Head Worldcup Rebels i.SL review 2020
PROSKILAB™ reviewers' comments
The Head World Cup Rebels I.SL is a “super ski, very responsive and playful” but the “test length was too short.” We could see it had great qualities, but we could not make them most of them. We tested it in a 160 cm instead of the 165 cm that we requested. It would have no doubt received a higher score in a longer size. But the level of performance was still excellent, and the ski was a lot of fun.
The WC Rebels I.SL is very easy to use for this category and the instruction manual is pretty simple. You will quickly feel comfortable and quickly appreciate the liveliness of the ski. The ski flexes and grips easily. With a radius of 11.5 m, the WC Rebels i.SL can turn on a dime. Another feature that the testers especially appreciated: it likes to be on edge and allows the skier to take big edge angles that seem to defy the laws of physics. It prefers short carved turns and really excels in this arena.
A consequence of its fantastic grip is that it is less comfortable in skidded turns due to the stiff tail. The testers found that it preferred to be skied in the middle of the ski in this size. Those who like to ski far forward and press on the tongue of the boot will undoubtedly prefer a size that is 5 cm longer.
The WC Rebels Pro is a “playful” and “fun” ski that loves to take huge edge angles; you’ll have a blast on it. We recommend it specifically for advanced to expert skiers for aggressive carving or who want to try racing. Although the 160 cm is the reference size of the ski, we recommend the next size up for skiers with average to heavier builds.
Review: Pros
- Ease of use
- Likes to accelerate
- Excellent carving performance
- Ability to take big edge angles
- Great at carved short turns
- Turns very tightly
- Can be used to start racing
Review: Cons
- Tested in too short a length
- Weak performance in this size
- Stiff tail that makes it hard to use for skidded turns
The ski review scores
| Turn initiation | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.8 |
| Stability | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.8 |
| Stability/turning performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.3 |
| Grip | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.8 |
| Short turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 16.7 |
| Long turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.7 |
| Skid turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.6 |
| Handleability | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.7 |
| Comfort | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.2 |
| Snow contact | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.2 |
| Soft snow fluidity | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.8 |
Who's it for?
Manufacturer's remarks
World Cup Rebels skis are the key to great performance. The unique sandwich construction and piezoelectric system make the ski a weapon for racing. Equipped with Kers (or Kinetic Energy Recovery System), a piezoelectric system, the ski stores energy created with speed and releases it at the end of each turn.
Features of the Worldcup Rebels i.SL
| Brand : | Head |
| Model : | Worldcup Rebels i.SL |
| Year : | 2020 |
| Family : | Slalom |
| Size tested : | 160 cm |
| Tip size : | 124 mm |
| Waist size : | 68 mm |
| Tail size : | 108 mm |
| Radius for the size reviewed : | 11 m |
Your review
Reviewed by PROSKILAB™
in La Clusaz, France, March 2019