SKI CANADA 2022
K2 MINDBENDER 108 Ti * FREERIDE/POWDER * EDITORS’ CHOICE
BEST FOR: Frontside to backside, freeride ski for western resorts.
The first run on this ski, Technical Editor Ryan Stuart skied a steep fall line he’d never tried before so confidently he started questioning his own skis. “So intuitive and stable,” he said. “I felt at home on it as soon as I clicked in.” He wasn’t the only one. “Pretty stiff, damp, super stable at speed and crushes crud,” wrote Tobin Leopkey. The power and stability comes from a Y-shaped sheet of Titanal that runs down the centre of the ski from tail to binding and then splits along the edges. Laid over a fir and aspen core, it provided just the right mix of the metal’s power and damp feel, without being too demanding. Soft-snow float comes from a wide shovel, a soft tip that transitions to a stiff underfoot, and generous tip and tail rocker. The design creates a large sweet spot that rescued testers in tricky conditions. Out front or a bit behind, the ski still felt stable and turnable. And shockingly it wasn’t that demanding; even at slow speeds it was fun. This is a really versatile big-ski platform, perfect for building confidence and skills in big terrain. We also tested the Mindbender 116C, a wider, lighter build. It would make a great dedicated powder ski, but lacked the 108’s versatility.
LENGTHS: 172, 179, 186, 193
DIMENSIONS: 136/108/125 @ 186
RADIUS: 23 @ 186
WEIGHT: 2,200g @ 186
OTHER MODELS: Mindbender 90Ti, Mindbender 90C, Mindbender 99Ti, Mindbender 116C
SUGGESTED RETAIL: $750
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