The K2 Ski Co. is one of the most versatile manufacturers in the winter sport equipment market. They produce skis for racers, powder skiers, Telemark skiers and terrain park enthusiasts. K2 makes a unisex, a male-specific and female-specific model for each of its lines. It manufactures skis for novice, intermediate, advanced and expert skiers. In 2004, K2 began adding attractive, elaborate graphics to its skis. It's tempting to choose a K2 ski for its eye-catching patterns, but make sure its technical design suits your level and terrain preferences.
History
When perusing the K2 company history, the skis' diverse yet similar features become evident. Bill Kirschner founded K2 in the 1960s. His family owned a plastics company, which inspired him to experiment with using fiberglass, even though all of the other manufacturers were using wood. The skis performed smoothly and efficiently, so Kirschner decided to introduce them to the commercial market. While Kirschner began with a ski for intermediates, the K2 turning point, so to speak, was his racing ski design. In 1968, skiers sporting the new K2 racing skis won the giant slalom events at the World Cup. Kirschner continued to diversify, but the company modeled some of its recreational skis such as the female-specific K2 Burnin' Luvs on its racing skis. They use a method called Triaxial Braiding, which interlocks fiberglass strands with a wood core and produces ski that is flexible enough for a recreational skier but has the strength and stability to withstand high speeds.
Types
K2 divides its skis into three types. Its all-mountain skis, which include the Apache line for men and the T-Nine for women, perform well in groomed terrain and moguls, and are acceptable for powder conditions. The Adventure line includes the men's and women's' Backside line, which is suitable for powder and backcountry skiing. It includes its Telemark skis in that line. The K2 Twin Tip line works best in the terrain park and half pipe and includes the men's and women's Factory Team skis.
Gender Identification
K2 adds special features to accommodate male and female body types. The T-Nine women's line, for example, uses a forward-binding mount, which accommodates a woman's lower center of gravity. The metal laminate used in the T-Nine series is thinner than the metal used in the male-specific Apache line, resulting in a lighter ski. The T-Nine series also uses a multiwood technology called "Bioflex Core." The manufacturers place spruce, a light and flexible wood at the ski tips and tails, and fir, a sturdier wood underfoot at the mounting point. This creates a ski with a light and easy turn initiation without sacrificing stability underfoot. The wood core also varies according the skier's proficiency level. The True Luv, designed for advanced beginners has a lighter core than the Burnin' Luv, designed for advanced intermediates.
Function
The form of a K2 ski follows its function. The powder ski lines such as the DarkSide for men and the GotBack for women have wider waists, which encourage flotation. They also have reverse camber. This means when the unweighted ski lies flat in the snow the tips and tails are higher than the waist. In contrast, K2 all-mountain carving skis like the Apache Crossfire and the Burnin' Luv have narrow waists and traditional cambers, which keep the waist higher than the tips and tails, encouraging edge engagement on every turn. The term "twin tips" used in the K2 Factory series describes its tips and tails, which are turned up at both ends. This allows the park and half-pipe skier to ski forwards or backward.
Warning
Analyze your needs before purchasing K2 skis. While the beginner lines help novice skiers learn the sport, you will quickly outgrow them. On the other hand, purchasing skis that are too long and too stiff encourage poor habits such as skidding the turns or shifting weight to the back of the ski.
Member Comments