Freeride skis
Product 2020
Woman, Man
We tested the 108 in K2’s new Mindbender range. The Test4outside team was thrilled. Without any hesitation these skis received the FIRST Award.
These are an excellent product, the type of skis that bring a smile and enthusiasm, that give confidence and make you stretch your limits. Only heavier skiers would find the limits to these skis. For everyone else – these are one of the highlights of 2020!
The K2 Mindbender 108 are great in practically all areas. Maybe just one tiny comment on groomed slopes…we’ll come back to that later !
Off-piste they shine. They initiate turns very easily, lift out of the powder fast, pivot with ease, this is dream skiing. Their great advantage is that they don’t over-turn so you can ski very fast, lengthen your turns and if you need to reduce your turns, or cross ski to brake on steep slopes it’s no problem.
The K2 Mindbender 108 absorb the lumps and bumps of the terrain, especially in choppy snow. The structure is quite soft and so not much in the way of vibrations are felt in the knees. The tips work hard and filter, whilst the tail never traps you. Honestly we’ve discovered really excellent skis that are also light underfoot!
On groomed slopes if you push the tips too much the skis work less well, the K2 Mindbender 108 ski with the pressure on the middle of the boot even slightly on the heel. And works even better leaning back. They pleasantly carve medium to wide turns.
The K2 Mindbender 108 grip well on compact snow, as they are 108mm underfoot you need a lot of angulation to find grip on sharp turns.
But as soon as you load the tips they deform and you lose a bit of fluidity but you still obtain parts of a turn. If you return to the centre of the boot or to the heel, all gets back to normal, the tail never traps you even if you find yourself in a tight spot, you always get out of it. The K2 Mindbender 108 are easy to pivot on and off piste.
There’s a tiny little noise at the front of the ski, a very slight vibration, but it isn’t annoying at all.
Mini turns are really not their cup of tea, especially not on the edges, but skidding you can do quick short turns. You don’t feel the ski’s inertia because its light.
The K2 Mindbender 108 give cajoled power underfoot. You have horsepower, you don’t notice immediately, but it’s there when you need it.
The main qualities the K2 Mindbender 108 have are absorption, pivoting ease, and their ability to ride through mounds of snow without any worries. On groomed slopes you even have the impression that they are narrower than their 108mm because they ride so well.
The K2 Mindbender 108 have a superb vintage deco and perceived quality. But the question remains about the tips’ life span, how would they react hitting any rocks or a hard surface? We did notice that the black tail marked and that knocks from edges were visible.
The K2 Mindbender 108 are excellent skis that were awarded without hesitation the FIRST Award because they are both easy, performant and versatile. Skis that bring pure pleasure. The bonus : at the end of the season on soft snow and in the lumps it’s super fun. They slide well and the sole has a brilliant die cut. Skis for all off-piste lovers, except the heavyweights.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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