Ski: 2025-2026 K2 Reckoner 102, 184 cm
Test Locations: Taos Ski Valley, NM; Crested Butte Mountain Resort, CO
Days Skied: ~15
Available Lengths: 163, 170, 177, 184, 191 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 184.1 cm
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 2040 & 2061 grams
Stated Dimensions: 134-102-127 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 133.5-101-126 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (184 cm): 19.4 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 61 mm / 56 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 7.5 mm
Core Materials: aspen + carbon stringers & “spectral braid” + fiberglass laminate
Base: sintered
Factory Recommended Mount Points:
- “Team”: -2.1 cm from center / 89.9 cm from tail
- “Midsole”: -4.2 cm from center / 87.8 cm from tail
Boots Used: Lange Shadow 130 MV, Atomic Hawx Ultra 130, Atomic Redster CS 130, Armada AR One 130
Bindings Used: Tyrolia Attack 13
[Note: Our review was conducted on the 24/25 Reckoner 102, which returns unchanged for 25/26, except for the graphics.]
Intro
Back in the 2020-2021 season, K2 launched a brand-new collection of freestyle-oriented skis, the Reckoners. We tested all of them, and the original Reckoner 102 was a standout in that series, providing an exceptionally playful yet surprisingly versatile ride.
For the 2024-2025 season, K2 overhauled the Reckoners, including a brand-new Reckoner 110, Reckoner 124, and Karl Fostvedt’s pro model, the Reckoner KF. The Reckoner 102 didn’t see a complete overhaul, but K2 still took the opportunity to tweak its construction (all the Reckoners return unchanged for 25/26, except for their new graphics).
The primary goal with the ‘v2’ Reckoner 102’s update was to improve the ski’s long-term durability, rather than drastically changing its on-snow personality, but we were curious to see how accurate that would prove to be on snow. And after spending just over a full season on the new ski, it’s time to weigh in.
What K2 says about the Reckoner 102:
“Featuring the same tech as its bigger siblings, with new technology for 24' The Reckoner 102 is a playful tool built for whipping cork threes off cat tracks, hitting butters and exploring all over the hill. Strapped with patented Spectral Braid construction, full sidewall and Aspen Micro Block core, it delivers on versatility and playfulness. Its durability and pop come from it’s Carbon Boosted design where longitudinal carbon stringers laid on top of the core keep you hunting side hits all day long. Wherever you decide to take it, the Reckoner 102 has got your back.”
For a more in-depth explanation of the revised Reckoner 102 and the development of the whole series, check out our GEAR:30 episode with K2 engineer, Sean Fearon:
Construction
The v2 Reckoner 102 features internal updates, rather than any changes to its shape, rocker profile, etc.
For starters, the v2 ski uses K2’s “Aspen Veneer” core, which consists of a lot of ‘micro stringers’ of aspen wood (the v1 ski used an aspen / fir core with wider, more traditional wood stringers).
The v2 Reckoner 102 still features K2’s “Spectral Braid,” which is a reinforcement layer with a variable-angle weave. The weave is more open at the tips and tails and features tighter angles around the middle of the ski; the idea is that it increases torsional stiffness (and edge hold) around the middle while keeping the tips and tails looser / less torsionally stiff.
The latest Reckoner 102 also gets K2’s “Carbon Boost Braid,” a series of carbon fiber stringers that run longitudinally for added rebound. Those stringers are woven into K2’s “Triaxial Braid,” which is a fiberglass laminate that wraps around the wood core (rather than just over or under it) for added torsional stiffness and durability.
In addition to the wood core changes, this is one of the main updates for the v2 ski; the Triaxial-Braided core was borrowed from K2’s park-specific Poacher and Omen skis, which have generally had a great reputation for durability. Lastly, K2 also added rubber “bumpers” around the tips and tails to further bolster durability.
Shape & Rocker Profile
No big change here — the latest Reckoner 102 maintains the same minimally tapered and nearly symmetrical shape of the original.
