pow. They make other skis for that if you're a powder hound. These handle about 1 1/2 feet just fine. The 78's are a fun, play ski but a little squirrely compared to the Monster 82's. I find myself throwing the 82's in the car more and more. A super stable, lively ski some say are demanding ski but as long as your not napping they deliver and your don't HAVE to be constantly on them. They give you a little slack. With spring conditions we're having in Tahoe right now these skis rule. They just rip and hold a solid edge in the morning and when the snow softens up they ride like a bullet train. Set it and forget it. Big huge, high speed carvers that blow thru piles of corn. These skis do it all. Too bad Head decided to de-tune the 2010 line. These Monsters will go down in history.
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Posted
By Spookfish

Pros: Damp, Great Edge Grip, slightly twin tipped, Medium Flex and a Good carver

Cons: Requires an advanced skier, still a little to thin for the pow

 I've taken these up in the good and bad conditions that the NW has to offer. When I first took them up it was icy and tons of crud. This ski just blasted through all of it, I never felt like it couldn't take anything I threw at it, I went into a full tuck straight down a few long runs, never chattered, and thats the fastest I've went on a ski. Granted I'm no racer.

Second day was piste with a couple inches of fresh powder. This had enough float on that to ski right through everything. I took it off of a few kickers and it never let me down.

Third day: Powder powder powder. Let me say this now, this ski is not meant for back country type of deep powder, however exploring the trees with patches of deep pow, this performed much better than I'd hoped. I had no trouble making quick turns through the trees in the powder. Then I took it up to the Double Black Moguls, can't say I have had a better time than with this ski in them.

Last ski day of the year: Wet snow after a small rain. Not much to say except that this ski rules off and on piste. If you are wanting to go powder skiing don't get this is the only bad thing I can think of about this ski.
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Facts and Details

2008 Head Monster iM 82 Ski
By:
Description:

The Head Monster i.M 82 Alpine Ski gives expert and advanced skiers a mean tool for splitting time between powder and the piste. The Head Monster i.M 82 Alpine Ski employs Liquidmetal technology to retain rebound and maintain consistent flex no matter how many seasons you ski on it. This ski's Intelligence technology uses Intellifibers placed in front of the binding, which actually increases rigidity throughout the ski as more force and stress is placed upon it. This versatility provides a solid, powerful ride on hard pack, and a smooth ride in the powder. Float through the deeps and rocket over the cords on this agile and versatile Head ski.

Details:
DetailValue
Dimensions[172cm] 122/82/108mm
Turn Radius17.7m
Core MaterialWood, Liquidmetal
TailRaised
Binding SystemYes
Binding IncludedNo
Recommended UseAdvanced to expert all-mountain skiing
Manufacturer Warranty1 Year
Recommended BindingHead Mojo 11 Binding
Base MaterialUHMC
Binding Type
Construction
Lengths
Model Year
Recommended Level
Recommended use
Models:
Model Name/TypeMPNEAN/UPC
Color: Black/Green, Size: 161cm311757-161724794845141
Color: Black/Green, Size: 172cm311757-172724794845158
Color: Black/Green, Size: 183cm311757-183724794845165
Links:
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Guide: 2008 Head Monster iM 82 Ski

 

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