[The test results for the iKonic 80 Ti are from 2016; its only changes for 2017 are cosmetic.]

K2 has made a tidy living by making performance skis that don’t flaunt their talents but tenderly embrace the less talented and encourage them to be better. People who are already struggling don’t care to be berated for their shortcomings by a ski that behaves like a bully; they’d rather find a friend who can coach them into competent players.

 The K2 iKonic 80 Ti is such a companion, wise in the ways of the carving world and eminently approachable. If it feels lighter than the norm it’s because it is, K2 having pared away every gram of unneeded bulk and concentrating the remaining mass directly over the edges. Stripped to its essentials, the iKonic 80 Ti delivers better snow feel, the ineffable quality that doesn’t try to mute or homogenize every skiing sensation.

While it’s a little loopy to call the iKonic 80 Ti a mogul ski, its rockered forebody conforms to lumpy terrain better than most models in the Frontside slice of the market.

This K2 doesn’t presume to know how you ski, so it’s ready to react to any combination of stance, style and pressure. That’s a big deal in this genre, which is full of elitists who won’t provide a pair of training wheels, expecting the pilot to be fully briefed on expert technique. The iKonic 80 Ti is a democrat with a lower case d – it doesn’t discriminate based on your qualifications; if you’re a skier, it’s here to help.

Two citations from last season put this ski in the right perspective. Pat Parraguirre of Bobo’s 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 pinpointed the residual effect of a run on the iKonic 80 Ti: “This ski will make you feel like you’re a better skier than you are.”