K2 Pon2oon Review
The K2 Pontoon is an absolute classic in the powder skiing world. Introduced in 2004 and based on the late Shane McConkey’s revolutionary views on ski design, the Pontoon has always been an unashamedly no-holds-barred soft snow weapon, and can easily be identified from its float plane graphics and unique shape.
The new Pontoon (or “Pon2oon” as K2 have styled the 2013 ski) continues to uphold this tradition. The dimensions of the Pon2oon tell you all you need to know – at the 189cm length, it has a 159-134-124mm profile, giving it a hugely wide shovel and a pin tail to enable it to float tip-up through the deepest powder. Compared to previous iterations however, the taper isn’t so pronounced and the tail is stiffer to increase stability. The Pon2oon is rockered at the tip and tail, with just a hint of conventional camber under foot to aid grip on firmer snow. Holes at the tips and tail provide both attachment points for skins and to reduce the swing weight of the skis.
The Pon2oon’s powder performance simply cannot be questioned – they are entirely designed for the big mountain deep snow environment, and just float through any kind of soft snow. The 2013 reboot has also improved their performance on hardpack snow for the journey back to the lifts from the powder stash. While this type of snow not at all what they are designed for, the Pon2oons can still be great fun on piste in the way a pair of water skis would be, sliding all over the place! It’s pretty much taken as a given that if you’re skiing enough powder to make it worthwhile owning a pair of Pon2oons, you’ll have the skills to control the beasts on piste as well.
In an era when so many skis profess to be all-mountain champions (even when they have 100mm+ underfoot), it’s refreshing to know that the original pure-powder skis are still around and still as single purpose as ever.
Click here to check out the latest price for the K2 Pon2oons!
Strengths:
- Unbeatable in powder
- You’ll look like a hero riding the lift with these bad boys
Weaknesses:
- About as far from a one-quiver ski as you can get
- You’d better have the skills to back up owning a pair of these…
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