The Titanal Y Beam innovation seems like a variation of Volkls Titanal Frame concept used on the Mantra M5 where you remove material where you dont want/need it and the Carbon Spectral Braid (what marketing BS) seems very much like the Carbon Tank Mesh (also marketing BS) from Atomics Vantage line which came out a couple of years ago and which Rossi also have on their Experience Line so its not exactly ground breaking innovation that we are seeing here. The K2 Mindbender 108Ti is a versatile ski both in terms of conditions / terrain as well as the skiers we think will get along with it. But still like to be able to pin it when I can/have too. No, it isnt an amazing firm-snow ski thats extremely damp or that has a ton of energy, but the 108Ti feels instantly intuitive in most terrain. Its the ski Ive been searching for and Im excited to get them on some real powder tomorrow morning. Hope someone finds this useful as it took me quite a lot of buying and selling gear to figure out the perfect combo so I can stop thinking about skis and actually enjoy skiing. Nothing Ive got in the garage, including the above-mentioned 200-day old Hell and Backs, looks 20% as bad as these do. While what I was hoping for was a lighter weight Pettitor (that would let me ski it with my now sometimes suspect knee), this looks good. Do you have any advice about mounting point? >There are a few skis on the market that encourage more of a destroy the mountain mentality than the Mindbender 108Ti, but I think most skiers will find this ski to be very stable in chop.. See our Deep Dive Comparisons to get a clearer sense of where wed locate this ski, but mostly, I would say that in firm chop and crud, what makes the 108Ti fun in those conditions is how relatively easy it is to pivot the ski and still ski pretty hard and fast with a dynamic style, and yet (as Luke notes) if you really want to slow down and pick your way through firm chop and crud, the ski accommodates that quite well, too. I like to carve big turns when back on the mountain but will be searching for fresh tracks whenever possible. Im on 186cm ski. As an older dude that skied K2s almost exclusively for about 20 years (XR10 through VO Slaloms and 810 FOs) Im stoked to see this from them! The skis with Ti in their name have a Y-shaped layer of titanal, while the skis with a C in their name feature a variable-braid carbon laminate. 192 R11 will still be my big day, day after a storm ski. That goes in my personal plus column. And in the case of K2, I dont see them talking about how it is simply the tech itself that has somehow changed the game here. Its got less tip taper. Its also cool to see K2 offering the Mindbender 90 in both titanal and carbon iterations to give skiers more options. Typically, many brands start with one ski, and then scale up and down in width while not changing all that much in terms of shape and construction. Yet the Mindbender 108Tis fairly deep rocker lines should help with its soft-snow performance, especially when you take a look at the next section. Sam: Yep, for me, the 108Ti is a great combination of stable in chop while remaining quite easy to handle. It has a more planted feel and isnt very balanced in the air. But in terms of being able to release the tails into slashes, the Mindbender 108Ti is notably more playful than most straight-up chargers. I could make GS turns at low speeds, GS turns at high speeds and high edge angles, or just let the skis run into big, fast, Super-G-style turns. The more dynamic your skiing style, the more I think youll like the Mindbender 108Ti on firm snow. (2) K2 is saying a lot about the Mindbender 108Tis stability, so just how stable is it compared to the other chargers out there? I do have additional ~88mm skis for east coast and 109 Volkl BMT for bigger days in the backcountry or ski mountaineering goals. Any thoughts are much appreciated. The Pinnacle 95 Ti and Mindbender 108Tis tips both feel similarly soft, and theyre far softer than most other chargers like the Blizzard Cochise, ON3P Wrenegade 108, Prior Husume, etc. Of the 108mm-wide skis Ive used, the Mindbender 108Ti is one of the better carvers. Luke: In shallower, firmer conditions, the Mindbender 108Tis shovels become more of a positive feature. And if youre skiing with an active style, you wont need a ski thats quite as damp, stable, and heavy. And, obviously, it is much much better option in deep powder. K2 says that the Titanal Y-Beam delivers the highest levels of precision and stability in a damp, stable platform.. This struck me as unusual as most skis flex patterns published here (beginning at the tip and ending at the tail) ramp down from the heel towards the tail ending at a lower rating at the very end. Do you have any early thoughts on the updates on the 2023 Mindbender 108 Ti? Let it snow! With the C skis, they used a carbon weave that has a denser, high-angle weave in the shovel which then progresses to a less dense, lower-angle weave as you move toward the tail of the ski. But for a 108mm-wide ski, the Mindbender 108Ti floats very well. Luke: As