Individual Review Long-Term Review: K2 Mindbender 88Ti Alliance

[Tricia]

Dimensions: 125-88-112
Radius: 14.7m@163cm
Sizes: 149, 156, 163, 170
Size tested: 170
Design: All New

I am one of the women fortunate enough to get an early look at a K2 Mindbender Alliance ski. First, let's talk about the name "Alliance." The K2 Alliance program was started more than 20 years ago with a group of progressive women who worked with the K2 R&D team to build product that women needed, and the Alliance Team is a part of the formula to this day.

Now about the ski: the Mindbender 88Ti Alliance is a combination of a few things for me. It is comfortable -- I feel like I am at home, yet playing with a brand new toy that boasts the most current technology and design. At 88 mm underfoot, it has a surprising 14.7m turn radius that gives you confidence that you can turn when you want to. However, the shape and flex allow you to ski on a cat track without the tip trying to make you turn when you don't want to. There are a few skis that have inspired me to pop off rollers and catch a little air (and I do mean little); the 88Ti is most definitely one of them. Heck, when I followed Phil over a rollover and caught some surprise air, I knew this ski was solid enough to land and carry me into my next turn.

It is clear that the team at K2 designed this ski from scratch because it doesn't ski like anything I've experienced in a very long time. The 88Ti Alliance is not only a Mindbender, it's a mind blower and quite possibly a pearl killer.

• Who is it for? A woman who wants a responsive all-mountain ski that reacts when you react.
• Who is it not for? A woman who would rather clean house than ski.
• Insider tip: If you need a ski longer than 170, look at the unisex side of the wall.

 

[luliski]

I'd like to try these. I would most definitely not prefer to clean house!

 

[Tricia]

A little piece of information we learned at OR is that the Y beam construction was in the Alliance Mindbender first and it worked so well that they implemented it into the men's skis, and it made the men's skis better.

 

[Tricia]

I'd like to try these. I would most definitely not prefer to clean house!

I'll be happy to get you on them if we get to ski together some time in the near future. February, however is going to be tough for me.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I'd like to try these. I would most definitely not prefer to clean house!

I've never skied a pair of K2's before so this seems like it might be the pair to try.

What she said!!!

 

[ADKmel]

I hope to demo this at my Home Mt Demo Day in Feb..they sound really fun!

 

[luliski]

I'll be happy to get you on them if we get to ski together some time in the near future. February, however is going to be tough for me.

What about March or April? The season is young !

 

[LuliTheYounger]

@Tricia, do you know anything about when the Alliances are likely to be hitting demo shops?

 

[Tricia]

What about March or April? The season is young !

And I have a feeling we'll be skiing long into the spring/summer this year. WE have lots of base.

@Tricia, do you know anything about when the Alliances are likely to be hitting demo shops?

Not sure about demo shops but they are for sale in a few shops now. Check out @SkiEssentials
Also, if you're around I'll let you get on mine, they are 170's

 

[luliski]

WE have lots of base.

And more to come!

 

[Tricia]

 

[sinbad7]

Nice review. How do they ski for length in comparison with some of their direct competitors in that width?

 

[Tricia]

They ski the full length.
The K2 Fulluvit skied a little short,
The Black Pearl comes in a 166, which I always felt was a little short for me, but a 169 Santa Ana skis well for me.
The 170 Mindbender is fantastic!

 

[sinbad7]

For someone who's happy on a 166 Black Pearl (in fact the old Bushwacker, to be accurate) would you recommend they first demo the 163 or the 170?

 

[Tricia]

For someone who's happy on a 166 Black Pearl (in fact the old Bushwacker, to be accurate) would you recommend they first demo the 163 or the 170?

170 for sure.
But why demo, just buy it!

 

[sinbad7]

Mmm. I've done that to her in the past (163 Volkl Kenja) without much success. The Bushwackers were a hit when demoed in Whistler (2013) so I bought her a pair of those. Demoing is a much safer option.

I wonder if K2 will set up a tent at our demo down here in July; I don't recall them turning up in the past.

I've read most of the other Mindbender reviews. Has the women's line also skipped the option of 'adding lightness'? Not that that's a bad thing.

 

[severou]

How are they on ungroomed terrain? In particular powder and soft chop. Missus wants new wider skis for next season these have titanal in them, she probably does not need that so looking at website probably 85 or the 90c(does that mean carbon? and 85 are plane wood core?). Skiing in Japan so a slot of soft snow, performance on ice not important but if they are nice in refrozen next day chop that is a bonus.

I have to say I love the 108ti top sheet beautiful skis.

 

[VickiK]

"Pearl killer" eh? Still haven't replaced my "wider" skis from 2011. But I am keeping a list (somewhere) and I'll put the K2 88Ti Alliance on it.

 

[laine]

@Tricia - I'll be curious to hear what you think when you get back to Tahoe and ski them in the recent Sierra cement. (Wow, did we get spoiled with all that lovely light powder in February!) Can they cut through the muck I was skiing today? You get a chance to compare the 88ti to the 98ti?

 

[Tricia]

@Tricia - I'll be curious to hear what you think when you get back to Tahoe and ski them in the recent Sierra cement. (Wow, did we get spoiled with all that lovely light powder in February!) Can they cut through the muck I was skiing today? You get a chance to compare the 88ti to the 98ti?

I have skied the 88Ti, 98Ti, 106, and 115.
As you can imagine, the 98Ti is slightly more powerful. When I skied them we were at Mammoth during a huge storm that shut down all of the upper mountain. The snow was lighter than the usual Sierra cement, but not as light as the lovely snow we've been getting at Big Sky. When we hit the tents at Big Sky I got on three different 98/99 waisted skis to compare, the Mindbender 98Ti being one of them. It really is a great 98!

* I walked away from the demo tent wondering if the K2 rep would notice if a pair of skis went missing.