Tuesday, March 19, 2013

My Review of K2 SideShow Skis 2012

Originally submitted at evo

K2 SideShow Skis 2012: The new K2 SlideShow Skis are for the skier who spends more time on firm snow, be it in bounds or out. With a Metal Laminate and a tighter sidecut you will be etching laser sharp arcs on rock hard boiler plate, and with All-Terrain Rocker the SideShow still holds its own in p...


Excellent all-rounder

By LePistoir from North Lake Tahoe on 3/19/2013

 

5out of 5

Pros: Good Grip, Good Carving Ability, Smooth Ride, Great Flotation, Forgiving, Durable

Best Uses: Powder Skiing, Moguls, Groomed Terrain, Downhill

Describe Yourself: Expert

Was this a gift?: No

I like K2 skis. I had a pair of Mt Baker 188s that were my first "fat" skis at 88mm underfoot. I have much fatter skis now for deep days, but I still want something in my quiver for firm days, groomers and less than 6" of fresh. I also use these as a lighter setup for long tours, corn, and ski-mountaineering. They have the classic K2 characteristics of mellow sidecut, forgiving flex and not-too-heavy/not-too-expensive that I liked about the Bakers. I went down a size from the Bakers as I wanted less weight, don't really plan on skiing deep powder, kick turns are easier (and jump turns too). I'm 6'2", 200lbs and Type III+ skier. They still carve and hold together great at speed. Mounted with tech bindings. 85mm G3 ski crampons just barely clear the waist.

***the skin notch in the tail is a great feature. It is a really secure fit with G3 skin tail attachment. The tips are a solid fit too. Sometimes, it's actually a little frustrating to remove the skins without removing the skis. I think I would probably choose the K2 skins if I didn't already have some G3s that I trimmed down for them.

(legalese)