Ski: 2018-2019 K2 Gottaluvit 105Ti, 170 cm
Available Lengths:156, 163, 170, 177 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length: 171.8 cm
Stated Weight per Ski: 1750 grams
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 1702 & 1721 grams
Stated Dimensions: 137-105-121 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 138.2-104.3-124.2
Stated Sidecut Radius: 16 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 64 mm / 29 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: ~1 mm
Core: Fir/NanoLite + Titanal (1 full layer, 1 partial layer over the edges) + Triaxial Fiberglass Laminate
Base: Sintered
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -11.6 cm from center; 74.3 cm from tail
Intro
For 18/19, K2’s widest women’s ski, the Luv Boat 105, is getting a new name and some tweaks to its construction. The new Gottaluvit 105Ti now shares the same Fir “Konic” core as the men’s Pinnacle skis, whereas the Luv Boat 105 (and K2’s other women’s freeride skis) use a lighter Aspen/Paulownia core.
The new Gottaluvit 105Ti looks like it could be a pretty strong option in the ~105mm class of women’s skis, so let’s take a closer look to see how it compares to the other skis in this category.
What K2 says about the Gottaluvit 105Ti:
“The Gottaluvit 105Ti floats through powder as easily as it slices through variable snow, upping your freeride game and making you feel like a hero.”
Like many skis in this waist width, K2 is emphasizing the versatility of the Gottaluvit 105Ti (thought the Gottaluvit 105Ti is definitely one of the first skis we’ve heard of that’s supposed to make you “feel like a hero”).
K2 doesn’t specifically talk about the Gottaluvit 105Ti’s firm-snow performance, so we’re curious to see whether it will be a ski that you should really only take out when it’s dumping, or if it will also feel at home when the snow gods are less generous.
Shape / Rocker Profile
The Gottaluvit 105Ti has a lot of tip taper for a ski of this width, and less drastic, but still notable taper in the tail. Compared to the Line Pandora 104, the Gottaluvit 105Ti’s tips and tails taper to more of a point, but the taper lines on both skis start at similar points on each ski. Compared to the Blizzard Sheeva 10, the Gottaluvit 105Ti has significantly more tip and tail taper.
Just like the men’s Pinnacle skis, the Gottaluvit 105Ti has very deep tip and tail rocker lines compared to other skis of similar widths. The Gottaluvit 105Ti doesn’t have super high tip or tail splay, but its rocker lines definitely seem in line with K2’s claims about its float in powder.
Weight
All of the skis in K2’s women’s freeride line are pretty light for their respective sizes, and the Gottaluvit 105Ti is no exception.
For reference, below are a few of our measured weights (per ski in grams) for some notable skis. As always, keep in mind the length differences to keep things more apples-to-apples:
1626 & 1645 Line Pandora 104, 165 cm (18/19)
1635 & 1646 Blizzard Black Pearl 98, 166 cm (17/18, 18/19)
1651 & 1669 Moment Sierra, 172 cm (17/18, 18/19)
1660 & 1667 DPS Alchemist Zelda 106, 168 cm (18/19)
1702 & 1721 K2 Gottaluvit 105Ti, 170 cm (18/19)
1709 & 1710 Blizzard Sheeva 10, 172 cm (17/18, 18/19)
1821 & 1824 Liberty Genesis 106, 171 cm (17/18, 18/19)
1936 & 1956 Volkl Aura, 170 cm (17/18)
1983 & 1999 Nordica Santa Ana 100, 177 cm (17/18, 18/19)
While it’s not the lightest ski in its class, the Gottaluvit 105Ti is still significantly lighter than more traditional metal-laminate skis like the Volkl Aura. So we’re interested to see how the Gottaluvit 105Ti’s combination of a low weight and metal-laminate construction feels on snow, especially when conditions are less than perfect.
Some Questions / Things We’re Curious About
(1) With such deep rocker lines, we expect the Gottaluvit 105Ti to float very well for its width. But will all that rocker and taper leave the Gottaluvit 105Ti lacking when it comes to firm-snow performance?
(2) Like the Blizzard Sheeva 10, the Gottaluvit 105Ti is a pretty light ski that also features a metal laminate. But the Gottaluvit 105Ti has one full layer of titanal and an additional partial layer over its edges (vs. the Sheeva 10’s single partial layer). So will the Gottaluvit 105Ti be noticeably damper and more stable than similarly light skis?
Bottom Line (For Now)
The K2 Gottaluvit 105Ti looks like an all-mountain ski that should perform very well for its width in soft snow. But our biggest questions revolve around how this ski will handle the days that aren’t blower. Stay tuned for updates, and let us know in the comment section below about anything you’d like us to address in our full review.
NEXT: ROCKER PROFILE PICS