2021 K2 Mindbender 99Ti

Stable, burly, yet incredibly fun, the 2021 K2 Minbender 99 Ti is a perfect choice for that one ski quiver that loves to charge through any and all snow conditions and terrain. The 99-100 range is usually where we see these skis develop a lot of different personalities, and the MB 99 is no different. Built with a wood core and K2's Titanal Y-Beam, the skis have a good amount of weight behind them, but they don't necessarily feel heavy on your feet. That is, for a bulkier 99, it's actually pretty quick and maneuverable. The ski gets a graphics tweak for this year, but the ski is structurally similar to the 2020 version. This is a good thing for skiers who are looking to max out on speed, but not really feel like it. These skis are very Cadillac-like in their behavior, so if you're a fan of smooth skis that rip, this is a great choice. A bit blunted in the tips, the ski saves some of the accompanying swing weight, and that drastically changes how the ski works. Our testers loved the stability and strength of these skis, and note their supreme all-mountain versatility.

Steve Sulin is our shop manager at our retail location so he gets to be on a bunch of different skis over the year. He skied the 177 and scored it all 5's out of 5 in all categories except for a 4 in flotation. While 99 underfoot, its weight kind of does make it sink a bit in deep snow. Crud or chop, though, and this thing is a blast. "Ski of the year" Steve says. "Totally kills it," he continues, and "can't do anything wrong." We always like these point-and-shoot style of ski where no matter what's in front of you the ski will handle easily and quickly and won't look back in the rear view. Parker Herlihy says it kind of differently than Steve, and that's the fun part of testing skis. Parker was on the 184, and notes that the skis are "benders of the mind that are strong all around." Rather than how Steve notes that they can't do anything wrong, Parker states that they do not have one particular strength, it's just an overall feeling of the ski." They're both talking about the same feeling, just in a different way.

Brad Schauermann was on the 177 and scored the ski all 4's and 5's. We're happy to see these scores from the ski, as that's really what it's supposed to be-an all-around high-performance ski with little to no weaknesses. Brad calls it "Awesome! Super-fun, super-versatile-one of my favorites of the day. Very quick and nimble and very stable at high speed as well. Great one-quiver ski." Brooks Curran agrees with Brad for sure. He skied the 184 and notes that the "smooth and versatile tip had that squared shape that is refreshing to see in the K2 line."

The competition in that 99-100 mm underfoot all-mountain ski category is pretty darn stiff, and K2 has carved themselves out a bit of a different feel with their Mindbender 99 Ti. Burly, stiff, and stable, these skis love to get up to speed, but still have that playful tail thanks to the Y-Beam metal shape. They've taken great care in the design and build of these skis, and it shows in the performance and the results.