It also features very similar tip and tail rocker lines, which are fairly shallow / conservative when it comes to other freestyle-oriented skis around the same width. Our v2 Reckoner 102 does have a bit more camber underfoot than our v1 ski, but it’s a pretty minor difference.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Reckoner 102:
Tips: 5-5.5
Shovels: 6-6.5
In Front of Toe Piece: 7-10
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 10-8
Tails: 7.5-5.5
This flex pattern feels pretty similar to the v1 Reckoner 102, but the v2 ski does feel a bit stiffer just outside the binding area. That said, this is still a pretty soft ski overall; the ends of its tips and tails are very easy to bend, and then there’s a pretty slow (but smooth) ramp-up in stiffness as you move toward the middle of the ski.
Sidecut Radius
At 19.4 meters for the 184 cm length, the Reckoner 102’s stated sidecut radius is pretty typical for its class (if anything, it’s just a tad on the longer side of things).
Mount Point
The Reckoner 102 comes with two potential recommended mount points. The “Team” line is quite centered, at -2 cm from true center, while the “Midsole” line is just a bit farther back at -4 cm.
Weight (and Comparisons)
Going from v1 to v2, the Reckoner 102 gained just a bit of weight. At about 2050 grams per ski for our 184 cm length, the v2 Reckoner 102 is roughly 100 grams heavier per ski than the original. That said, the v2 Reckoner 102 is nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to weight — plenty of comparable skis come in at similar weights.
For reference, below are some of our measured weights (per ski in grams) for some notable skis. As always, keep in mind the length and width differences to try to keep things more apples-to-apples.
1707 & 1752 4FRNT Switch, 184 cm
1735 & 1741 Elan Ripstick 96, 182 cm
1763 & 1783 Salomon Depart.01, 180 cm
1778 & 1792 Liberty Scope 104, 188 cm
1800 & 1824 Romp Zorro 100, 183 cm
1808 & 1823 Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, 180 cm
1806 & 1884 Head Oblivion 102, 189 cm
1824 & 1843 Season Kin, 181 cm
1830 & 1860 ZAG Slap 98, 180 cm
1831 & 1844 K2 Mindbender 96C, 178 cm
1851 & 1868 Folsom Completo 100, 186 cm
1869 & 1873 Line Sakana, 181 cm
1880 & 1887 Blizzard Rustler 9, 180 cm
1883 & 1906 Season Aero, 180 cm
1893 & 1925 Icelantic Nomad 100, 188 cm
1894 & 1919 RMU Apostle 96 Ti, 184 cm
1896 & 1942 K2 Reckoner 102, 184 cm (v1)
1901 & 1902 Renoun Endurance 98, 184 cm
1925 & 1934 Black Crows Camox, 186 cm
1929 & 1982 Faction Studio 2, 183 cm
1933 & 1977 Line Optic 88, 184cm
1938 & 2003 Nordica Unleashed 98, 186 cm
1944 & 1952 Fischer Nightstick 97, 184 cm
1947 & 1962 Meier Wrangler, 185 cm
1951 & 2003 Dynastar M-Free 100, 185 cm
1956 & 1976 Blizzard Rustler 10, 186 cm
1976 & 2000 Line Pandora 99, 184 cm
1997 & 2001 ZAG Slap 104, 188 cm
1999 & 2060 Line Blade, 181 cm
2024 & 2112 Dynastar M-Free 99, 185 cm
2040 & 2061 K2 Reckoner 102, 184 cm
2054 & 2063 Salomon QST 98, 189 cm
2057 & 2061 Fischer Ranger 102, 183 cm
2077 & 2096 Line Optic 96, 184 cm
2090 & 2122 Fischer Nightstick 104, 188 cm
For the 2024-2025 season, we’ve partnered with Carv to use their Carv 2 sensors and digital ski coach app to not only learn more about our own skiing technique, but also add more useful info to our ski reviews. Here, you’ll see us reference some of the data that the Carv 2 sensors record and analyze while we’re skiing. Check out our announcement to learn more about how Carv works, why we’re excited to use it as a tool for our reviews, and how to get a discount on your own Carv setup.
