We received a lot of interesting feedback regarding the K2 Thrilluvit 85. It’s the narrow model of the ladies’ line, and as such, often gets branded as a beginner ski. While beginners certainly could enjoy themselves and progress on the Thrilluvit 85, the ceiling does not stop there. Intermediates all the way on up to lighter weight experts will love the fun and easy going nature of the Thrilluvit. Some of our testers pigeon-holed the ski as a step up from a rental, while others said not so fast. With a wood core and tip and tail rocker, the Thrilluvit is a great all-mountain ski that will tackle a lot of different terrain and conditions. The wood core and triaxial braiding of fiberglass ensure that the skis are light, snappy, and fun to use. Tip taper allows the skis to ease into the turn, and if there’s any snow in the way, they’ll hop right up on top of any of it. Also great in the moguls and trees, the Thrilluvit is a quick turner that you won’t fall behind on. Our testers didn’t always agree on the overall character of the ski, but they certainly agreed that for what it was, it has a great deal of upside.
Jenny Lawson skied the 156 and scored it highly for quickness, maneuverability, playfulness, and forgiveness. These scores are to be expected given the construction and advertised temperament of the skis. Jenny falls on the side of testers who found it to ski on the passive side of the hill. She called the Thrilluvit “a fine ski for intermediate skiers. I felt like I was out for a Sunday cruise. It did not want to be muscled around, but it was easy and fun to turn.” Lest we forget, the bulk of skiers in the world would be well served to ski on a product like the Thrilluvit 85, just like a whole bunch of us enjoy our Sunday cruises.
Katrine Wolfgang skied the 156, but wishes she was on the 163. Her overall impression of 4 out of 5 is telling of the quality of product, and her other scores of 4 were for stability, playfulness, and forgiveness. She points to the value of the product, as any business owner should, and remarks that “for $399 retail, this is a great ski to get into skiing and you will be able to have a few years on it after you start getting better.” Katrine points to the fact that we are all improving, and it’s important to purchase gear appropriately for the increase in skill level. The main idea with Katrine’s quote is that the Thrilluvit has a higher ceiling than just being a beginner ski.
Ariel Aidala has a great way of categorizing the 156 cm Thrilluvit. “Don’t be too quick to knock this ski and put it in the beginner category. For a ski that has no metal, it can still be a fun ripper. It did become chattery at speeds, but on blue trails, this ski performs well. Think of this ski as good to go on blue trails and easy cruising without being too flashy and hard-charging.” The Thrilluvit 85 will make a large majority of ladies happy on the slopes.
Susan Dorn is in Ariel’s camp regarding the 156 Thrilluvit 85. “This is an intermediate ski??? You would never know except for the fact that it was soft flexing, but it still held a powerful edge. Intermediate skiers could grow with this one. It’s light, has nice flotation, and handled crud like it wasn’t there.” Susan also calls the ski “fun and stable at speed, too.”
Conventional wisdom, and numerically, the Thrilluvit can certainly qualify as a beginner ski. When you look closer and have some people ski on it, the reality is much different. It’s a versatile product that can handle a lot of different turn shapes and speeds, and through a variety of snow conditions.
