K2 bet the farm on their new Konic construction that strips away surface structures and moves the bulk of the remaining mass to the ski’s perimeter, over the edge. We’re pleased to report the farm is not in any jeopardy.

In the case of the iKonic 80 Ti, the changes wrought haven’t altered the quintessential K2 property of making life easier for the skier whose skills could still use a little burnishing.  Versatility is another K2 traditional family value respected by the iKonic 80 Ti. It lets the skier change style, stance and pressure without ever losing its cool.  Mixing turn shapes is easier than changing socks.

Skiers who feel compelled to stomp on the edge would be better served by one of our Power picks, but the less aggro skier who wants a ski that responds to a light touch will be elated to find the iKonic 80 Ti gets some kick out of its camber underfoot.  Stephanie Humes from Jan’s, who while highly skilled is the antithesis of hefty, praised the ski for its liveliness, noting, “It has a lot of pop,” and punctuating her remark with a smiley face.

Another of our lighter testers, Pat Parraguirre of Bobo’s, the unofficial mayor of Reno, also admired the iKonic 80 Ti’s “light and lively feeling on your feet.  People who ski at lower speeds will like that it requires so little energy to turn.”  Matt from Footloose put his finger on it when he wrote, “This ski will make you feel like you’re a better skier than you are.”

The only blemish on this K2’s cards were demerits for how quickly it connects at the top of the turn, not surprising since its slightly tapered tip is also rockered so it will handle a variety of conditions and not just freshly manicured corduroy.