FULL REVIEW
We started spending time on the v2 Reckoner 102 a little over a year ago, kicking things off with some mid-winter laps at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. We then took it on a spring review trip to Taos Ski Valley, and we’ve continued skiing it throughout the 24/25 season.
Groomers / On-Piste Performance
Luke Koppa (5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg): For what it is, the Reckoner 102 carves quite well. Some freestyle-oriented skis, especially those with soft flex patterns like the Reckoner 102, can feel vague and ‘mushy’ when you try to carve them hard. Fortunately, the Reckoner 102 actually holds an edge pretty well for its class and offers an engaging and rewarding experience on piste.
With fairly fresh edges, I can arc high-edge-angle carves on this ski, even on pretty firm snow. I don’t think it’s a dramatic difference, but the v2 Reckoner 102 does generally seem better than the v1 when it comes to edge hold.
As with many skis with similarly centered mount points, the Reckoner 102 doesn’t require (or reward) a really aggressive, forward stance. If you put a ton of pressure on this ski’s shovels, it will easily bend into tighter turns, but its tail is also pretty inclined to release and not finish that carve with lots of precision.
Rather, the Reckoner 102 rewards a fairly centered stance. It’s easy to get this ski on edge by rolling it over using your ankles (rather than bending the shovels a whole lot), but as you get used to it, you can still drive the front to manipulate it into tighter arcs.
Looking at my Carv data, I tended to average turn sizes between 16-20 meters on the 184 cm Reckoner 102. Because you can just roll it from edge to edge from your ankles and it doesn’t require much force to bend, the Reckoner 102 feels pretty engaging at slow speeds. That said, it doesn’t come close to the power, precision, and energy of a narrower ski with a tighter sidecut radius (e.g., K2 Disruption 78C or Black Crows Mirus Cor).
Overall, I think the Reckoner 102 is a great carver, relative to the rest of the freestyle and park-oriented category. But if you’re expecting the same precision and power as a stiff, directional, flat-tailed ski, you might be let down (or just need a reality check).
Dylan Wood (5’10.5”, 160 lbs / 179 cm, 72.5 kg): I totally agree. The Reckoner 102 is great at carving for a freestyle-oriented ski. It has good edge hold for its class, and when carving the ski, it feels like you are engaging the entire sidecut. It carves a variety of turn shapes well, and can easily be feathered out of a carve, too.
Moguls, Trees, & Tight Terrain
Luke: Overall, the Reckoner 102 is very easy in tight terrain. Its soft flex pattern, surfy ride, and low swing weight all make it accessible and maneuverable when navigating through moguls, trees, and the like.
As with the v1 ski, the v2 Reckoner 102 prefers a fairly centered stance, but its sweet spot feels very large. I can drive the shovels a bit or even steer from the backseat (as evidenced by the photo below) and still feel like I’ve got pretty good control of the ski.
When I get on skis with similarly centered mount points, I sometimes feel like I’m on a see-saw — oscillating between over-flexing the front of the ski or getting bucked by the long tail behind me. That’s not the case with the Reckoner 102. For the most part, I can just keep my weight balanced around the middle of the ski and let the tips and tails conform to whatever obstacles I’m trying to get around or over.
I think directional skiers coming from more rearward-mounted skis should still expect a bit of a learning curve with the Reckoner 102, but it’s not as drastic as many freestyle skis that seem similar on paper. Just don’t expect the Reckoner 102’s shovels to offer a lot of support if you come flying into a really big mogul. Plus, the Reckoner 102 could also be a great fit for beginners and intermediates dipping their toes into off-piste skiing.
Dylan: The Reckoner 102 is indeed a very maneuverable ski that handles tight terrain quite nicely. As Luke mentioned, its sweet spot is large, especially given its fairly soft flex. It’s loose, has a relatively light swing weight, and is very forgiving, making it one of the easiest skis out there for wiggling through tight spots.