weve mentioned before, playfulness is a complex concept skis can be playful in various ways. So, thats the design philosophy behind all of the Mindbender skis. And, as Luke said, the Mindbender 108Ti is not that poppy. I like. I am a pretty big guy 6 foot in boots, 210 pounds w/ gear. If youre only skiing soft snow, you probably dont need a super strong, damp, or heavy ski. So if youre used to skis with mount points in the -9 to -12 range, I would be very surprised if you didnt get along with the 108Ti on the recommended line. And also my one-sentence review of this ski. So is this new ski a replacement for the beloved Supernatural 108? But if youre coming from more traditional skis with flat tails, Id be surprised if you found the Mindbender 108Ti difficult in these conditions. I think Im still leaning 186 since itll still be notably more damp and stable vs. the 188 cm Rustler 11 without being much more sluggish, but I think the 193 could work if you want this ski to be more of a charger and then you could let your Rustler 11 be your more playful ski. And as more and more skis get lighter and lighter, the Mindbender 108Tis weight puts it closer to the heavier end of the spectrum. Just curious which one you think would suit me best? The Mindbender 108Ti doesnt bend easily into super tight slalom turns, but its still pretty versatile in terms of turn shapes. If you could clarify whether each person tested the 186 skis or if you were on different lengths, that would help. And for a lot of skiers, we think that should make it a very appealing option. WOuld the Bibby be one? Despite not having a twinned tail, the Mindbender 108Ti is not very difficult at all to pivot and slide, and I wouldnt say that it feels particularly long for its actual length. And in super deep chop, skiing the Mindbender 108Ti a bit more neutral / not pressuring the shovels as much helped alleviate the plowing effect. I was a bit disappointed the new Mindbender series isnt full sidewall. 6 with ski boots and 210 pounds with gear FYI. The Mindbender 108Tis recommended mount point of -9.75 cm from center puts you pretty far back on the ski, and it does feel like it. Really glad about that decision. This is probably the only thing on the Mindbender 108Ti that reminds us of K2s Pinnacle skis. Short review: First resort powder ski that Ive ever loved. For some skis, were able to try multiple lengths, in which case we will note that at the top of the review. I am 510 advanced intermediate and enjoy playing all over the mountain. I was able to demo the 108ti in the 186 length which I enjoyed, but didnt have an opportunity to get into the trees or mess around in any bumps and also wasnt able to test a set of the 179s. Jonathan: Ive only been skiing it on the recommended line, and while I dont suspect that Id dislike it at +1 or +2, I also havent found myself in situations where I wished I was more forward on the ski (e.g., in CBs plentiful steep and techy terrain, where quick maneuverability is a valuable attribute). I can also tell you that there is no consensus whatsoever among ski engineers that Heads use of graphene and Koroyd are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in ski engineering. As you probably know, our stance on this stuff is that we allow ski companies to talk about the tech theyve used to build products, but then ultimately, we just go see what that product does on snow. The 108 is the ski Ill focus on, at least initially. Sam: Ill have to dito Jonathan here, fortunately. As Luke said, everything about the construction and design of the ski works to keep the ski planing, and if I disagree at all with Luke, it would be that I found the Mindbender 108Ti to be quite surfy / surfy enough certainly when compared to a number of other 108mm-wide skis, and even when compared to some 118mm-wide skis. What do you think is the main difference between the mindbender 108 and the armada tracer 108? Thanks for pointing me at this ski here, and in the buyers guide. As a result, people who do not ski very dynamically tend to generally prefer heavier skis that do a better job of blasting through everything and muting out harsh impacts. This is also the furthest thing in the world from a complaint. I snapped them up and skied them for a few hours today in some fresh Tahoe snow. That looks similar to Lukes body type. I had a few days of demo action this week and wasnt quite sure that the Rustler was the right ski for me and my ski shop went to the back and grabbed the one pair of K2 Mindbender 108 skis he had. Interestingly enough, the Mindbender 108Tis rocker profile looks awfully similar to a now-deceased ski that we very much loved, the Line Supernatural 108. Jonathan: Unfortunately, with all this fresh pow weve been getting, I havent been able to get the 108Ti on much corduroy. Again, there are some skis that will let you smash and mash your way down the mountain with less regard for whats in front of you, but of the ~108mm-wide skis Ive been on the most, the Mindbender 108Ti sits near the top when it comes to stability. Because of its