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We had a chance to put the K2 Pinnacle 95 to the test at the Copper Mountain ski test in February of 2015 and were immediately impressed by its capabilities and versatility. After skiing multiple mid-fat all mountain skis with 1 or 2 full sheets of metal (i.e. Blizzard Bonafide, Nordica Enforcer, Kastle FX 95 HP) the Pinnacle 95 managed to stand out. The first thing our testers noticed was the low swing weight. When you’re carrying the Pinnacle 95 through the parking lot, it doesn’t feel exceptionally lightweight. When you have them on your feet, however, the low swing weight is very prevalent, especially when you’re coming off of skis that use full sheets of metal.

Right away the skis feel very playful due to having such reduced swing weight. This playfulness is further enhanced by the shape of the ski. In variable conditions, softer snow, and tight terrain the Pinnacle 95 dances around with ease. We were impressed by the ski’s ability to release its edges in variable snow while staying quiet, damp, and stable. Our testers all agreed that out of all the mid-fat all mountain skis we tested, due to the rocker/taper profiles and light weight, the Pinnacle 95 was one of the easiest to ski. Off piste it will do exactly what you want it to especially at more reserved speeds.

Some of our testers, however, did notice that the Pinnacle 95 can become slightly unstable at really high speeds. If you’re the straight-lining, hard charging type, chances are you’ll prefer an all mountain ski with more metal, but for us mere mortals, the Pinnacle 95 performs admirably. The majority of our feedback was that the ski does in fact bust through crud and variable snow quite well. It’s very quiet and very stable and promotes confidence through chopped up conditions in intermediate to advanced skiers. A great word to describe how the Pinnacle 95 feels is simply: “fun!” No, it’s not the burliest all mountain ski on the market, and we’re glad. K2 has focused on achieving a playful, yet stable, platform that skiers of all ability levels can enjoy. We aren’t all Freeride World Tour competitors, so let’s stop pretending we all need the heaviest, strongest, most powerful skis possible. Skiing’s supposed to be fun, remember?