Powder, Soft Chop, & Slush
Luke: The Reckoner 102 is generally fine in fresh and/or deep snow, but it’s not what I’d pick if I planned to ski a lot of that. The Reckoner 102’s preference for a centered stance is more pronounced the deeper the snow; its shovels are easy to submerge (or fold up) if you drive them in pow that’s deeper than a few inches. And its tails don’t offer lots of support if you land backseat in deep conditions.
If you keep your weight balanced around the middle, though, the Reckoner 102 is pretty easy to carve and slash through soft snow. Still, the wider Reckoner 110 is much, much better when it comes to flotation, maneuverability, and stability in powder and chop.
That said, the Reckoner 102 is a blast in slush. When there’s a supportive base underneath, I don’t have to worry about submerging the shovels, and the ski feels very easy to carve, slash, and slide through soft-but-shallow snow.
Dylan: Totally. I find myself skiing more from my heels on the Reckoner 102 in deeper and softer snow. It’s still pretty loose in powder, though, and more centered / freestyle-oriented skiers should have no problem in shallower snow. For more significant snowfall, say more than 6 inches (15 cm), I’d opt for the Reckoner 110.
As for slush, it’s not a coincidence that we’re posting this review at this time of year. The Reckoner 102 is a blast in slush, where the snow’s inherent suspension helps the Reckoner feel more stable, while still allowing its very playful nature to shine through.
Firm Chop & Crud
Luke: Between its soft flex pattern, centered mount point, and moderate weight, the Reckoner 102 is far from a charger. If you try to make big, fast turns in rough snow on this ski, it’ll quickly let you know that it was not designed to excel in that scenario.
Still, the Reckoner 102 provides very nice suspension for its weight, and because it’s generally so easy to ski, it’s very conducive to taking a slower, more conservative approach when the snow is nasty. I think the v2 ski is a bit better than v1 in this regard, but neither stands out for its high-speed composure.
Dylan: This newer Reckoner 102 is notably more stable than the original Reckoner 102 in firm chop and crud. And, as Luke brought up, for how playful it is, it does handle these conditions surprisingly well. But there are still many other options out there that are better for skiing hard through crud.
Playfulness & Park Performance
Luke: As with v1, the v2 Reckoner 102 gets high marks in pretty much all the categories that go into overall ‘playfulness.’ This ski is very easy to bend, it’s very balanced, it doesn’t have a hefty swing weight, it produces a good amount of rebound / pop, and it’s pretty loose / surfy.
I’d opt for the much stiffer K2 Omen Team if I was forced to hit World-Cup-sized jumps, and the wider Reckoners offer more support and composure if you’re airing off natural features and into variable runouts. But the Reckoner 102 is an exceptionally playful park and all-mountain ski, to the point that it encourages me (someone who’s mostly given up on getting better in the freestyle department) to continue to try more tricks and hit more features.
As for K2’s claims about improved durability, we don’t have the best data to go off, simply because both our v1 and v2 Reckoner 102 have held up just fine to Crested Butte’s rocky terrain and a handful of park laps during most testing days.
That said, I’d heard several 2nd-hand reports about the v1 ski eventually delaminating; it’s only been in production for a year as of writing this, but I have yet to hear about a v2 Reckoner 102 showing ‘premature’ durability issues. Based on the reputation of the old Poacher’s burly construction (much of which was applied to the v2 Reckoners), I’d be willing to bet that the v2 ski will, on average, hold up better to rails, rocks, etc.
Dylan: The Reckoner 102 is a very playful ski. It’s easy to butter, press, and do slow-speed maneuvers on. It has a balanced swing weight, and is very comfortable skiing switch. It’s also loose and surfy, leaving very little to be desired in the realm of playfulness.
