Ski: 2022-2023 K2 Mindbender 89Ti, 182 cm
Test Location: Mt. Crested Butte, CO
Days Skied: ~15
Available Lengths: 164, 170, 176, 182, 188 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 181.7 cm
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 1915 & 1937 grams
Stated Dimensions: 130-89-114 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 129.8-88.3-113.6 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (182 cm): 16.6 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 56 mm / 16 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 7 mm
Core Materials: aspen + titanal “Y-Beam” layer + fiberglass laminate
Base: sintered
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -10.55 cm from center; 80.3 cm from tail
Boots / Bindings: Tecnica Mach1 MV 130, Atomic Hawx Ultra 130, Lange RS130 / Marker Griffon
Intro
Along with the Mindbender 99Ti and Mindbender 108Ti, the narrowest ski in K2’s Mindbender series also got an update for 22/23.
For a rundown on the whole 22/23 Mindbender lineup (and more), be sure to check out our Blister Summit Brand Lineup video with K2’s head ski designer, Jed Yeiser (see below). But for now, it’s time to get into what makes the Mindbender 89Ti stand out in the <90mm-wide all-mountain category.
What K2 says about the Mindbender 89Ti
“The most versatile member of the Mindbender family.
When soft snow is in short supply, turn to the K2 Mindbender 89Ti men’s freeride ski. Although it’s built with the same Titanal Y-Beam construction and All-Terrain Rocker profile as its other metal-reinforced Mindbender siblings, the 89Ti stands apart thanks to a narrower waist width. The result is a ski that has the precision edge hold you need to dominate the hardpack, but is still wide enough for forays into the ungroomed.”
Shape / Rocker Profile
The Mindbender 89Ti looks a fair bit like the Mindbender 99Ti, but with some expected tweaks — the Mindbender 89Ti features a longer effective edge with less dramatic tapering at the tips and tails, as well as slightly shallower rocker lines at both end. Still, compared to many skis around the same width, the Mindbender 89Ti has pretty deep (but low-slung) tip and tail rocker lines, and a touch of a tip and tail taper.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Mindbender 89Ti:
Tips: 6
Shovels: 6-6.5
In Front of Toe Piece: 7-10
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 9.5-8.5
Tails: 8-7.5
The Mindbender 89 Ti is just a bit softer overall than the Mindbender 99Ti; the 89Ti has fairly soft tips and tails for a metal-laminate ski, but there’s a smooth ramp-up in stiffness as you move from its extremities to the middle of the ski.
Sidecut Radius
Coming in at 16.6 meters for the 182 cm length, the Mindbender 89Ti’s stated sidecut radius is a touch on the shorter side of the spectrum, and notably shorter than the stated sidecut radii of the wider Mindbenders.
Mount Point
Similar to the other Mindbender skis, the Mindbender 89Ti’s recommended mount point is a bit over -10 cm behind true center, firmly in directional territory (more on this below).
Weight
Our pair of the 182 cm Mindbender 89Ti weighs in at about 1925 grams per ski, which is neither super light nor super heavy for its size. As we’re about to get into, this ski’s weight can be a big benefit in certain conditions, without going so far as to be a serious drawback in most scenarios.
