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

[Daves not here]

My wife demo’d the K2 MB 98 back to back with the Black Pearl 98 (which she owns). She really liked both. For her the MB was a bit more powerful (when needed). BP was a bit smoother and compliant. Both were quick, damp, fun and comfortable from the start. She really said it was a tossup to choose between the 2.

 

[Slim]

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.

Yeah, I think in this case , instead of “shrink it and pink it” (meaning they took the men’s ski and modded it a bit, they ”grew it and blue it”.

 

[Tricia]

”grew it and blue it”.

going to leave this right here.

 

[laine]

I skied this today at the Sports Basement-Alpine Demo Day. Holy crap! What a ski. This thing both rails and cuts through the crud. Incredibly fun on the groomers. I felt like it would excel on anything, fun and damp at the same time. I also took out the 98 - both in a 161 - and that was my top ski of the day.

I would be tempted by the 88, but, to be honest, I felt like there was overlap with my Laser AX and I wanted something a little further apart. I'm holding off on any purchases right now - not only because I need to sell some skis, but also, I want to demo the 154, which I think might be more fun in moguls.

 

[Tricia]

I took the Mindbender 88Ti Alliance to Mammoth as my one ski quiver this week and reminded myself just how much fun this ski is in a multitude of conditions. So Much Fun! #mammothmindbender

 

[Aliki]

Did anyone have more reviews on K2 Mindbender 88 vs Black Pearl 88? I’m quite torn between the 2. I can’t seem to find too many reviews on K2 MB 88. I’m an advanced intermediate who likes some speed. Can do most black runs except moguls confidently (in fact will try to avoid moguls). We ski in Japan a lot. I’m 155cm. Think K2 has a good length for me at 149cm but there’s so much hype about BP and my friend really loves hers. I know I could demo them first but I’m hoping to buy it before we head over to NZ

 

[Tricia]

I actually have a cage match in the works between the Mindbenders 88 Ti and the Black Pearl and the Nordica Santa Ana 88.

Between all of these three skis, I'd say the Mindbender is best for someone who wants to charge, The Nordica Santa Ana 88 is better for someone who's looking for a more playful ski and the Black Pearl is somewhere in between, with a softer flex than both of the other two skis in this cage match.

There is a reason I hash tagged the Mindbender Alliance 88 Ti #pearlkiller.

 

[VickiK]

I actually have a cage match in the works between the Mindbenders 88 Ti and the Black Pearl and the Nordica Santa Ana 88.

Nudge nudge, wink wink.

 

[AmyPJ]

I actually have a cage match in the works between the Mindbenders 88 Ti and the Black Pearl and the Nordica Santa Ana 88.

Between all of these three skis, I'd say the Mindbender is best for someone who wants to charge, The Nordica Santa Ana 88 is better for someone who's looking for a more playful ski and the Black Pearl is somewhere in between, with a softer flex than both of the other two skis in this cage match.

There is a reason I hash tagged the Mindbender Alliance 88 Ti #pearlkiller.

See now I would put the BP in the more purely playful category with the Santa Ana being more stable and chargey with a massive playful personality. But, we all know how much I love the Santa Ana 88s. They give me confidence to ski places that the Black Pearls didn't, with the bonus of being WAY better in true powder. I skied the Mindbender 88s just enough to know that I liked them a lot, but not enough to give a fair comparison overall. I need to get out on them again, including in decent powder. I like my daily driver skis to handle powder, because you never know when a rope might drop that was unexpected and you get a chance to get into some untracked goodness.

The shop where da man works usually carries K2. If they have some in the demo fleet, I'll grab a pair once we get a decent base and get out on them for more than a run. I've liked most of the recent K2's I've skied for sure.

 

[kimberlin]

I actually have a cage match in the works between the Mindbenders 88 Ti and the Black Pearl and the Nordica Santa Ana 88.

Between all of these three skis, I'd say the Mindbender is best for someone who wants to charge, The Nordica Santa Ana 88 is better for someone who's looking for a more playful ski and the Black Pearl is somewhere in between, with a softer flex than both of the other two skis in this cage match.

There is a reason I hash tagged the Mindbender Alliance 88 Ti #pearlkiller.

Would there be an opportunity for you to add in the Elan Ripstick 88 w ?

 

[Tricia]

Would there be an opportunity for you to add in the Elan Ripstick 88 w ?

Crazy that you should say that. I have that ski on my mind as well.
There are some really good 88s on the women's side of the wall.