FIRST LOOK: 2027 K2 Minbender 101

For 2027, K2 is making radical changes to their Mindbender family of skis. Construction, shaping, and overall profile have departed from the previous generation. Performance, as you might expect, has also shifted as a result. 

In order to wrap our heads (minds?) around what K2 has done, we should start at the top. Naming conventions have been simplified for the Mindbender family. Out goes the duality of the lineup: no more “Ti” and “C” models, as they’ve been simplified into one grouping and share the same construction elements across models. Out go the existing widths, and replacing them are the new 88, 96, 101, and 111.

Most importantly to the story of new Mindbenders is the shift in performance-enhancing additives. Out goes the Titanal “Y-Beam” construction, which was the metal laminate that split into two prong-like points into the tips and a single strut in the tail. Replacing that laminate layer is K2’s existing “I-Beam” technology, which has existed in their frontside Disruption collection previously and has found a home in the new generation of Mindbenders to provide power and smoothness. Additionally, K2 has introduced an entirely new performance technology that they are calling “Dark Matter.”

Dark Matter is essentially a pair of weights that get placed on the tips and tails of each set of Mindbenders to act as dampening agents and enhance performance. Per K2, Dark Matter is a new proprietary blend of polyurethane and metal powder. Each different model has different placements of the Dark Matter along the sides of each ski. The 111 and 101 have the Dark Matter down closer to the binding zone to allow for a more freeride focused feel. The 96 and 88 have the weights further up towards the start of the sidecut to help them engage better as carvers and give better edge grip.

When discussing this with K2, they told me for testing they started with weights you mind find on automobile tires, and adhering them to the ski at different “Enhanced Stability Points.” This sprouted the idea to come up with their own version of these weights, leading to the development of their Dark Matter technology. Also worth noting the Mindbenders get a new wood core, with Aspen and Paulownia being the main components here.

The Dark Matter on the 101 was nearly impossible to photograph, especially in the dim light of day two at Waterville Valley test day. The weights are about halfway between the binding and the Mindbender logo in the tip, and aren’t flush with the topsheet. You can see and feel them, similar to a layer of titanal, but thicker.

Alongside the Dark Matter, the Mindbenders also get new profiles and shaping. While not as radical as the construction changes, there is a notable amount of taper that has been added to the tips, ushering in a much more surfy feeling than previous Mindbenders. Previously having skied the 89ti and 99ti of the prior generation, those skis loved a crisp turn. With great engagement from the sidecut, both liked to bring skiers into sharp and powerful turns, especially the 89ti. 

By comparison, and also thanks to K2 including a gratuitous amount of rocker in tips and tails for 2027, the new entries into the Mindbender family are, in my opinion, quite different from their predecessors.  While sure, they are definitely still a performance oriented all-mountain/freeride ski that likes to carve turns, I found a somewhat smeary attitude from the new Mindbender 101 in the 185cm length. 

A blurry encapsulation of the tip rocker profile of the 2027 K2 Mindbender 101.

Looking at the sidecut from the outgoing Mindbender 99ti, which the 101 effectively replaces, had dimensions of 134mm in the shovel, 99mm at the waist, and 120mm in the tail. A truly directional shape, especially when considering a mount point of about 10.5cm from center. The 101 deviates considerably from this profile, with a 130mm shovel, 101mm underfoot, and 122mm out back. Going from a 14mm difference in tip-to-tail dimensions in the 99ti to 8mm in the 101 is a notable shift in profile, and I believe the performance reflects that difference. I was unable to get a measurement for mount point on the 101, but my money is on it being considerably closer to center than the 99ti’s recommended spot. Still directional, for the record, but not as far back as its predecessor.

Overall profile of the Mindbender 101 in the 185cm length. On the left ski you can note the trapezoidal shaped Dark Matter, especially alongside the right edge.

On its own merits, the 101 is a strong freeride ski that likes to be ridden hard. It can handle most anything you throw its way. I was fortunate enough to test many other skis back to back with the 101, a few that were wider, heavier, and burlier, but the K2 was in the upper echelon of performance after all the testing was said-and-done. It also was much more amenable to being tossed sideways when I wanted to dump speed. The 99ti was a great carving ski, and would hold you into your line with a lot of precision mid carve, leaving little to be desired if you wanted to deviate from your current path. 

Conditions weren't too great for testing out true carving on the 101, but the difference in performance was palpable, despite the conditions. The 99ti will likely be better for hard-charging hip-to-snow carves, while the 101 can get most of the way there while offering a lot more types of turns to its rider.

Many brands these days with new versions of their performance-focused and strong skis are focused almost as much on incorporating some approachability to them as they are with adding more high-end power to the mix. This direction was immediately noticeable to me during my limited time alongside the new 101, and the K2 reps I talked to reinforced my feelings during our discussions. 

I told this to the great folks at K2 after I gave back the 101, but the previous generation of Mindbenders were not my cup of tea. A bit too stiff and responsive to get the level of playfulness and maneuverability that I look for in a ski. For 2027 and the changes to the collection, headlined by their new Dark Matter technology, K2 has a strong entry into a crowded field filled with freeride focused competition. And with new construction technology and performance enhancing measures we haven't exactly seen before, K2 is pulling out all the stops to try and warp our brains.

I’m excited to hopefully spend some more time on the new Mindbender collection when I can, and they should be considerably more appealing to many skiers and riders.