combination of forgiveness and stability, wed be comfortable recommending the Mindbender 108Ti to a very wide range of skiers. Although if 108ti are at least as good as Marksman, I cant wait for them :-). The Mindbender 108 Ti just feels like a very versatile platform, and it does surprisingly well in powder. Ill add that another thing that can make a ski feel playful is energy out of a turn. in this post, were gonna dive into the specifics of the entire line, what sets these skis apart from other models on the market, and take a closer look at the Mindbender 108Ti. Which brings me back to my original question, which is that Im not really sure what your concern is? The base peeled like an orange and the new generations K2 developed just didnt look interesting to me. They did this with two techniques their Titanal Y-Beam and Carbon Spectral Braid.. Im 58 160 and live/ski in Utah. And throughout all of those turn shapes, the Mindbender 108Ti maintained its calm, damp feel. Ive been demoing most of m last trips out but will be getting more than 10 days this season and will be buying in the next 2 weeks. But, surprisingly, the Mindbender 108Ti struck me as pretty easy in this terrain. Sorry for the delaybeen trying to find some people who have skied the 193. Luke Koppa (58, 155 lbs): At 108 mm wide, the Mindbender 108Ti isnt some dedicated pow ski (K2 makes the Mindbender 116C for really deep days). The first thing that stands out is the Mindbender 108Tis tips theyre very soft. hey, do you think that this would be a good 50/50 ski? 1923 & 1956 DPS Alchemist Wailer 106, 189 cm (17/18-18/19)1996 & 2012 Dynastar Legend X106, 188 cm (17/18-18/19)2013 & 2013 Moment Commander 108, 188 cm (18/19)2022 & 2047 Faction Dictator 3.0, 186 cm (17/18-18/19)2026 & 2056 Black Diamond Boundary Pro 107, 184 cm (17/18-18/19)2030 & 2039 Rossignol Soul 7 HD, 188 cm (17/18-18/19)2036 & 2064 Salomon QST 106, 188 cm (18/19)2046 & 2120 Black Crows Corvus, 188 cm (18/19)2112 & 2125 4FRNT MSP 107, 187 cm (18/19)2143 & 2194 ON3P Wrenegade 108, 184 cm (18/19)2165 & 2211 K2 Mindbender 108Ti, 186 cm (19/20)2182 & 2218 Nordica Enforcer 110, 185 cm (17/18-18/19)2250 & 2307 Argent Badger, 184 cm (19/20)2283 & 2290 ON3P Wrenegade 108, 189 cm (18/19)2312 & 2386 Prior Husume, 188 cm (17/18-18/19)2318 & 2341 J Skis The Metal, 186 cm (16/17-18/19)2335 & 2399 Line Supernatural 108, 186 cm (14/15-16/17)2376 & 2393 Blizzard Cochise, 185 cm (15/16-18/19), Some Questions / Things Were Curious about. This isnt revolutionary, but its certainly not the norm. Do you have any insight into whether there would still be enough flotation and stability in a 172? For decades I had K2 written off as a mass market consumer brand. I hope that 108ti was not made because such skis as Head Kore 105. When it gets really deep or if Im going for the backcountry powder Ill ski my 125mm/1800g Pescados with Shift bindings. Just wondering if the 186 will be enough ski when I want it to be. The seller wasnt much help, and recommended NOT sending them back to K2 for warranty consideration, since they thought it would be denied. 1) How will the Mindbender 108Ti perform in terms of jumping 1-3meters clifs, rocks, wind effected entrances? Become a Blister MemberorDeep Dive subscriberto check out ourDeep Dive of the Mindbender 108Ti to see how it stacks up against the Blizzard Cochise, ON3P Wrenegade 108, Prior Husume, Folsom Hammer, 4FRNT MSP 107, Black Crows Corvus, Faction Dictator 3.0, Head Kore 105, Moment Commander 108, Nordica Enforcer 110, and J Skis Metal. The Mindbender 108Tis subtle taper and low rocker lines should equate to more effective edge than more heavily rockered and / or tapered skis like the ON3P Wrenegade 108 and Prior Husume. Because with about 6 or 7 days on the 108Ti, I am currently thinking of this ski as a bit more soft-snow oriented as opposed to firm-snow oriented. They do a great job of absorbing harsh impacts, yet the ski is strong enough so that I can drive it hard and keep it tracking. Many of the destroyer of mountains skis are very stable at speed, but are a huge pain in the ass to ski at slower speeds or in tight spaces plus, they are very punishing of mistakes. Would you recommend the 172 or 179 length? Sam: Agreed. Im coming off a 178 cm twin tip ski and mainly focus on skiing off piste. To me it sounds that first are foremost the Mindbender 108Ti is the more versatile ski. As always, keep in mind the length differences to try to keep these comparisons apples-to-apples. You tend to get your skis in the air often, whether that be on jumps or just when skiing through variable terrain (e.g., moguls, trees, steeps). Anyone have time on the 193? 