The No. 1 Women’s Value Ski of 2022: K2 Reckoner 92 Alliance
Like to bop around in the bumps? Allow us to introduce you to these cute shorties.
Become a member to unlock this story and receive other great perks.
Already have an Outside Account? Sign in
All Access
$1.91 / week *
- A $500 value with everything in the Print + Digital Plan plus 25+ benefits including:
- Member-only content on all 17 publications in the Outside network like Outside, Climbing, Backpacker, Trail Runner and more
- Video: Learn to Bump with Plake and Backcountry Basics with Mike Hattrup
- Access to extended ski and gear reviews
- Discounted monthly gear box to try the best adventure and fitness products
- Access to the Warren Miller film library and first access to annual film tour
- Gaia GPS Premium with hundreds of maps and global trail recommendations, a $39.99 value
Print + Digital
Special Price
$0.50 / week *
- Annual subscription to SKI magazine
- Access to all member-exclusive content and gear reviews on SKImag.com
- Ad-free access to SKImag.com
*Outside memberships are billed annually. You may cancel your membership at anytime, but no refunds will be issued for payments already made. Upon cancellation, you will have access to your membership through the end of your paid year. More Details
Brand: K2
Model: Reckoner 92 Alliance
Overall Ranking: #1
Overall Score: 3.38 / 5
Specs
Tip / Waist / Tail (mm)
124-92-114
Lengths (cm)
149, 159, 169
Radius (m)
14m (159cm length)
Waist Width (mm)
92
Gender
Women's
Level
Beginner, Intermediate
Rocker Technology
Yes
Stability at Speed
2.56 / 5
Quickness / Maneuverability
4.33 / 5
Playfulness
4.33 / 5
Forgiveness
3.72 / 5
Hard Snow Performance
2.72 / 5
Crud Performance
3.00 / 5
Balance of Skills
3.28 / 5
Flotation
2.78 / 5
This Value category is all about reducing entry barriers to our sport, and for that, the K2 Reckoner 92 Alliance hits the nail on the head. Testers skied the 149cm length at the test, which is much too short for most ladies (even beginners), but even so they had a good time boppin’ around in bumps and showing off short turns on the groomed.
Testers praised the Reckoner 92 Alliance’s quickness and playfulness above all else, traits that come naturally to the ski thanks to its pronounced twintip profile which reduces the effective edge and makes these skis smear like butter knives.
This may not be a great quality for the aggressive East Coaster trying to cut into boilerplate, but it’s great for beginners and intermediates who are learning how to ski the ungroomed in soft snow conditions. It also makes the Reckoner 92 Alliance an ideal bump ski.
See how it compares: The top women’s value skis of 2022
“For a beginner skier, these would be perfect,” comments tester Courtney Harkins. “They’re a little noodley but make it so simple to get around bumps and trees. Easy to ski and would make little slalom turns that beginners would enjoy and inspire them to keep skiing.”
Testers believe that more advanced ladies could also have fun on these if they size up to the 169cm length. “I thought these would ski like snowblades but they actually skied well,” comments tester Katie Ryan. “The ski integrity is up there with the rest. I just need it to be a foot longer.”
But even in the longer length, the K2 Reckoner 92 Alliance is not really designed to charge at speed or tackle heavy crud—it’s just a little too lightweight for that. “They’re fun and playful, but not stable,” notes tester Forreste Peterson.
For this reason, testers recommend the K2 Reckoner 92 Alliance to newer or younger skiers who need an easy ski to teach them to have fun all over the mountain. As tester Georgie Bremner puts it: “These are a match made in heaven for a teenage girl looking to step up her adventuring to a new level.”
- Strengths: Quickness (1st in category), Playfulness (1st)
- Weaknesses: Hard-Snow Integrity (3rd), Stability at Speed (3rd)
Learn More
Learn more about K2 and see their award-winning products
Why we test skis priced $650 or less
What you should know before buying your next pair of planks