K2 Mindbender 89Ti Skis 2023

K2’s Mindbender 89Ti a fun all-terrain ripper that takes it influence from wider skis, it’s also our overall Ski of the Year for men. Never hard to use but not lacking in performance, it’s as happy blasting carves on groomers as it is hounding out powder stashes. All Terrain Rocker coupled with a Powerwall construction and a Ti Y-Beam provides the control and edge grip by stopping the skis twisting and flexing too much at high speed. At slower speeds the ski initiates easily and in tricky conditions it handles perfectly.

Terrain Type & Ability Level

Terrain Type
Suited to a variety of terrain, from groomers to fresh snow. The construction uses Ti, making it slightly stiffer than the 90C version and meaning it grips better on firmer snow and at higher speeds. This is the ski to grab when it’s not waist deep and you want to rip up whatever conditions you find. It will carve all day long on marked trails but where it really shines is off to the side. Trees, slush, tracked-out pow, the 89Ti handles it all expertly.

Skier Type
Seasonnaires, all mountain skiers, 1 ski quiver skiers, or part of selection, this ski has a lot of appeal. It’s ideally suited to advanced skiers, but that’s not to say that stronger intermediates and lighter expert skiers won’t get a lot from it. The Mindbender 89 Ti is as much about mindset as it is ability. This is for skiers looking to go everywhere, in all kinds of snow, realists who know that deep powder is a rare blessing, and who value a ski that genuinely works in every condition.

Overview

Shape
A 89mm waist is the sweet spot for this kind of ski; wide enough to float and still feel quick enough edge to edge for groomed slopes to be fun. The radius favours stability but, working with the rocker on the nose, helps with lift and initiation. The shallow rocker on the tail improves control and allows for easy release.

Rocker
All Terrain Rocker skis have a gradual rise to the tip for great versatility in all conditions, with a short, low rise in the tail for added control in variable snow.

Core
A wood core with a mix of maple and aspen. The maple is an energetic, tough, dense wood that absorbs impact; aspen is lightweight and resilient, a great all-round material. A Titanal Y-Beam increases the torsional stiffness to improve precision.

Construction
Powerwall construction ensures that power transfer is dramatically enhanced with the oversized ABS sidewalls that are laminated and pocketed within the wood core in the midbody of the ski. With the sidewall extending into the heart of the ski, the transmission of energy from skier to ski edge is direct and precise.

Key Features

Titanal Y-Beam Technology
Titanal has long been used in high-end skis and is known for providing a damp, stable ride at high speeds and on variable terrain, but K2’s Y-Beam technology takes things a step further with dramatically enhanced performance tuning. Y-shaped prongs set over the edges in the shovel of the ski provide precise, powerful turn initiation, while the narrower metal shape in the tail of the ski provides the support you need for charging while still remaining manoeuvrable, forgiving, and easy to break free from turns.

EB tester’s comments: Simon (Fort William) They are super capable everywhere and provide go-anywhere-fun. Responsive, poppy and playful which are all things I like in a ski. A great choice for seasonnaires or advanced skiers wanting to one ski to ski hard anywhere.

General Information

• Skier Ability: Advanced|Expert
• Rocker: Tip/Tail Rocker
• Radius: Short
• Bindings: Ski sold flat
• DIN: n/a
• Construction: Full Sidewall
• Core: Wood, Titanal Laminate
• Demo: Yes
• Sizing Description: Nose level to forehead height is ideal, but longer length is important if there is a bigger rocker or you're spending more time off piste where the extra stability and float a larger size provides will be beneficial.