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K2 Marksmans

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FruitBootPro
Posts: 3103 - Karma: 13,866
Currently in the market for a new fatter all-mtn ski (105-110 underfoot ideally) and I’ve got my heart set on the Marksmans atm. They honestly seem pretty underrated by the community (esp compared to the very hyped Poacher and Catamaran) as all the reviews I’ve read have said it’s a poppy, maneuverable, surfy, fun ski that can handle basically any condition, even deeper pow or chopped up snow, and rip carves on groomers. The only place it’s not super good would be the park but a) it’s a ski that’s >100 underfoot, and b) it’s still lighter than many competitors including the esteemed Kartel 108. (Plus, I’m likely going to use my old Blends as a park ski anyway so that doesn’t matter too much to me.) I’ve heard the Kartels aren’t quite as light, maneuverable, or playful as the Marksmans, but they are a bit more stout and chargy, and probably float slightly better due to their waist width. However, I’m fine sacrificing that for the quicker turning and better poppiness and slashiness of the Marksmans.

What have you all experienced in regards to the Marksmans? Just want to make sure my impression of them is accurate.

**This thread was edited on Mar 22nd 2018 at 10:05:43am
Mar 22 2018 10:05AM
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Cade2
Posts: 2124 - Karma: 2,707
Believe the poacher and cat hype
Mar 22 2018 2:32PM
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FruitBootPro
Posts: 3103 - Karma: 13,866
I know both are great but from what I’ve seen in reviews and stuff the Marksman is too. A lot of new 107ish mm skis seem pretty iffy in chopped up snow and I’ve heard the Marksman can handle any condition while still being playful af
Cade2Believe the poacher and cat hype
Mar 22 2018 2:46PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7160 - Karma: 17,589
It's of the three skis( poacher cat and marks) that I use the most. The cat is prob my fav but really the marks is just it's little brother and more versatile. If it's not snowed in a while and I'm ripping the groomers or the park the marks are what I'm on. They are relivitvly soft with a surprisingly short turn radius which actually makes them carve really well. I have mine mounted at -4 from center which works really well. I had them -2.5cm but moved them back as I kept loosing the nose in fresh snow and over flexin the nose carving. Overall nothing to complain about supper fun ski and if you can't find this years, k2 sold out in November last season, the new graphics look so good.
Mar 22 2018 3:16PM
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smh
Posts: 410 - Karma: 2,144
I've got the Marksmans as my daily driver and weirdly enough my touring ski at the moment. I absolutely love the ski... It's exactly as all or the reviews describe and is one of the poppiest skis ive ever owned...i hype then to everyone
Mar 22 2018 3:57PM
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FruitBootPro
Posts: 3103 - Karma: 13,866
Yeah imo the poacher, marksman, and cat would make a pretty perfect quiver together, I’m also considering the catamaran but I’m not sure how well it would do in variable conditions or icier/slushier days. I already have a pair of 12-13 Blends which are good for park but have no pop and seem only ok on groomers/pow//off piste. I don’t really wanna have to bring 2 skis if I go out west (esp with family) since I live in the midwest, so I’d go with the Marksmans cuz I mostly go off-piste out west. Do you think the catamarans would be better for what I need? My gut tells me such a big ski wouldn’t be great for anything outside of pow and the marksman would be more versatile but I’m not sure cuz I haven’t ridden either.
tomPietrowskiIt's of the three skis( poacher cat and marks) that I use the most. The cat is prob my fav but really the marks is just it's little brother and more versatile. If it's not snowed in a while and I'm ripping the groomers or the park the marks are what I'm on. They are relivitvly soft with a surprisingly short turn radius which actually makes them carve really well. I have mine mounted at -4 from center which works really well. I had them -2.5cm but moved them back as I kept loosing the nose in fresh snow and over flexin the nose carving. Overall nothing to complain about supper fun ski and if you can't find this years, k2 sold out in November last season, the new graphics look so good.
Mar 22 2018 3:58PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7160 - Karma: 17,589
TheVictatorYeah imo the poacher, marksman, and cat would make a pretty perfect quiver together, I’m also considering the catamaran but I’m not sure how well it would do in variable conditions or icier/slushier days. I already have a pair of 12-13 Blends which are good for park but have no pop and seem only ok on groomers/pow//off piste. I don’t really wanna have to bring 2 skis if I go out west (esp with family) since I live in the midwest, so I’d go with the Marksmans cuz I mostly go off-piste out west. Do you think the catamarans would be better for what I need? My gut tells me such a big ski wouldn’t be great for anything outside of pow and the marksman would be more versatile but I’m not sure cuz I haven’t ridden either.

Honestly marks would be great for you. I live in whistler and ski quite a few places out west and if I'm travelling. I'll take the cats and the marks and I will normally ski the cats. I live the way that ski carves and also the way it is in powder. But back home in whistler unless it's snowed I'll ski the marks. They are fun all over the mountain and even in the park. They are ok in pow but not as good as the cat obviously but if you had to choose one I would go marks.
Mar 22 2018 6:44PM
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FruitBootPro
Posts: 3103 - Karma: 13,866
Hmm, so how well would you say the Cats handle choppy conditions, slush, ice, etc.? If they're stable in those conditions too I might favor them then
Mar 22 2018 9:23PM
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C0ster
Posts: 101 - Karma: 190
tyler1719I've got the Marksmans as my daily driver and weirdly enough my touring ski at the moment. I absolutely love the ski... It's exactly as all or the reviews describe and is one of the poppiest skis ive ever owned...i hype then to everyone

Not to jack the thread or anything but how are the marksmans for touring, im considering getting them next year w some shifts for a 50/50 ski and I'm curious
Mar 23 2018 12:50AM
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smh
Posts: 410 - Karma: 2,144
TahoesemilocalNot to jack the thread or anything but how are the marksmans for touring, im considering getting them next year w some shifts for a 50/50 ski and I'm curious