2) I understand that popping may not be the thing on this skis, but how are the landings? (5) The Mindbender 108Ti isnt super light or super stiff, so should non-experts also be considering it? 46 YO, 61, 190lbs, expert. Luke: Plenty of skis can mob through chop or rip groomers, but many of those skis are a handful when the terrain gets tight and technical. Weve been spending a lot of time on the Mindbender 108Ti in a wide range of conditions from the deep storms Crested Buttes been getting recently, to firm, steep, technical terrain. Yes, there are plenty of easier skis out there if you first and foremost want a ski thats forgiving in bumps and trees (see the All-Mountain More Forgiving section of our Winter Buyers Guide). Sounding better the more I read. But it was when I got it up to speed when the fun really started. Luke: My first few runs on the Mindbender 108Ti were on groomers and, despite being a wider ski, I immediately felt comfortable on it. For my skiing style and preferences (generally a dynamic style and I prefer lighter, more forgiving skis), the Mindbender 108Ti feels like it can do just about everything I want it to do. And unlike many of the skis that are more stable than it, you dont have to be in attack mode all the time on the Mindbender 108Ti it still feels very comfortable when just cruising at mellow speeds. There may not be consensus among ski engineers about the Kore tech (I am no position to debate that with you so I will accept your statement as fact) but I think Blisters own testing has concluded (and consistent with my own experience) that the stability and dampness offered is remarkable for skis of that weight and that was my point. First K2 Ive seen in a long while that makes me say hmmmm, interesting. Blister Members can now check out our Flash Review of the Mindbender 108Tifor our initial impressions. To be fair, Ill post this quick update: Last spring, in March 2021, a new pair of these just, well, showed up. But we also think that advanced to expert skiers looking for something thats quite stable at speed, yet quite manageable when youre not charging should check out the Mindbender 108Ti. Im 510 and 195lbs intermediate / advanced skier I demoed a set of these in the 186 variety, which I liked, but wasnt able to get into bumps and trees with them and wasnt able to try the shorter 179 version. The Mindbender 108Tis tail rocker line is also fairly deep, but again, doesnt rise till near the very end. I havent gotten quite as much time on it as they have, but Ive been really happy with the idea of this ski as a 1-ski quiver which very much includes firm snow. Along with the reputation of skis that wear out sooner rather than later I have just not been curious, until the Mindbender. Does the tail suddenly get stiffer at the very end or are the numbers transposed? So not exactly a direct replacement. Are they comparable? Jonathan: Im going to focus on Lukes last paragraph I definitely wouldnt put the Mindbender 108Ti in the destroyer of mountains category. What skis would they be? Ski on the heels for a turn or two. It is pretty loose and happy to slash and break out of turns, but this is not a playful ski in most senses of the term. Still havent found anyone, but I think it really comes down to whether you place a higher priority on stability at speed or maneuverability / playfulness. Im gonna ditch my 116-118mm wide skis and just ski this one all around at the resorts outwest on pow or firm days. Dynamic / active skiers tend to prefer skis with more energy, and skis that are often a bit lighter since they make it easier to make quick adjustments. Thanks guys! I still prefer a dynamic and playful style when appropriate! There was no mention of this phenomenon in the description. Jonathan: Interesting. (supposedly have slightly more metal, 100g more weight, and a bit more tail rocker?). to the best of my knowledge it is true full vertical sidewall with a rounded cap over the topsheet edges except underfoot where it is true vertical (well, angled vertical, if you will) up to a squared edge at the topsheet. On the recommended line, the Mindbender 108Ti felt best when skied with a forward, driving stance. The sidestashes seems the right length but the wildcats seems short. The Mindbenders technology might be new, but the Mindbender 108Tis shape is not all that crazy by modern standards. Sam: Its interesting to hear Jonathan and Lukes takes on this ski in firm snow. If youre coming from skis with a lot of tail rocker, youll probably find the Mindbender 108Ti to be a bit more work when it comes to making small turns in deep snow. We discussed on our latest GEAR:30 podcast, Jonathan Ellsworth, Founder / Editor, Blister. But then the Mindbender 108Ti ramps up in stiffness smoothly to a large section around the middle of the ski that is quite strong. We havent had anyone on the 193, but my initial thought is to go with the 186. The Mindbender 108Tis shape reminds us of the 4FRNT MSP 107 and Elan Ripstick 106, and isnt all that different compared to other chargers like the Blizzard Cochise and ON3P Wrenegade 108. A dynamic style typically means you ski lighter on your feet rather than skiing straight through rough snow, you tend to find lines that let you avoid big impacts by making lots of quick adjustments mid-line. Luke: The Mindbender 108Ti is a blast in soft, choppy conditions. Hopefully someone whos been on the 193 cm Mindbender 108 can chime in though.

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