1780 & 1800 Line Blade Optic 92, 182 cm (22/23)
1781 & 1795 Atomic Maverick 100 Ti, 180 cm (21/22–22/23)
1801 & 1839 Salomon Stance 90, 176 cm (20/21–22/23)
1807 & 1840 Atomic Bent 100, 188 cm (18/19–22/23)
1808 & 1823 Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95, 180 cm (21/22–22/23)
1810 & 1828 Armada Declivity 92 Ti, 180 cm (20/21–22/23)
1824 & 1835 Black Crows Serpo, 180.1 cm (21/22–22/23)
1849 & 1887 DPS Pagoda 90 RP, 184 cm (20/21–22/23)
1863 & 1894 Blizzard Rustler 9, 180 cm (18/19–22/23)
1883 & 1906 Season Aero, 180 cm (20/21–21/22)
1900 & 1908 Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, 180 cm (21/22–22/23)
1915 & 1937 K2 Mindbender 89Ti, 182 cm (22/23)
1925 & 1934 Black Crows Camox, 186.5 cm (19/20–22/23)
1933 & 1943 Norse Enduro, 188 cm (20/21–22/23)
1936 & 2013 Salomon Stance 96, 182 cm (20/21–22/23)
1937 & 1945 Fischer Ranger 94 FR, 184 cm (19/20–21/22)
1976 & 2028 Parlor Cardinal Pro, 182 cm (19/20–21/22)
1985 & 2006 Parlor Cardinal 100, 185 cm (16/17–21/22)
1998 & 2044 4FRNT MSP 99, 181 cm (17/18–22/23)
1999 & 2060 Line Blade, 181 cm (20/21–22/23)
2010 & 2023 Moment Commander 98, 182 cm (20/21–22/23)
2024 & 2112 Dynastar M-Free 99, 185 cm (21/22–22/23)
2043 & 2089 Volkl M6 Mantra, 177 cm (21/22–22/23)
2053 & 2059 J Skis Fastforward, 181 cm (22/23)
2054 & 2063 Salomon QST 98, 189 cm (21/22–22/23)
2077 & 2096 Line Blade Optic 96, 184 cm (22/23)
2128 & 2186 J Skis Masterblaster, 181 cm (21/22)
2165 & 2186 Wagner Summit 97, 182 cm (21/22–22/23)
2178 & 2195 Volkl M6 Mantra, 184 cm (21/22–22/23)
2218 & 2244 Volkl Mantra 102, 184 cm (19/20–21/22)
2230 & 2290 Line Blade Optic 104, 185 cm (22/23)
2256 & 2284 Nordica Enforcer 94, 186 cm (20/21–22/23)
2281 & 2284 Blizzard Bonafide 97, 177 cm (20/21–21/22)
FULL REVIEW
Luke Koppa (5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg): We’ve had several reviewers spending time on the Mindbender 89Ti, starting late last season and continuing into the beginning of this season. We’re all in pretty strong agreement on this ski, so let’s get right into it:
Groomers
Overall, the Mindbender 89Ti is a very good carver, even before you take into account its impressive all-mountain performance.
Like the wider Mindbenders, the Mindbender 89Ti is quick to initiate turns once you start driving its shovels, and unsurprisingly, given its tighter sidecut radius and narrower waist, it’s the most engaging of its siblings on moderate-angle and lower-speed pistes.
Despite its deep rocker lines, I still felt confident driving the Mindbender 89Ti into fairly high-edge-angle turns on very firm sections of groomers — its edge hold is impressive for an all-mountain ski.
There are some skis around this width that are basically fat carving skis (e.g., Shaggy’s Brockway 90, Renoun Z-Line 90) that win in terms of turn initiation and edge hold, but the Mindbender 89Ti is by no means some slouch when it comes to on-piste performance for an all-mountain ski of this width — if anything, it’s above average. Initiating turns is easy, it’s energetic when you bend it, it can make a nice variety of turn shapes, and its edge hold is impressive.
Moguls, Trees, & Tight Terrain
Given what we just said about how fun it is to carve turns on the Mindbender 89Ti, what really impressed me was how much I enjoyed this ski in ungroomed conditions and terrain.
No, the Mindbender 89Ti is not as loose or forgiving as the Mindbender 99Ti, but the 89Ti is still pretty dang good in those regards compared to other ~90mm-wide skis. Provided you focus on staying over the front of your skis, the Mindbender 89Ti’s tails are pretty easy to release in tight spots, and it doesn’t demand perfect technique all the time to keep you feeling in control.
This is not what I’d pick if I wanted the most maneuverable all-mountain ski (see the Line Blade Optic 92 and DPS Pagoda 90 RP), but for a strong, precise, damp all-mountain ski of this width, the Mindbender 89Ti is quite capable off piste. It’s not for those who prefer to slide and skid through bumps from a centered (or backseat) stance, but it rewards both those who (1) prefer to take a slower, more deliberate approach to moguls and trees and (2) advanced skiers who enjoy the feeling of actively weighting and unweighting skis in order to make quick work of this sort of terrain.
