The Bonafide is still a great ski. Yes, I have said it twice. Everything you have read about the ski is true. Even though Blizzard isn’t “selling” Flipcore any more, the rise in the tip and tail that we have come to love is still there. The Bone is one of the smoothest and dampest skis in this segment, rock solid at any speed above a green trail. Loyalists will start squirreling them away once they hear a replacement is on the horizon.
Aaannnnd, the new kid. With the early introduction of the Mindbender 99Ti last season, it feels like this ski has been around longer than it has, but no, this is its first year. The Mindbender is multiple phases into the "new K2." If you think K2 is still making gear for your Uncle Ken who shopped for skis at Sports Authority, come on out from under your rock and get on their new stuff. The Mindbender’s shape is fantastic; there is actually some of the Bonafide feel to it, in that it is heavy and substantially solid. Where other brands zigged to keep the grams low, K2 zagged by making a ski that wasn’t a slave to the scale,
- Why choose the Bonafide? You are set in your ways, you know what works for you, and dammit, there is no need to change. You like to let them run and are not afraid of losing your pass.
- Why choose the Mindbender 99Ti? You like have a tighter turn-in even when you are charging. The 139mm tip is 6 mm wider than that of the Bonafide, so the K2 is a bit quicker across the hill. Is this at the cost of top end? I am just as comfortable at speed on the Mindbender as I am on any of my Bonafides.
- Insider tip: If you find that you are in between sizing with one of these skis, just go to the other. Bonafide: 173, 180, 187; Mindbender 99Ti: 170, 177, 184, 191. So I can say with complete confidence, size doesn’t matter.