10 Best K2 Skis of 2023 | All Types of Skiing

These Mindbenders may be less assuming than other skis in the collection, but more ski underfoot doesn’t always mean more fun. Their strength is versatility, allowing savvy skiers to crush groomed terrain without suffering off-piste. It’s freeride sensibility that you can get on edge effectively.

It’s not often you’ll see a comparatively narrow all-mountain ski that’s this much fun to ride. Whether you’re a beginner looking for an all-mountain option that doesn’t demand finesse or an expert who favors the versatility of a narrow ski, the 89Ti is worth spending a couple of seasons with.

The Mindbender 89Ti (along with all the titanal-reinforced members of the Mindbender lineup) has a metal fork that adds a little more oomph to specific parts of the ski. By allowing the shovel (the ‘nose’ or turned part of the front) a bit more give, these skis can more easily absorb chunks, clumps, and the occasional root.

In contrast, a rigid tail gives you some serious driving power. To this end, it has a long (but not very pronounced) rocker to try and maximize technical performance while keeping choppy snow in play.

Backcountry skis aren’t always the most fun to ride, particularly when you’re facing down a huge face or questionable conditions. K2’s new Dispatch line are backcountry skis for people who ride like experts outside the confines of the resort. They’re designed around the idea of ripping big mountain objectives the way you want to, without worrying about what variable textures may lay beneath the powder.

The Dispatch 110 is the most versatile model from this collection, with a waist that reflects a soft snow condition mindset and enough float to have fun when you hit that perfect weather window.

Not every skier will be looking for a backcountry setup with this much metal in it, but advanced skiers will certainly find much to love about the Dispatch lineup as a whole. Never have a ski hold you back from riding as hard and as fast as you want again.

The Mindbender 108Ti truly deserves its quiver-killing reputation, this is the only ski you will need. As far as all-rounders go, the Mindbender series as a whole is very competitive, none more so than the 108Ti.  

If you want a ski that can rip down the hill but still has some play and maneuverability, the Mindbender 108 Ti is a great place to start your search.

Though the 108 Ti is marketed as a hard-charging freeride ski, it can do so much more than just blast down variable pitches like they were groomers. It rails turns, floats on deep snow, and has a reliable set of landing gear to boot. You’d be missing out if you didn’t take a more exploratory approach to riding in these.

The Reckoner 122 is one of our favorites, taking a freeride approach to a powder ski. In the park or jibbing off of natural features, any season park riders will appreciate this intuitive, twin-tipped design.

The Reckoner 122 is made for powder performance. 122 mm underfoot is nothing to balk at, and they’ll naturally pull to the surface for a loose, forgiving ride that is best appreciated on deeper pow days

These are the skis you want for clean lines in deep snow – but they don’t handle as well as moderate waist Reckoners when conditions aren’t deep. They can feel a little squirrely when you start to pick up speed in lumped-up sluff but shouldn’t be too much trouble if you take it turn by turn. I’d leave them at home on anything less than a stellar powder day. It’s a great powder ski that deserves great conditions.

The most narrow of K2’s very serviceable all-mountain twin tip lineup, the Reckoner 92 is a refreshing example of the ski industry’s shifting emphasis towards making skis that are enjoyable at every skill level.

The Reckoner 92 delivers a playful, predictable ride while being among the most affordable all-mountain models on the market. Coupled with its availability in a slew of sizes, expect to see plenty of them at the resort this winter.

There are plenty of higher-performing skis out there, but you have to appreciate how much the Reckoner 92 can do, given their cost and rideability. There really aren’t many places on the mountain you can’t take advantage of the playfulness of these skis, whether you’re interested in groomers, exploring bumped-out tree runs, or honing your park skills.

K2’s premium park offerings have taken their fair share of podiums, respectively. While they may be sporting some fancy new topsheets, these freestyle skis have withstood the test of time– with roots tracing back to classics like the Missconduct.

There are some slight discrepancies between the men’s Poacher and the women’s Midnight, but those can be chalked up to averaging out size differences. Both of these models slay features, and have the record to prove it.

Sitting at modest sizes underfoot, with a good amount of camber and a rockered twin-tip build- there’s nothing crazy about the design of these park skis. They’re more than capable of sliding rails and stomping landings consistently and predictably, and are no slouch when it comes to hooking your edges into groomers either.

In the backcountry you spend far more time going uphill on your skis than you do going down. The Wayback 88 is in an uncommon weight class that favors vertical gains and holds up reasonably well on the downhill, despite the trappings of its style. 

In terms of uphill performance and stacking up vert, few skis can keep up with the Wayback 88.

With an ultralight balsa wood touring core reinforced with titanal this feather-weight ski walks the line between efficient climbing and fun skiing. Wayback skis also feature a hydrophobic topsheet to prevent ice buildup.

They perform as expected (marginally) on hard surfaces but do reasonably well in powder. The Wayback series, and this model in particular, stand as a sensible entry point into the backcountry– though they’re also a well-rounded option for any skill level.

K2’s Disruption series, the Disruption Ti in particular, garnered attention for delivering a race feel with a touch more versatility and considerably less punishment than something more staunchly constructed.

