The Best Women’s All-Mountain Skis of 2022: K2 Mindbender 98 Ti Alliance
This women's-specific all-mountain ski is light enough to be playful, sturdy enough to take on the whole mountain.
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Brand: K2
Model: Mindbender 98 Ti Alliance
Overall Ranking: #9
Overall Score: 3.73 / 5
Specs
Tip / Waist / Tail (mm)
134-98-120
Lengths (cm)
154, 161, 168, 175
Radius (m)
15.6 (168cm length)
Waist Width (mm)
98
Gender
Women's
Level
Intermediate to Expert
Rocker Technology
Yes
Core Material
Aspen Veneer, Titanal Y-Beam
Stability at Speed
4 / 5
Quickness / Maneuverability
3.61 / 5
Playfulness
3.89 / 5
Forgiveness
3.72 / 5
Hard Snow Performance
3.72 / 5
Crud Performance
3.72 / 5
Balance of Skills
3.61 / 5
Flotation
3.61 / 5
For a lot of our testers, Stability at Speed and Playfulness are the most important skill categories. And the K2 Mindbender 98 Ti Alliance really shows up in those departments.
The brand didn’t mess with the construction for this season, which makes sense, since things are running smoothly as is. K2’s Titanal Y-Beam and Powerwall edge technology gives this Mindbender the backbone to hold steady at speed, in crud, and on edge, while a lightweight aspen veneer core and just enough tip and tail rocker give the ski some pop and pizazz in turns.
Related: Understanding rocker vs. camber ski technology
“A brilliant ski for any lady looking to explore, ski fast on groomers, and get into the bumps. This ski does it all,” notes tester Georgie Bremner. “It’s forgiving and energetic and quite fun for all-mountain cruising.”
A few testers noted that with a slightly longer turning radius and thicker waist, the K2 Mindbender 98Ti Alliance isn’t the quickest tool in the shed. Some also thought the lightweight aspen veneer core didn’t hold up as dependably in heavy crud as other skis in the all-mountain category. “Only real weakness was crud control,” notes tester Katie Ryan. “Otherwise it’s super fun and playful and holds up well in turns. Light snow—hell yeah. Heavy snow—maybe not so much.”
But you usually can’t have it all in one ski, and testers agreed that the K2 Mindbender 98Ti Alliance is a jack of all trades that intermediates and experts alike can put into cruise-control. “This ski is like a BMW X5. It’s sporty, utilitarian, and goes anywhere with a bit of zip and energy,” comments tester Tracy Gibbons. “Relax and let it go or turn up the volume and rock.”
- Strengths: Stability at Speed (10th in category), Playfulness (7th)
- Weaknesses: Quickness (9th), Versatility (11th)
Shop for the K2 Mindbender 98 Ti Alliance online: evo | skis.com
Learn More
Compare the best women’s all-mountain skis of the season
Discover the K2 brand and its award-winning ski lineup
Can wider all-mountain skis hack it back East?
K2 Mindbender 98 Ti Alliance – 2021 Women’s All-Mountain Ski Review
New last year, the women’s Mindbender 98Ti has improved like a fine wine. The construction hasn’t changed—it still features K2’s Titanal Y-Beam which optimizes torsional and longitudinal flex, enhancing performance and stability underfoot. This year, ladies described the ski as spunky-yet-solid and awarded it top marks in Forgiveness. Seems like this year, our girls just wanted to have fun, and this ski delivered.
STRENGTHS: Playfulness, Forgiveness
WEAKNESSES: Crud Performance, Quickness
| 2021 K2 Mindbender 98 Ti Alliance Scores | Score out of 5 |
| Flotation | 3.6 |
| Quickness | 3.9 |
| Playfulness | 4 |
| Forgiveness | 4.05 |
| Hard-Snow Performance | 3.85 |
| Crud Performance | 3.55 |
| Versatility | 3.9 |