That being said, the original Reckoner 102 was even lighter and even softer, making it easier to bend and butter. This newer Reckoner is definitely more stable on bigger features, though, whereas the v1 Reckoner often felt like it demanded centered landings since its tails and shovels didn’t offer much support. This newer Reckoner definitely has a bigger sweet spot. The newer Reckoner is also a bit heavier, making for a slight increase in swing weight, but as I mentioned earlier, it still feels very balanced.
So, this is still a very playful ski that feels at home in the park, and this latest Reckoner 102 feels a bit more balanced than the original in terms of how well it handles both smaller and bigger features.
Mount Point
Luke: I spent most of my time on the Reckoner 102 with it mounted on its “Midsole” line (-4 cm from true center). Moving forward to the “Team” line (-2 cm) made it feel a bit more balanced in the air and when skiing switch, but as a fairly directional skier, I preferred the added support from the front of the ski when mounted a bit farther back.
I also tried it mounted around -5 cm from true center, but I couldn’t really notice a difference vs. the “Midsole” line. I suspect that most people will prefer the Midsole line, but those who spend a lot of time in the park and/or a lot of time on truly center-mounted skis will likely prefer the Team line.
Dylan: Luke’s last sentence sums it up nicely. If you’re buying the Reckoner 102 as a wider park ski, go with the “Team” line, and if you are adding it to the quiver as a more playful all-mountain ski, mount it on the “Midsole” line.
Who’s It For?
Luke: I think the Reckoner 102 makes the most sense for folks who, at the very least, prioritize some form of playfulness. But that could span from directional skiers seeking a forgiving and maneuverable all-mountain ski to freestyle aficionados who want to butter, surf, and slash.
As noted above, the Reckoner 102 does prefer a more centered stance than directional skis with recommended mount points around -6 cm or farther back from center. However, I wouldn’t call it a freestyle-specific ski. As someone who rarely spins past 360° and gets along really well with some decidedly directional skis, I still really enjoy skiing the Reckoner 102. It requires a slight adjustment to my skiing stance and approach, but not so much that it’s a dealbreaker.
As an all-mountain ski, the Reckoner 102 could work for anyone from first-timers to experts. This ski is very easy to carve on piste and maneuver through off-piste moguls, making it a great beginner option. But, once you get used to it, it can also be skied quite hard, provided you’re more into making lots of smaller, quicker turns and airs, rather than laying down Super-G arcs through crud.
As an all-mountain-freestyle and/or park ski, the Reckoner 102 makes the most sense if you prefer a softer flex pattern. This ski isn’t all that supportive on firm snow, but it’s really fun at moderate speeds and can handle bigger hits if you tend to land fairly balanced.
Dylan: Amen!
Bottom Line
With the latest Reckoner 102, K2 maintained pretty much the same personality as the original, and that’s totally fine by us. This ski still stands out as one of the most playful options in its class, but it’s also a very capable all-mountain option for folks who want a very forgiving and maneuverable setup.
Our Deep Dives, Winter Buyer’s Guide, & Flash Reviews
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Deep Dive: K2 Reckoner 102
We compare the K2 Reckoner 102 to the previous Reckoner 102, K2 Reckoner 110, K2 Omen Team, Line Chronic 101, Black Crows Camox, Fischer Nightstick 97, J Skis Allplay, Head Oblivion 102, Dynastar M-Free 99, Dynastar M-Free 100, Armada Edollo, Season Kin, Nordica Unleashed 98, 4FRNT Switch, Faction Studio 2, Völkl Revolt 104, and Salomon Depart.
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Flash Review: 24/25 K2 Reckoner 110
The new Reckoner 110 has been spotted everywhere from the park to the top of FWT podiums, but what’s it like for us non-pro skiers? Here are Luke Koppa’s initial thoughts.
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2024-2025 Blister Digital Winter Buyer’s Guide
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Flash Review: 24/25 K2 Omen Team
The Omen Team replaces the longstanding Poacher in K2’s park lineup, and while we have been lapping the park on it, one of our reviewers was curious to see how it’d work as more of a do-everything all-mountain option. Here are our initial thoughts.
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