Sierra says: The Coomba is back from last year with no changes. We classify the Coomba as a "Big Mountain" ski rather than "powder specific" This means that it has a conventional shape and could easily be adaptable as an everyday ski for someone who prioritizes deep snow far above other considerations. The Coomba fits squarely in the medium flex range among skis of this type. T...

The high performance Crossfire excels at arcing turns on groomers and hard snow, but is still versatile enough to explore the whole mountain. Its 70m waist width creates this versatility and its ABS sidewall construction ensures that it will be responsive and hold an edge in the hardest conditions. The Titan Metal Laminate Construction and K2/MX Binding System deliver a precise feel and maximize p...

Sierra says: This is an entirely new model and width for K2 and fills the spot between the Recon and the Outlaw. The Apache Explorer adds 6mm of width over the Recon and is somewhat stiffer. The Explorer does not make the popular Recon obsolete by any means; it is really for a different skier. The Explorer is an ideal choice for the skier who is at a higher level of aggressiveness or has more of a...

Sierra says: The Outlaw is yet another completely new ski from K2 this year. This new model is wider than in the past and has a fairly straight sidecut but like the Explorer, it is quicker turning than you might expect. This comes from the progressive sidecut which allows a pretty quick initiation at the tip but a more stable turn finish. The Outlaw also has an unusual tip shape that is a little ...

Sierra says: It is very difficult for a ski to stay at the top of the sales charts for a very long time. Yet, the K2 Apache Recon has managed to do just that. Each time I ski the Apache Recon, I am reminded of why this is. This is simply a high end ski that almost anyone can enjoy. The magic that makes this possible is a fairly soft flex to make the ski easy to turn, but it is combined with the pa...

Sierra says: The Sidewinder is an updated version of the Stryker which has been around for a bit. This year's ski is a nice improvement over the prior years. It has the new Mod structure which reduces weight somewhat and the new MX heelpiece which produces a tighter boot/binding coupling. The 'winder gives us a 90/10 ski with a softer flex and more damp ride than some of the more aggress...

Sierra says: 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...

Sierra says: The 'Bent is back from last year with no changes. This is K2's giant, dual rockered powder specific ski. With a 122mm waist width, dual rocker, and soft flex the 'Bent makes short work of deep snow. Unlike some skis in the category, the 'Bent has a traditional sidecut. As big, soft and rockered as it is, you might expect this ski to be useless outside of deep snow....

Sierra says: The Lotta (like the unisex Recon) has been the best selling women's on road/off road ski for some years now. This is a crowd pleaser for many reasons. Lotta is smooth, stable and quiet on the roughest snow imaginable. The K2 Mod dampening system makes this ski the "Cadillac" of the skis in this category. The LL is softer than some other women's expert skis in this ...

Sierra says: The new Seth Morrison pro model has several changes for the '09 year. It is wider underfoot and now both tip and tail rocker. Also, as an aside, the graphic has done away with some of the "darker" themes of recent years. The result is a ski that we could almost say bridges the gap between big mountain and Powder Specific. We elected to classify this as a big mountain sk...

Sierra says: The One Luv is amazingly comfortable in a wide variety of snow conditions. The waist width @ 74mm is wide for the 90/10 category and when combined with the fairly soft flex makes this the easiest of the 90/10 skis in variable conditions. This, like all K2's has a smooth, stable, and quiet ride over rough snow. While not as nimble as some lighter skis, the One Luv pays the skier b...

Sierra says: Here is another K2 that has been the sales leader in it's category since it was introduced. The Phat Luv takes the middle ground in most of it's characteristics with a great blend of width, flex, shape and weight to give women a Big Mountain ski with some potential for all around use. Among women's specific skis this is one of the wider offerings and the flotation and s...

Sierra says: The Tough Luv is K2's 50/50 ski in the Women's category. This one qualifies as a wide cruiser for a pretty aggressive skier. The TL is not terribly stiff, but it is wide and fairly heavy so nimbleness in bumps is not its forte'. However, those qualities make the TL stunningly stable in soft, deep, and especially broken snow. I felt that the progressive sidecut enabled t...