I do 50/50 on them currently and it's a g5eat touring ski. It's not too heavy, very floaty and since it's a downhill oriented ski it's great for backcountry freestyle. That being said, it's not the best ski for crud or hard/ chopped up days but I love it as a touring ski and daily driver and could say so many good things about it
Mar 23 2018 1:30AM
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C0ster
Posts: 101 - Karma: 190
tyler1719I do 50/50 on them currently and it's a g5eat touring ski. It's not too heavy, very floaty and since it's a downhill oriented ski it's great for backcountry freestyle. That being said, it's not the best ski for crud or hard/ chopped up days but I love it as a touring ski and daily driver and could say so many good things about it

That's great to here because I'm kind of set on them but want to hear other pepped thoughts and coming from the 102 shreditors they sound like they'll perform the same, thanks!
Mar 23 2018 1:38AM
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rohara
Posts: 146 - Karma: 366
TheVictatorHmm, so how well would you say the Cats handle choppy conditions, slush, ice, etc.? If they're stable in those conditions too I might favor them then


I've skied my Cats basically as a powder and all mountain ski in the alps this season, in Chamonix and La Clusaz. There's been plenty of snow but the Cat's have handled piste and chop perfectly too, no complaints. Can't comment on slush handling yet but heading back out soon so should find out! I'm pretty confident they'll still be super fun
Mar 23 2018 6:29AM
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BrawnTrends
Posts: 1102 - Karma: 2,439
I love the Marksman on piste and in soft conditions/spring skiing. But I don't really like them in powder. Maybe that's because I have them mounted at -2 from center, but I think it's more about the shape of the tails (I usually prefer wider tips and tails). They were my fun skis last season (we didn't get that much snow in Europe) and I was using them for every occasion. Had lots of fun on them!!

I've done one powder day on the Catamarans and they were absolutely crushing, but at 120mm underfoot it's not really surprising.
Mar 23 2018 8:06AM
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FruitBootPro
Posts: 3103 - Karma: 13,866
I’m really confused now LOL cuz some ppl are saying the marksmans float well and others are saying that they aren’t great in pow but are good as a one ski quiver. Basically I need a ski to do everything outside of lapping the park. The past few times I was out West, the conditions were great and there was a good amount of pow at least one of the days I skied. But obv every day wasn’t a blower day, most of them were mildly fresh. What would be a better ski for that—the Marksman or the Catamaran?
Mar 23 2018 9:54AM
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smh
Posts: 410 - Karma: 2,144
TheVictatorI’m really confused now LOL cuz some ppl are saying the marksmans float well and others are saying that they aren’t great in pow but are good as a one ski quiver. Basically I need a ski to do everything outside of lapping the park. The past few times I was out West, the conditions were great and there was a good amount of pow at least one of the days I skied. But obv every day wasn’t a blower day, most of them were mildly fresh. What would be a better ski for that—the Marksman or the Catamaran?


For an everyday ski that's supposed to do everything on the mountain really I'd say Marksman. Cat is still a stellar ski but marksman is more what I think you're looking for. That us unless you like fat skis like the cat in all conditions
Mar 23 2018 11:37AM
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Liamg09
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I love my marksmans, they are chargy af! But with that comes the down side they are quite heavy
Mar 23 2018 12:45PM
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FruitBootPro
Posts: 3103 - Karma: 13,866
Wait, now they’re chargy? I thought they were playful and bouncy...everyone says diff stuff lol. I guess the consensus is that they have great pop and rip carves in any condition. For a 106mm ski, that’s pretty solid I guess
Mar 23 2018 12:50PM
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.nasty
Posts: 10582 - Karma: 11,183
TheVictatorWait, now they’re chargy? I thought they were playful and bouncy...everyone says diff stuff lol. I guess the consensus is that they have great pop and rip carves in any condition. For a 106mm ski, that’s pretty solid I guess

That's because most of these kids have no clue how to describe how they ski. They're a k2, meaning with the Triaxial braid to the core they have very strong torsional stiffness. Even though they have a soft flex, they can feel comfortable at high speeds due to the good torsional stiffness.
Mar 23 2018 1:01PM
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BrawnTrends
Posts: 1102 - Karma: 2,439
.nastyThat's because most of these kids have no clue how to describe how they ski. They're a k2, meaning with the Triaxial braid to the core they have very strong torsional stiffness. Even though they have a soft flex, they can feel comfortable at high speeds due to the good torsional stiffness.


Exactly. They're really stable considering how much tip and tail rocker they have and how flexy/playful they can be.

And what I said about powder skiing on them is completely personal. They do float pretty well. They're just not my favorites.
All in all it's a great all-around ski that can feel as comfortable in the park as well as in powder and everything in between.
Mar 23 2018 4:19PM
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FruitBootPro
Posts: 3103 - Karma: 13,866
BrawnTrendsExactly. They're really stable considering how much tip and tail rocker they have and how flexy/playful they can be.

And what I said about powder skiing on them is completely personal. They do float pretty well. They're just not my favorites.
All in all it's a great all-around ski that can feel as comfortable in the park as well as in powder and everything in between.


Dope! I'll try and get my hands on some soon.
Mar 23 2018 5:40PM
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SteezeOnAJawnt
Posts: 120 - Karma: 175
Did u buy em
Feb 28 2019 1:23PM
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FruitBootPro
Posts: 3103 - Karma: 13,866
SteezeOnAJawntDid u buy em


Nope didn't really have the maney and wasn't at my family home. Now I'm interested in different skis lol
Mar 17 2019 8:29PM
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