K2 ski reviews 2010
K2 remains, thus far, the top selling brand in North America. With one of the most distinctive "personalities" among brands, solid, smooth, damp K2's are beloved by many— and not at all to the taste of others. K2 fans are on safe ground; those who have not skied K2 should definitely demo before committing.
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Crossfire
For a company that has become synonymous with backside and freeride, K2's certainly hasn't lost its knack for building a versatile carver. The consensus is that the new Crossfire is the best carver K2 has produced in a while. It has great edge hold, is well balanced in term of performance characteristics and even drew rave comments about its graphics. It is nimble, stable, easy to ski and readily responds to traditional technique. "Another WOW!," wrote one tester. "I relaxed and enjoyed the ride, even though I was tired when I skied it. That's praise, if you think about it . . .
Free Luv
Good choice for developing skier who spends a lot of time on the groomed and is beginning to venture off-piste and into reasonable (6"+/-) powder. Definitely should not be skied as fast as the Burnin' Luv under most conditions, but should satisfy most recreational skiers of Level 7 - 8.
Recon
Still the Apache "Reliable." Excellent all mountain ski, with solid hard snow performance. Damp, stable and still fairly lively. Can be balky with steering technique. The numbers don't really tell the story. The Recon is more than the sum of its parts. For good skiers . . .
Raider
Recon lite! Soft, user friendly, lacks the Recon's powerful top end. For lighter and less aggressive skiers. Good first "all-mountain" ski for level 6/7 skiers.
ShesBack
Why this ski is included in the new backside question is a mystery; it has all the characteristics of and all mountain or Big Mountain Carver, although free heelers should like it as well. Agile, nimble, solid edge hold, stable and easy skiing were some of the words our testers used to describe the She'sBack. This is much more than a freeride special. It is a well balanced 1-ski-quiver, suitable to skiers of levels 7 through 9.
BackLash
More forgiving and lesser performing than the Hardside. Versatile in the sense that it has good frontside manners, but it may be best as a ski for those who are just becoming serious about back country skiing. Good choice for entry-level backside free riders.
