As the wider (but not widest) member of the new K2 Mindbender family, the 108 hits some good notes in the soft-snow category. Many of our testers remarked at how well they skied on groomed and firm terrain in addition to their powder prowess, and that’s a good thing when you’re looking for a more versatile snow day ski. At 108 mm underfoot and featuring a Fir/Aspen wood core, these skis are built for floating and quickness (for the width). Add to that K2’s new Titanal Y-Beam, and you’ve got the makings of a well-rounded ski that excels in the deep stuff. The Y-Beam is a sheet of metal that puts most of the power and precision in the forebody and the underfoot portions of the ski, and tapers to the middle in the tail end. This gives the ski a ton of strength in turn initiation and edge hold, while keeping the tail fun and accessible, which is especially handy in fresh snow. All-Terrain rocker and a generous 22.9-meter turn radius at the 186 cm length round out this nice new ski. As with a lot of new models, our testers had fairly diverse experiences on them, which echoes our philosophy that there’s not one perfect ski out there, but rather there’s one that’s perfect for you.
On the 186, Brooks Curran took exception to the longer turn radius. He had scores of 3 out of 5 for stability, forgiveness, edge hold, and versatility. On the lower side of the scoresheet, Brooks gave them 2’s for quickness and playfulness. In terms of that more linear shape, Brooks calls it “a bit overzealous.” Brooks felt that, for him, the ski was not beefy enough for the longer radius. But Brooks is a pretty strong skier, so it makes sense that that was a possible outcome. The build will certainly be enough for the majority of the population.
Marcus Shakun is a bit taller than Brooks, and he also skied the 186. Marcus noted, in terms of the radius, that the K2 Mindbender 108 Ti is a “long turner that can smear out smaller turns as well.” So Marcus found that even though the ski liked to do longer turns, it could be persuaded to shorten it up when asked. Marcus also called the MB 108 Ti a “fun freeride ski for a solid advanced to expert skier. Using the shape of the shovel to initiate the turn really helps find this ski’s personality.” Stay forward, advises Marcus. “Once you roll it over and drive the shovel in, it rips and pulls you into the turn.” Regarding the ski’s soft-snow character, the 108 “cranks through the thick snow without a doubt.”
The biggest fan of the ski was Brad Schauerman, who skied the 179. His scores were all 4’s and 5’s, with a 5 for overall impression. It’s always impressive when a ski receives a high score for both quickness and flotation. “This was one of my favorite skis from the test. Very quick and nimble for a 108. Easy to put on edge and feel confident in any conditions.” Brad concludes his glowing review with “a very fun ski.”
Connor Gorham skied the 186 and liked the length, maneuverability, playfulness, and edge hold. Even though he wasn’t a fan of the “Big Bird” style graphics, but certainly liked the rest of the ski. “These beasts cut ruts like ya read about. I thought the ski was going to be too long, but they ski shorter and control through the potato mash. These are money for spring days.” After a few more runs, Connor was even more convinced, exclaiming that “holy smokes they move!”
New ski models sometimes take a bit of time to find their crowd. Based on our testers and the results, it seems like the 108 works better for the lighter crowd, who really loved the ski. At almost 110 underfoot, these things will float on anything, so if you’re looking for that versatile pow ski, the MB 108 Ti is a great choice.
