As skiers, we are a dedicated breed who stay loyal to our favorite brands. With tons of great ski options on the market, however, it's always fun to look and see what's new. In this article, we'll look at some offerings from one of the top ski brands of all time—K2 skis. As a brand, K2 offers a wide range of different models catering to everyone from absolute beginners through hardcore experts.
To review these K2 skis we have broken down a few features of each one as well as their price and general availability. We also give a few pros and cons for each model so you can have a quick reference for comparison. We also chose one overall top pick out of the bunch based on value, quality, performance, and versatility.
K2 Skis FAQ
1. What Are K2 Skis?
K2 is one of the leading brands of skis manufacturers in the outdoor space. They were founded near Seattle, Washington, in 1962 and are currently owned by a private equity firm.
2. Who Should Use K2 Skis?
They make a wide range of skis from beginner to expert models including all-mountain, racing, and powder specific skis. They are also leaders in the telemark and alpine touring space.
3. What Is K2's Claim to Fame?
K2 set themselves apart as a brand in part by helping to pioneer to the use of fiberglass in skis. They also closely identified with free skiing and extreme skiing to give the brand a marketing edge.
4. Where Can You Buy K2 Skis?
K2 Skis are available through most reputable ski shops and can also be found on Amazon.com.
5. Why Should You Consider K2 Over Other Brands?
The right ski is a personal choice for every skier, but K2 offers some unique models and options that other brands won't have. Like every ski brand, K2 has their own mix of materials, construction, shapes, widths, and lengths. They will also have different aesthetics.
How We Reviewed
For this article, we chose a group of skis from K2 that represents a cross-section of their products. We split our review into two separate sections—women's skis and men's skis. Though K2's men's and women's offerings share features, they are fundamentally different products and deserve consideration on their own. We have considered each of these K2 skis on their own merits but also in comparison to other competing skis on the market.
Comparison Table
Overall Price Range Of This Product (And Similar Products)
K2 skis will vary widely in price depending on the model, size, look, and even the time of year. The skis on this list usually sell on Amazon for around $$ to $$$.
What We Reviewed
K2 Skis for Women
K2 Skis for Men
K2 Skis For Women
1.) K2 ThrillLuvIt 85
FEATURES
K2's ThrillLubIt 85 is a great on-trail ski for mid-level women looking to improve their turning. These skis have a wood core and fiberglass laminate coupled with a tip rocker and camber underfoot. They're light, responsive, and forgiving for those looking work on their technique and enjoy the benefits of an easy ride.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$.
Pros
Cons
2.) K2 True Luv Womens Skis
FEATURES
This ski and binding package is a great value option for intermediate and mid-level skiers. They are geared towards recreational use with a fir/aspen wood core and BioKonic carbon construction. With K2's Speed Rocker shape they also provide some nice performance when it's time to lock in on a carving run.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$$.
Pros
Cons
3.) K2 Empress
FEATURES
The Empress from K2 is one of the leading terrain park skis for women. It's built super tough to stand up to the kind of beatings dished out by today's modern park skier. Some key features include K2's proprietary Carbon Boost Braid, DuraCap construction, and an aspen wood core.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$.
Pros
Cons
4.) K2 Alluvit 88
FEATURES
The Alluvit 88 from K2 is a super versatile all-mountain ski that comes with a high-quality binding from Marker. At 88mm underfoot, this is ski has enough loft for powder but it's not too wide for groomers. The Bioflex Nanolite core technology also provides a playful response with much better weight characteristics than some wood or metal skis.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$.
Pros
Cons
5.) K2 Juvy Ski
FEATURES
K2's Fulluvit 95 is a high-performance all-mountain ski that has some advanced features designed specifically for women. It's a light and responsive ski, but with 95mm underfoot it's also ready to float in powder and crud. They loaded this ski with the Bioflex core and metal reinforcement to give good stiffness without sacrificing response.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$.
