Introduction: 2020 K2 Mindbender Collection

[firebanex]

Those are some good looking skis, the shapes look fun and the graphics appeal to me. I can't wait to hear more about them.

 

[Wasatchman]

Exciting news and just what K2 needed. Early reviews seem to universally praise this ski, but Phil's description that this is revolutionary caught my eye.

Couldn't come at a better time for K2 because this brand has really lost share over the last decade. The constructions really sound interesting and might be just what I'm and aalot of other skiers are looking for. The playful and forgiving feel of the Pinnacle series but adding more beef for carving and speed. Really interested that they have varied the stiffness at different parts of the ski, to get the combination of playful and edge grip that at times seem to be mutually exclusive.

And love the graphics! I'm not digging the series name (mindbender), but whatever, the skis sound amazing with unique new constructions and the graphics even look really cool as well.

K2 sounds like they're baaaaaaack.

 

[Slim]

@Wasatchman :
Yep, theu’re Waay-back ;-)

 

[Tom K.]

Curious about the 108 for those who have skied them and comparisons to other skis in the same width range like the Blizzard Rustler/Black Crowes Atris etc.

If you're a member, Blister has a Flash Review up on the 108.

Spoiler: They loved it, so far.

Not counting $25 rock skis, I skied nothing but K2s from 4th grade through college and beyond (VO Slalom, anybody).

Cool that my interest in the brand is piqued again.

 

[WheatKing]

Apparently there is a mindbender youth ski as well.. what's the deal with that? Haven't heard boo about them.

 

[Philpug]

Apparently there is a mindbender youth ski as well.. what's the deal with that? Haven't heard boo about them.

The focus right now is on the early release of the 108Ti/99Ti/90Ti/98Ti Alliance/90Ti Alliance. There will be two Mindbender junior skis coming, the Minbender Jr, which was formally the Pinnacle 84 junior and an all new Mindbender Team which will be 98mm underfoot.

 

[Plai]

Phil's description that this is revolutionary caught my eye.

Huh?!? I missed it.

 

[Wasatchman]

M

Huh?!? I missed it.

I must be mistaken. I thought he wrote revolutionary but I don't see that now so I must be mistaken.

 

[SBrown]

M

I must be mistaken. I thought he wrote revolutionary but I don't see that now so I must be mistaken.

It's there ... "Let's start with the ski that I have been skiing for the past month or so, the Mindbender 99Ti. It is truly a revolution, a ski that will take on the 98-100mm segment like a bull in a china shop."

 

[Plai]

It's there ... "Let's start with the ski that I have been skiing for the past month or so, the Mindbender 99Ti. It is truly a revolution, a ski that will take on the 98-100mm segment like a bull in a china shop."

Thanks @SBrown... Apparently I don't read past the second paragraph ;-) That line like that should be front and center.

 

[David Chaus]

Well, Susan is the editor for articles, so she kinda reads everything.

I am interested in the Mindbender 99TI. It would be interesting to have my mind bended, and it sounds very much what I’m looking for to complement my Renoun Z90, a stable off-piste and bump ski that releases more easily than a carving-focused all-mountain ski.

 

[Plai]

It would be interesting to have my mind bended, and it sounds very much what I’m looking for to complement my Renoun Z90, a stable off-piste and bump ski that releases more easily than a carving-focused all-mountain ski.

Similar boat here (w/ Z90) and considering wider skis. I find myself wondering if having a 98-105mm is just chasing a fantasy. Especially so, at/near 160# gotta think the 90mm underneath "should be good enough". It's probably one of those situations of: I won't know until I know.

 

[David Chaus]

Yeah, I don’t actually need a complementary ski to be any wider, just different characteristics. I will acquire a wider ski, more like a 115cm, for...well, you know, just because.

 

[Analisa]

I just want to say that I'm suuuuper stoked on the how they named the women's line. When I was boot shopping earlier this year, it dawned on me that I kept asking bootfitters if they "had a pair of the Luvs I could try on" and that could've been misconstrued to mean these:

Alliance gives a lot more credit to the killer team of women who worked on the project and the women who will ultimately end up skiing them.

 

[David Chaus]

I kept asking bootfitters if they "had a pair of the Luvs I could try on" and that could've been misconstrued to mean these:

View attachment 63030

You know, that really Depends.

 

[AmyPJ]

 

[Ken_R]

It's there ... "Let's start with the ski that I have been skiing for the past month or so, the Mindbender 99Ti. It is truly a revolution, a ski that will take on the 98-100mm segment like a bull in a china shop."

As most of you know I love skis in that width range, love to test the Mindbender and other skis in that range. There are a lot of good ones but all are different.

 

[David Chaus]

Cage Match request:

Mindbender 99TI vs Renoun Endurance 98

 

[Eric Edelstein]

OK...I'm gonna throw some marrow bones into the middle of the of dogs of PugSki circling the new K2 lineup...
I skied a bunch of runs on the Mindbender 90 Ti here in Vermont on pretty pristine packed-powder conditions and a little itty-bitty patch of not-quite-boilerplate I could find...

Really fun, easy-to-engage all-mountain design with lots of pop and zing with a quiet-on-the-snow feel. Surprisingly light feel. Slightly hinge-like, j-turn behavior when carved hard....feels like it looks....solid platform underfoot with a compliant forebody and tail section attached to the binding mount area (see white blocky sidewall core integration in pics below). Not a hard-core carving addict machine with a heavy-duty feel....more like an all mountain ski with some metal infused to get better carving out of it. A little bit weak in the boilerplate holding department compared to....let's say...a Stockli or Head in the same waist category. I had a 16 year old tester with me who immediately loved this ski and began launching off every rise she could find in sight. Feels like an 82-85mm waisted ski instead of a 90mm category. Did not get into powder with it.

I think this one is a crowd pleaser because you can put young people, middle-age people and old people on it and they will all enjoy the personality of the ski. If you want a ski to hit the center of the all-mountain market, this one has the handling to hit it on the head. Several people thought the graphics were a dud. LOTS of people interested in the yellow 108 at the demo tent...nice rack-appeal. K2 is getting closer to resurrection.....next season might be the one for them to get the public's attention again if dealers will stock them in the racks.

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• Eric Edelstein
• Jan 24, 2019

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• Eric Edelstein
• Jan 24, 2019

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• Eric Edelstein
• Jan 24, 2019

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• Eric Edelstein
• Jan 24, 2019

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• Eric Edelstein
• Jan 24, 2019

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• Eric Edelstein
• Jan 24, 2019

 

[USCskibum]

More playful with a sharper turn in. I think the flex is a bit more balanced. The longer wheelbase (because if less rise) has a more stable feel. If you to relax on the ski, the Nordica pivots better, the Mindbender wants to charge a bit more but is not demanding like say a Bonafide.

Is the K2 Mindbender “good enough” to dethrone either the Enforcer or Bonafide? Assuming the Nordica pivots better due to its more rounded pin tail shape? In terms of battle for the +/- 100mm waisted, western 1-ski quiver...

Enforcer 100: ???

Bonafide: ???

Mindbender 99Ti: Which end of the above spectrum does the Mindbender sit? Which ski would you be most happy on? If you were on one of the above skis would you have second thoughts wishing you would have picked one of the others?