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K2 Mindbender 89Ti W All-Mountain Ski 2022 – 2023 | Review

The Mindbender 89Ti W combines titanal power with a narrow platform for bite and zip on hard snow

Why we chose the K2 Mindbender 89Ti W: Powerful, damp, women’s-specific 

Lengths (cm): 146, 152, 158, 164 & 170
Sidecut (mm): 130 / 89 / 114 (164 cm)
Radius: 13m (164 cm)
Rocker Profile: Rocker-Camber-Rocker
Price: £565

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It’s fair to say that the Mindbender range from K2 has quickly become a favourite amongst advanced – expert skiers, largely thanks to its powerful titanal construction. The range covers everything from all-mountain rippers to powder chargers. But where the titanal construction really comes into its own is within a narrow, hard snow focused platform, like this the K2 Mindbender 89Ti W.

The K2 Mindbender 89Ti has been designed as the only tools you need to rip when the snow forecast is looking pretty lean. Featuring K2’s extremely capable Y-Beam technology, a subtle rocker profile and updated core construction, the Mindbender 89Ti is one of our favourite hard snow specific skis for this winter.

K2 Mindbender 89Ti W Build

If the Y-Beam name is all new to you, let me give you a quick rundown of this technology and how it creates such an energetic and powerful ride. Compared to a traditional full-spanning sheet of titanal, the Y-Beam laminate has been contoured in certain areas to provide that titanal power exactly where you need it (out towards the tips and tails).

K2 has updated this Y-Beam tech for this season, giving the design a bit of a trim down to save weight. It looks pretty similar to last years’ design, but K2 has moved more metal towards the tips and tails, while removing mass from the centre, to give a two-pronged trident look. The tails see a touch less metal coverage, with heavily contoured sections stretching towards the ends.

Given this new design, the new Y-Beam 2.0 means there’s more mass towards the tips, leading to better tracking, stability and easier turn initiation. By tweaking the amount of metal covering in the tail means the skis release easily when you need to dump speed.

In line with making the ski less demanding, K2 has updated the core to a pure Aspen core, instead of the Mapel/Aspen of the previous Mindbender 99, giving you a lighter and more forgiving material. This single wood choice also gives a more consistent feeling to the skis, with the proven flex, durability and pop of Aspen being relied on.

The change in the metal layup and tweaked core construction has, quite obviously, changed the flex of these skis just a touch. They’re pretty soft in the tips compared to the stiffer main body of the ski. The stiff section runs from where the rocker starts and runs all the way down to the start of the tail rocker.

K2 Mindbender 89Ti W Shaping

K2’s All-Terrain Rocker, understandably, features on the Mindbender 89 Ti. This is the go-to for all of K2’s all-mountain skis, offering a great balance between subtly rockered tips and tails, for an easier turn initiation and pivotable ride. Camber works with the 89 mm waist, and Y-Beam technology, to provide a powerful edge grip and long effective edge.

Who Is The K2 Mindbender 89Ti W For?

The combination of a hard snow focused platform and powerful build combines to provide an extremely zippy ride across the entire mountain. If you’re someone who tends to prefer to rip on the groomers before nipping off the sides of the pistes now and then, then you’re going to really get on with this new and updated Mindbender 89Ti.

What Is The K2 Mindbender 89Ti W Good At?

Versatility: 7/10
Power: 9/10
Stability: 9/10

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