iKonic 80Ti

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.

Luv Sick 80Ti

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.