2027 K2 Mindbender 88

The 2027 K2 Mindbender 88 is a strong, versatile all-mountain ski that has a great mix of attributes to satisfy the needs of both demanding and recreational skiers. The Ti versions of the Mindbender series have been revamped for this year and they bring a lot of smoothness, predictability, and power to the mountains. If you mix your time fairly evenly between all sorts of different ski activities, any ski in the 88 mm range will work, but these have a notable amount of flotation to go along with a shorter turn radius that we certainly appreciate.

Like the other new Mindbender models, the 88 uses a mix of aspen and paulownia. We get a bit more energy out of the paulownia, and a bit more stiffness to play off the smoothness of the aspen. K2 uses two sheets of Titanal I-Beams in this ski that act to stiffen and dampen the central chord of the ski. We also see new Dark Matter Tecnology points here, as the 88 uses two on each side both in front of and behind the bindings to reduce chatter and vibrations. These skis feel supportive, but not overly heavy. In addition, they are mid-stiff in terms of flex but don’t feel overpowering especially in shorter turns. Tester Steve Buccini calls it “A sprightly frontside ski. Down to carve if you put the work in, but equally game to do some sweep-y, slide-y turns at the end of the day. I felt this ski was most at home on the frontside. The tips are only slightly rockered, and the metal in the ski lends itself to on piste riding. I think every type of rider can find something to enjoy in this ski. An advanced skier can push these skis hard, but intermediate skiers will find that this ski will meet them where they’re at and grow with them over time.”

The rocker isn’t too dramatic, but it is pretty long. They’re not heavily tapered, but somehow, they generate a 17-meter turn radius in the 182. It feels like a longer arc and certainly doesn’t have the same pull across the fall line as the outgoing Mindbender 89 Ti or the 2027 Mindbender 96, even though that new 96 uses a 20-meter arc in the similar length. Tester Jeff Neagle notes that it “Feels like a true all mountain ski. It’s more like a narrower 101 than the 96, which is interesting and kinda cool. I think most skiers looking in this range want some versatility for bumps, trees, different turn shapes, etc. It can still lay over carves, but that doesn’t feel like its primary purpose. It carries forward some of what I liked about the Mindbender 89, but this new construction is more refined.”

It is interesting that the new 88 feels like it has more in common with a wider ski in terms of style and turn preference, but we think that adds to the versatility of the ski since it’s still able to rail carved turns with confidence. We think that this ski’s ability to make clean and quick short swing turns makes it easy to use in the bumps and trees but the shorter radius and strong build keep it steady and ready at higher speeds and in longer arcs. This should make a great options for those looking for a fun all-mountain ski with a strong backbone.