The 76X takes things a step further, and gives new skiers a chance to learn to ride like the pros.  This ski capitalizes on the same traditional shape as others in the series, but with a much more forgiving ride appropriate for beginners.

With all of the variety, buying skis is a daunting task. Opting for beginner skis like this saves you the trouble of sandbagging yourself while giving you the opportunity to learn proper ski form from the ground up.

Not every day on the mountain is about charging or going as big as you possibly can. The K2 Fatty Ski Blades are a great way to spend a casual spring afternoon or to get some attention in the base area. They also offer a pretty unique perspective on your home mountain. Those jibby runs will feel a lot different with so little underfoot. 

Ski blades are definitely a gimmick, but they’re a good one. The influence of Line’s early “skiboards” is undeniable. If you’ve never had the gratifying experience of ripping around sunny slopes on a pair, you’re definitely missing out. K2’s ski blades are great for two reasons. The first is K2’s reputation as a manufacturer of performance inline skates, in addition to their ski catalog. The second is the Fatty’s compatibility with pretty much any alpine toe binding.

The Fatty’s aren’t going to be your only pair of skis or even your second pair of skis. But if you want something fun that you can easily trade with your friends on an easy-riding day, then you’d be missing out not to give these a try. 

Note that these are ski blades, not conventional skis. But they provide unconventional fun too. Check out this 80s themed montage:

K2’s ski lineup was relatively stable this year, with the big exception being the Disruption series. In addition to the Ti2 listed above, K2 released four distinct women’s carving skis- and the 78C Alliance is the most interesting among them.

Sitting at a middling waist and an impressively low weight for a recreational race ski, the 78C excels making short, sprightly turns in a variety of front-side environments.

This would make an excellent ski for an aggressive intermediate to advanced skier who spends most of their time on the frontside of the mountain, but wants a little bit of freedom to explore terrain beyond the groomers.

As far as carving skis go, this is one of the more versatile options currently available.

If the Midnight is the best K2 has to offer in the women’s freestyle department, the Poacher is its men’s equivalent. They nailed down the design around 6 years ago, and have kept true to form since.

A stiffer-than-usual freestyle twin tip, the Poachers are made to be trashed. When you aren’t blowing out your edges at the park, their generous camber and rigidity also afford a pretty reasonable alpine ride.

The Poacher hits on a lot of the same points as the Midnight, including of course having some of our favorite mass market topsheets. Hearty and affordable, and the design has been this popular for so long for good reason.

If you’re narrowing down your selection for park skis, make sure that you don’t discount the Poacher as an option.

In the backcountry you spend far more time going uphill on your skis than you do going down. The Wayback 80 is in an uncommon weight class that favors vertical gains and holds up reasonably well on the downhill, despite the trappings of its style.

In terms of uphill performance and stacking up vert, few skis can keep up with the Wayback 80.

With an ultralight balsa wood touring core, reinforced with titanal this feather-weight ski walks the line between efficient climbing and fun skiing.

Wayback skis also feature a hydrophobic topsheet to prevent ice buildup. They perform as expected on hard surfaces and perform reasonably well in powder. You have to look out for the kind of snow that you wouldn’t want to ski anyway.

K2’s Disruption series, the Disruption Ti in particular, garnered attention for delivering a race feel with a touch more versatility and considerably less punishment than something more staunchly constructed.

The “Ti2”, new for the 2022 Season, offers a sizable step up in terms of the performance and aggression previously seen in the series. This shift in attitude matches the change in design, with a total of two titanal beams this ski is in an entirely different weight class.

While it lacks the rocker and extra space underfoot of its predecessors, the Ti2 remains a fairly well-rounded ski for what it is. By no means is it an all-mountain ski, but you won’t be unduly punished for slipping off groomed runs for a few turns.

What you get in return is frontside performance unmatched by anything else in the K2 lineup, and a serious foil to the Racetiger and Blizzard’s recreational racers.

The Mindbender 90 Ti may be less assuming than other skis in the series, but don’t discount it because of its modest waist. It’s a super versatile ski, and it allows savvy skiers to approach off-piste crushing from a totally different angle.

It’s not often you’ll see a comparatively narrow all-mountain ski that’s this much fun to ride. Whether you’re a beginner looking for an all-mountain option that doesn’t take a ton of finesse or an expert who favors the versatility of a narrow ski, the 90 Ti is worth spending a couple of seasons on.

Like all K2 skis with the Ti moniker, the Mindbender 90’s have a titanal fork that adds a little more oomph to specific parts of the ski. In the 90 TI case, the shovel has a bit more give to absorb chunks, clumps, and the occasional root.

In contrast, the tail has more of a single titanal beam to give you some serious driving power. To this end, it has a long rocker, but not a very pronounced one to try and maximize performance while still keeping choppy snow in play.

It’s hard to know where to start with the K2 Mindbender ski series, so we figured we should start out fun with the playful powder option. But don’t be fooled, the entire Mindbender line takes a freeride-oriented approach to their respective specialties, and the 116C is more than just a powder ski. 

