K2’s new Konic technology represents a seismic shift in design philosophy, moving away from super damp structures to a lighter chassis with clearer snow feel.   The intent is to raise the performance ante so their flagship skis feel more powerful and precise than the comfy carriages of yore.

The new Pinnacle 95 is definitely lighter and more agile than the Annex 98, its closest kin in the 2015 collection. But it’s still a K2 through and through, focused on making the off-piste experience as easy as possible.  K2 never forgets why they made wider skis and rockered baselines in the first place: to simplify access to new terrain.  With a tapered tip and tail and All-Terrain Rocker, the Pinnacle 95 presents a shorter edge to the snow so it offers less resistance to pivoting and smearing in the off-trail conditions where it excels.

While the Pinnacle 95 has a penchant for the off-piste, it’s not like it wilts when confronted with corduroy.  “It has a light swing weight, but it’s still stable at speed,” wrote one impressed tester.  “Best in show,” exulted another, adding, “Holds edge through crud but remains playful and can change direction in an instant.  Loved it.”

The reason K2 has succeeded at making a ski that smears on demand yet holds an accurate edge when given the proper input is because everything about the Pinnacle’s make-up, particularly in the forebody, assists the skier in tilting the ski up on edge.  This is a significant difference from many other skis in this genre, particularly the more torsionally stiff models that measure 100mm underfoot, and the main reason why the Pinnacle 95 feels so fun, so friendly, so utterly easy to ski.

In sum, the Pinnacle 95 should thrill K2’s army of fans and recruit a few new ones to their fan club.