Mindbender 111 | 2027

New season, new Mindbender. This storied line of skis gets a complete redesign for 2027. The 111 is the widest ski in the new collection, drawing on defining characteristics of the previous Mindbender Carbon and TI models. The carbon skis had a light, playful nature, while the TI variants delivered the powerful feel of hard-charging directional skis. The new Mindbender 111 lands between those two personalities, damp stability without the weight of metal thanks to K2's new "Dark Matter" tech.

Dark Matter is the ski equivalent of wheel weights on a car, placed in specific locations to eliminate vibration. The layup relies on rectangular PU and metal powder inserts, above and below the binding area, to reduce vibrations without making the ski feel overly damp. Underneath those inserts, K2 opts for a wood core and a compact Titanal plate positioned in the center third of the ski, both lengthwise and widthwise, concentrating the metal underfoot without extending it into the tips, tails or edges. This construction yields a relatively soft flex that complements K2's directional twin shape, moderately symmetrical sidecut and low rocker lines.

The 111's construction, flex, shape and profile are a bit misleading because this ski is an absolute monster, punching well above its weight class in both power and stability when compared to other skis with similar characteristics. Those small PU and metal rectangular inserts make all the difference. Reducing vibration while allowing the ski's playful shape and profile to shine is a unique combination that's difficult to find in modern ski design.

The Mindbender 111 is designed for aggressive freeride and freestyle skiers who want a powder ski that can be thrown sideways just as easily as it can be pointed down the fall line. This ski never feels like a truck; rather, it rewards a more playful style of skiing but when it's time to open it up, this ski plows through variable snow.