Pros
Cons
6.) K2 Missconduct
FEATURES
The Missconduct from K2 is an all-mountain ski with a specific eye on the terrain park and halfpipe. It's not as wide as some all-mountain skis, but its wood core and carbon reinforced walls make it poppy and versatile. These have K2's Carbon Boost braiding system across the forward and rear quarters to prove a touch of extra stiffness in tough conditions.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$.
Pros
Cons
K2 Skis For Men
7.) K2 Tough Luv
- Sidecut: 129/82/111 mm at 160 cm length Turn Radius: 14 meters at 160 cm length
- Wood Core with Carbon Layering
- Sidewall Construction
FEATURES
The Tough Luv from K2 is a high-performance ski for men looking to ride everything the resort has to offer. It's got a fir wood core but features a proprietary wrapped fiberglass reinforcement. The result is a ski that's poppy and responsive but also forgiving when you hop off the trail and grab some fresh off-piste snow. This is a great choice for mid-level skiers looking for great response without getting into anything too aggressive.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$$.
Pros
Cons
FEATURES
The Catamaran is a true powder ski from K2 that will keep you floating high with the white piles up. This is a super wide ski with 120mm underfoot. The tip and tail measure 136mm and a 131mm respectively, and a soft wood core gives lots of flex in the fresh powder. Selective carbon reinforcement throughout gives just enough stiffness to get you in and out of the deep snow fields.
The K2 Catamaran is worth a look for experts in the market for a big, fat, dedicated powder ski under $1,000.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$$.
Pros
Cons
9.) K2 iKonic 84
FEATURES
The iKonic 85 from K2 is an all-mountain ski for advanced and expert skiers. This is a stiff and powerful ski for those who want to drive their edges hard, but don't want to compromise on performance in mixed conditions. It has an aspen and paulownia wood core coupled with carbon reinforcement on the top and sides. The design, called K2 Konic technology, delivers maximum control to the edges without adding much weight throughout.
The iKonic 85 will appeal the most to an advanced skier who plans to carve their edges hard on crusty groomers throughout the day.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$.
Pros
Cons
10.) K2 Pinnacle 95
FEATURES
The Pinnacle 95 Ti is another stellar all-mountain ski for men from K2. This ski combines a fir wood and Nanolite Konic core for excellent energy transfer in a light, responsive package. These skis will keep you floating in the powdery glades, but a metal reinforced center beam will also keep your ripping firm groomers. The all-terrain specific rocker on these skis will also satisfy aggressive skiers who want an extra dose of stability at high speeds.
The Pinnacle is a great set of K2 skis for any mid-level to advanced skier looking primarily to hang on groomers with the potential of a few powder shots.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$$.
Pros
Cons
11.) K2 Press Skis
- K2 continues its tradition of building a versatile ski at a great price that will please a lot of skiers of varying...
- Sidecut: 111/85/104 mm at 169 cm length
- Turn Radius: 19 m at 169 cm length
FEATURES
The press skis from K2 is an innovative asymmetrical that was designed by pro skiing legend Pep Fujas. Unlike most skis, these have a dedicated left and right. The different edge lengths and shapes of these skis flourish in powder as the downhill edge and uphill actual match in turning radius. This gives you optimum lift in soft snow while still giving you plenty of power in hard pack. These are a great choice for advanced all-mountain skiers with an eye on freestyle and park skiing.
PRICE
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$$.
Pros
Cons
The Verdict
Our top overall pick from this list of K2 skis is the men's Marksman. This is a fun, versatile, and high-performance ski that is a great choice for cruising on East Coast groomers or bombing a big mountain line in the West. The look, feel, and overall vibe of this ski is definitely geared more towards "new schoolers" that gravitate towards softer twin-tip skis. If you're a hard-charging expert looking to carve all day, then this might be too soft.
If you're a high-end skier that wants to follow the fresh tracks and cruise fast over rollers, however, then this is an awesome choice. The asymmetrical design will help you keep both skis points straight down the hill when you find a fresh powder line with no need to ski 90 miles an hour. This innovative design combined with great performance on the groomers make the Marksman a winning pick for anyone seeking a new set of boards this winner.
