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

Meet Ms. Mid, aka the K2 Luv Sick 80Ti. Her waist width is in the middle of the Frontside bell curve. Her tapered tip and tail and all-terrain rocker gently disengage her extremities so she can concentrate her efforts on the middle. While her sidecut is capable of making a tight radius arc, she’d rather ride at a lower edge angle and peel off medium-radius turns to keep her speed – you guessed it – moderate.

Every move of the Luv Sick 80Ti is measured and secure. She knows her charge’s confidence is dependent on gripping the hard snow often found on groomed runs, so she carries a bit of Titanal over the edge for extra security. The Luv Sick 80Ti can slither quickly edge-to-edge, but she’s not interested in showing off by making sudden moves her partner can’t keep up with. Her calm demeanor is imperturbable.

Fans of K2’s old Luv series may recall they could have used a pack mule to carry them as they weighed about as much as a sack of sand. Overweight skis are a thing of the past at K2, where engineers have pared away excess mass every which way, from the core composition to the binding components. The Luv Sick 80Ti is sold either flat ($800) or with an integrated Marker binding ($1,000). Either way, she excels at building the self-esteem of ladies who would rather keep cool and under control than push their boundaries outside their comfort zone.