By Brand

K2 Burnin Luv W/Marker M1 11 Ti Womens Skis

For ’09 the Burnin’ Luv has gotten a major upgrade with the change to a sidewall/laminate construction. In years past, the BL has had a rap of not being stout enough for some very aggressive skiers or those who regularly deal with east coast ice. With this new build, that has all changed for the better. The new BL has more grip, more stability and more energy than in the past. For all those bonuses, they have been able to retain most of the easy going feel of the prior generations. This year, I gave the new model a more thorough workout than in the past and was highly impressed with the upgrade. On smooth groomers, I felt that it was still primarily a medium-long turn ski but the little bit of added "pop" made the new ski a little more amenable to shorter radius turns. Given the 90/10 category, I was surprised that aside from the additional grip, the biggest improvement came in some rough chalky off trail patches. Of course this is by no stretch an ideal choice for deep snow, but in the conditions of the day, the new construction felt more solid and less "floppy" in the rough stuff off trail. This new build has provided a pretty dramatic improvement in the aggressiveness of the BL. I can now give the Burnin’ a good recommendation as a ski for Eastern conditions and strong skiers.