It has a very standard all-mountain rocker/camber profile. The 116 waist is generous enough to give you some float, but not so much that you can’t take these out when conditions are variable. You might have to do a bit of feathering on bulletproof mornings, but they’ll be fun to ride again by the time things soften up in the sun. 

The most fascinating thing about this ski is the “Spectral Braid.” Besides having an admittedly cool name, it’s a means of adding some intentional stiffness or play to the ski without throwing in the weight of a metal sheet. That means that the 116 Cs are uncommonly floaty and light for a powder ski with a comparatively modest waist width. 

Do you like to go fast? Are you not satisfied until all of your friends are mere specks on the hill behind you? Do you revel in comments like “Dude, maybe you should slow it down a little bit?” 

If you’re an advanced skier who refuses to let a ski control you, the Disruption MTI’s are your ticket to the bottom of the hill. They are absolute groomer nukers, sure to leave twin tracks of burning snow in perfect s-turns all the way down the mountain. 

At its heart, it’s a pretty standard carving ski. Still, the intricacies of the MTI’s construction is what sets it apart from the competition. K2 runs a single titanal beam along most of the ski’s length, which lends the MTI some serious umph. It’s further dampened by a ring of polymer sandwiched between two carbon layers, which circles the perimeter of the ski. 

The Disruption is a well-engineered carver that feels eager to roll from edge to edge. It’s not the right ski for everyone. But Given how well it performs within the confines of its design, it certainly holds appeal for a vast number of ex-racers and ski pros who favor big, charging turns.

Everyone has their preferences, but you shouldn’t be limited by them. The Disruption 82 Ti is an all-mountain take on a modern K2 race ski. They’re not built to float on top of powder or fly off of kickers, but they can hold their own when the terrain gets variable. The one caveat is that you need to be a pretty strong skier to keep these beasts in line. 

They have the full run of K2’s race features- the single titanal I-beam, Dark Matter Dampening, and a full ABS sidewall. They’re also as stiff as you’d expect a dedicated racer to be and have a recognizable profile of a frontside ripper. But the difference is that they can still manage smaller turns and do so even when you get off the groomed snow. 

It’s not particularly heavy and not particularly light. But it does offer a reasonable compromise for skiers who favor a traditional downhill ski and might venture off-piste more than occasionally. But as mentioned, skiers might be limited by the good form and power it takes to steer this boat. If you’re not paying attention, it can really get away from you.

The K2’s Women’s Alliance puts in work collaborating with their ski design team to make some of the more impressive women’s models on the market. When the release of a new Reckoner model targeted towards younger skiers was announced, it’s only natural that they release a girl’s version in tandem.

The Reckoner 92 Alliance toes the line between freeride and freestyle performance, and offers a rewarding and energetic ride anywhere you want to explore.

The Reckoner 92 Alliance shows all the best faces of an all-mountain twin tip- it’s playful, versatile, and heavily inclined towards fun. More importantly it’s affordable and available in a wide range of sizes that will fit younger skiers looking for their first pair of twin tips as well as adults looking for something lively and serviceable to bop around the mountain.

K2’s Wayback 106 is one of the lightest skis in its category. It’s probably one of the more practical backcountry options currently on the market. It’s a medium-width ski with an eye-catching low weight and reasonable performance when the snow isn’t too crazy. It’s easy and intuitive to ride and is catered more toward people who favor intermediate missions on consistent terrain.

Despite its low weight, it still has a fair amount of stiffness in the tail. You can tip it on edge and get a reliable result in pretty much any conditions. That being said, the Wayback doesn’t handle chopped up or blocky snow very well. If you find yourself in a debris field or switching rapidly from slab to drift, it can feel pretty sketchy. 

The Wayback is for someone who’s not exactly sure what they’re looking for in a backcountry setup. It’s lightweight and does just about everything well enough to justify taking it out for a spin, regardless of the weather. There are several other versions of the Wayback with a little less width for those who are more prone to skiing corn than powder.

In a season fixated on a more traditional, hard charging attitude, K2 has come forward with a lightweight, playful option that can still rip hard on groomers and variable snow alike. The K2 Reckoner 102 is the thinnest underfoot in a line of more powder-oriented skis. They’re still fully capable of blasting through drifts of fresh snow, but can get on edge a little bit faster than their fatter counterparts. The K2 Reckoner is an awesome all mountain alternative to the stiff skis dominating the market, and can provide predictable and fun performance across most any conditions

The bases are made of lightweight aspen and fir. It has a decent amount of rocker, though not as much as a true powder ski, and the tips are soft enough to swallow up bumps and crud without buckling your knees. Underfoot, the Reckoner 102 is stable enough to handle all the terrain on the mountain, and absorbs impact well enough for you to be confident taking them off the ground. K2 claims that they shine in the park, as well.

Expert skiers and those just catching their stride will find much to love in the Reckoner. It’s versatility is hard to match, and it somehow balances that with being an incredibly fun ski to ride. For all that, it’s still incredibly practical and a serious contender for a dedicated single ski quiver, and can keep up with most any level of skier (check out this list  of other top-tier K2 skis).