2025 K2 Mindbender 96C

By moving the Mindbender series to accommodate the non-Ti crowd with the carbon-powered versions, K2 has made a smart move. When we first got on the Mindbender 96 C last year, it became clear that these skis would satisfy many skiers. As a lighter, more flexible, and more accessible version of the 99 Ti, this ski has all the ingredients for fun-loving all-mountain performance. This ski does not have to be in soft snow all the time, but it likes it a whole lot. On firmer snow, the ski prefers shorter turns at more moderate speeds but in anything soft, this ski is totally versatile and capable of anything. Great in bumps, trees, and other off-piste zones, the Mindbender 96 C skirts the line between all-mountain and freeride.

Built with an aspen microblock wood core, this ski has a nice blend of light weight and high energy. We also get K2’s carbon spectral braiding to deliver the proper stiffness to the right spots in the ski. Since this 96 C is more of a directional ski, K2 wants to put more torsional stiffness in the shovel to aid the initiation phase of the turn while keeping the tail stiffer in a longitudinal sense. As a result, the ski is mobile and quick in the front and fun and playful in the back. The tail, with its smeary side to side character, acts like a rudder in deeper snow, making turns seem super easy and creative. K2 also uses uni-directional flax stringers in the ski to stiffen the overall flex and boost the responsiveness. It ends up being a lighter overall ski with more flexible shovels, making it a great option for all-mountain versatility. Tester Greg Petrics notes that “My first impression was the carbon construction (the "C" in 96c) was leading to a little bit of a dead ski compared to a steel / wood construction, and I didn't love it on groomers, but as soon as I got it in some trees I was much more pleased. The lighter layup of carbon drops the swing weight and lets the ski maneuver really well through woods and bumps and chopped up snow.” That mobility is a high point for sure with this ski.

It also helps that the Mindbender has a wonderfully playful shape as well. At 96 mm underfoot, this ski is designed to be versatile. There’s width-appropriate taper and rocker to help it get into adventurous zones and into more creative lanes on the hill. Bumps and trees are a high point here, allowing the ski to flex naturally and push through more technical zones. Greg also states that “The ski is at home in the woods. I don't think it has much on-piste performance however.” It’s not going to carve as well as the Ti versions, but that’s to be expected. This carbon powered ski blurs the line between playful and reactive, making it an effective tool for fun-loving all-mountain skiing. We get a bit shorter of a turn radius here than in the Ti version, with the 178 hitting 16.7-meters on the arc. This allows for shorter to mid-radius carves with ease and fluidity.

There’s a big range of skier here, with the 96 being amenable to intermediates looking for adventure and fun. It does go up from there, so more accomplished skiers like Greg Petrics find a lot to like as well. It’s an accessible ski and a great choice for a first ski in the mid-90's realm. At the same time, skiers who are looking for something that’s a bit easier to use than a dual-metal laminate ski will appreciate the mobility and agility. They’ve made a move to the middle, but it’s a smart move since that’s where most skiers are found.