2023 K2 Mindbender 90C

On the quick and agile side of the ~90’s underfoot all-mountain skis, the K2 Mindbender 90 C is a top dog. Built with an Aspen veneer wood core and carbon boost strips, the skis get their main source of power from their carbon spectral braid. This braiding of carbon stringers is tighter and closer together in the forebody and underfoot areas of the ski, while relaxing and becoming looser in the tails of the ski. This mimics the style of the ski of the Mindbenders in the Titanal Y-Beam format, but the use of carbon instead of metal makes for a nice savings in terms of weight. They succeed in making the ski more torsionally stiff where it needs to be for a ski like this, and it makes the playful exit of the turn make a lot more sense, especially for intermediate and advanced skiers who predominantly ski on groomers. The flex and the shape do make it accessible for a wide variety of skier types and terrain options.

Benny Wax had an absolute blast on this ski. He skied the 177, which is the longest length made, and he notes that it skis true to size and is a good length for him. He had a lot of high scores for the 90 C, including 5’s out of 5 for playfulness and overall impression. For a ski that’s meant to make a variety of turns and put a smile on skiers’ faces, these are some great scores to start with. His low score was a 3 out of 5 for torsional stiffness, which also makes sense given the more flexible nature of the ski. All other scores were 4’s so Benny certainly had a favorable opinion and a fun time on these skis. He notes as such: “Wahoo! Playful, lively, bouncy! Fun in the soft bumps and stable on the groomers. Adapting to short turns and back to open ones is really easy. Just a fun happy ski! So adaptable and fun. Transitions with the change in terrain and conditions so fluidly. Any strong recreational skier will have a blast with these. Definitely for a single ski quiver.” That’s a really nice and accurate description of this ski, so we’ll just leave it at that.

Chris McClelland skied the 177, noting it felt a little short but still stable. Nowhere to go from here from Chris, though, as these skis do top out at that length. He scored it top marks of 5 out of 5 for torsional stiffness and edge hold with 4’s for overall impression, versatility, quickness, maneuverability, and stability. Chris notes that “The Mindbender had a ton of energy in the turn and felt like a springboard in a carve. The edge hold was surprising for me. I thought they would be a lot smearier for a softer ski but these grip hard. This is a great ski for someone looking for frontside performance but still wanting something for bumps and trees. This definitely felt like more of an upper intermediate to advanced ski.” Hans von Briesen compares this to a “good friend u can rely on but don't call for sketchy adventures, not because they can't handle it but because they will complain the entire time. It got the job done but I never thought about my socks, even once.”

We’re happy to see this great middle-of-the-road ski return unchanged for 2023, allowing a new set of skiers the pleasure of getting on these easy-turning skis with a surprising amount of grip. Thanks to the shape, construction, and profile, the K2 Mindbender 90C has a whole lot to offer a very wide range of skiers.