K2 has always understood that no member of the ski-buying public has ever asked for a ski that makes all-terrain skiing harder. In its first iteration, the Pinnacle 95 emphasized ease of operation to a fault, which may have dissuaded some experts from considering it as their next one-ski quiver. K2 took note, and the revamped Pinnacle 95 is evidence that they got the message.

K2 didn’t change the Pinnacle 95’s basic Konic lay-up, nor did they alter the ski’s essential character traits. However the K2 crew tinkered with the particulars, the net effect is a ski with a bit more of everything: more stable on edge, more connected at the tip, more tranquil at speed, more lively out of the turn, more confident in sketchy conditions.

“Much more power than its predecessor,” professes Pat Parraguirre, major domo chez Bobo’s in Reno. “Earlier turn initiation than the old ski, too,” he adds. If there’s a limitation to the Pinnacle 95’s prowess, it’s a weakness for soft snow and an aversion to the hard stuff. “Performs better in softer conditions,” says Parraguirre, citing a trait that’s endemic to the genre.

While the 2018 Pinnacle 95 is a tad firmer in all directions, it’s still one of the easiest to ski, most accessible, most automatic models to guide around the mountain in all conditions. As Jack Walzer of Jan’s observes, the new Pinnacle 95 is “a slight but positive improvement. As if to allay any doubt as to new ski’s merits he adds, “Great ski.”

The Pinnacle 95 is an excellent choice for the skier who hasn’t bought a new ski since the early 00’s and has finally realized it’s time for a change. Jumping on the widest, most torsionally rigid ski in the AMW genre is probably a shock to the system this skier won’t happily endure. But the Pinnacle 95 rolls to an edge as smoothly as cream cheese and doesn’t feel barge-like despite its width. It’s the perfect transition ski for those who’ve been putting off trying new technology for far too long.