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The 2012 Recoils have treated me very well in my one season of riding on them. Here's a breakdown of what's up:
About me: 6'2" 145 lbs. I would classify myself as an advanced in all mountain (east coast tree sking, groomers, bumps, and glades) and intermediate-advanced in the park. At this point I am skiing 65% park and 35% all mountain, and in the park do 75% rails to 25% jumps.
About my skis: I ride the 174 cm model, which feels a little short for me given how aggressive the ski is. The skis are 121 in the tip, 90 underfoot, and 115 in the tail with a rocker/camber/rocker profile.
What's up with the skis?
These skis RIP all mountain compared to almost any other park-oriented ski. I have been incredibly happy with their hard-charging performance without sacrificing anything in the park. I would describe them as 7 out of 10 for stiffness, so they aren't the best for buttering, but they are very stable, good on jumps, and have little to no tip chatter. This is helped by the fact that they are solidly constructed and therefore slightly heavier than your average park ski. The rocker-camber-rocker profile and wider tips give them a bit of float, but they are really meant to carve hard and fast, which the camber allows to perfection.
These skis are incredibly durable. They are going in to their second season of use and have no base scratches, minimal topsheet damage, and only two or three edge cracks despite skiing rails a large majority of the time. I am very happy with this coming off of a season where I delaminated two pairs of skis and broke another at the binding.
Despite their heavier-than-average weight, the Recoils are very maneuverable whether on rails, in the air, or in the trees. Their medium swing weight allows them to come around quite nicely and their high stability helps tremendously in stomping landings. They are highly stable on rails as well as on jumps and have good edge-to edge feel on groomers and rails for a medium-waisted ski. They have a fair amount of pop form their good amount of camber, which is something my previous skis lacked.
Who is this ski good for?
This ski is for people who ski in a hard-charging, aggressive style outside of the park and who are looking for a stable, capable ski for both rails and jumps. The recoils may not be for you if you are light and want a soft ski that allows you to butter. It can be done if you are skilled, but that is not who these skis are meant for. You can use these skis solely for park and they will excel in every category, but you would be missing out on their amazing all-mountain capabilities. Someone with a more laid-back style may find themselves fighting against the ski, as it truly operates best when pushed hard.
This ski is best for people looking for a one-ski quiver who ski aggressively in a place where an pow ski is not necessary.
Overall impressions:
The 2012 K2 Recoils are the best skis I have ever ridden on for my style of skiing. I would recommend these to anyone who skis aggressively and wants a all-mountain ski that excels in the park.
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