Firm Chop & Crud
I think the Mindbender 89Ti hits a versatile middle ground when it comes to suspension and stability. It’s neither an ultra damp nor super twitchy ski — damp enough to encourage me to go out even when things are firm and rough, but not so heavy that it feels particularly sluggish in tight spots and low speeds.
E.g., the Volkl M6 Mantra offers a slightly more damp, planted ride, whereas the Black Crows Serpo gets knocked around more easily in challenging conditions. The Mindbender 89Ti fills the void between those two types of skis, a place in which I think many skiers will feel at home.
Soft Chop & Powder
I wouldn’t say the Mindbender 89Ti is exceptionally bad or good in softer conditions — though I’d lean toward the latter. Its deep rocker lines keep it floating better and feeling more maneuverable in these conditions than some of the more traditional options in this class, but it’s still not some super surfy ski. If I planned to ski a lot of soft and/or deep snow, I’d seriously consider the Mindbender 99Ti. But for a directional, ~90mm-wide ski that handles firm snow this well, the Mindbender 89Ti’s soft-snow performance is admirable.
Mount Point
As I’ve done with the other Mindbenders, I first tried the Mindbender 89Ti mounted on the recommended line (-10.5 cm from true center), then tried it mounted +1 and +2 cm in front of that line, and continued switching between those mount points.
For my skiing style and preferences, which include skiing with both a forward and more centered stance and getting in the air often, I had a slight preference for the ski when it was mounted a cm or two in front of the recommended line, but it didn’t make a huge difference. I think the vast majority of people who will get along well with this ski will be just fine on the recommended mount point, but if you want a slightly more balanced feel, moving a cm or two forward doesn’t bring with it a bunch of downsides.
Who’s It For?
There are tons of skiers out there who could get along well with the Mindbender 89Ti. Because of its very good on-piste performance, impressive off-piste maneuverability, and versatile combo of suspension and agility, it’s not a ski where I’d pigeonhole it to a single, small group of folks.
If you spend most of your time skiing fairly firm / shallow snow, value precision and energy on groomers, and still frequently venture out into bumps and trees, this ski is worth a look. I wouldn’t recommend it if you only ski on piste, nor if you want a very forgiving, ultra-maneuverable ski. But outside those extremes, there are a lot of people who should give this ski some serious consideration.
Bottom Line
These days, it seems the ~90mm-wide “all-mountain” category includes a lot of skis that occupy either end of the spectrum — those that are basically wider piste-specific skis on one side, and those that look like skinnier pow skis on the other.
The K2 Mindbender 89Ti is not one of those skis. Instead, it very much lives up to its “all-mountain” designation. It is a blast to carve, but doesn’t make you feel like you’re taking it outside of its wheel house once you leave groomed snow. On top of that, its moderately heavier weight keeps it feeling predictable when it hasn’t snowed in weeks, without making it feel like a burden when quick turns and on-the-fly adjustments are what is required. If you need a narrower ski to truly work all over the mountain, it’s one of the most versatile options in its class.
Deep Dive Comparisons
Become a Blister Member or Deep Dive subscriber to check out our Deep Dive comparisons of the Mindbender 89Ti to see how it compares to the Mindbender 99Ti, Blizzard Brahma 88, Folsom Spar 88, Nordica Enforcer 88, Atomic Maverick 95 Ti, Blizzard Rustler 9, Volkl M6 Mantra, Salomon Stance 90, DPS Pagoda 90 RP, Head Kore 87, Line Blade Optic 92, Black Crows Serpo, Armada Declivity 92 Ti, Line Blade, Fischer Ranger 90, & J Skis Fastforward.
How does this ski compare to last years 90 ?
Last year(2023) they went to the 89 cm underfoot. Apparently it is the same in it’s performance features as the 2024, only they changed the deck. I have the 2023 and it does a great job on groomers, chopped up groomers, crudier conditions and light powder/new snow conditons. The skis turn easy and still has plenty of stability when you need it. Had a pair of Volkl 81s which were much more groomer oriented. The Mindbender 89 has better versatility . Smooth to turn and yet still stable when you need it to be. Like the ski !
Considering this as replacement for Rossignol sky 7, 164. Looking for just a little more grip on hard-pack while maintaining my senior/boomer style skidding mogul and crud skiing. Is this a good choice?