The Omen Team has big shoes to fill, replacing the now legendary K2 Poacher, which has become a staple of parks worldwide with its solid flex yet playful shape. The Omen Team is certainly softer than the outgoing poacher, though still a mid-flexing ski. It also feels lighter, which is a plus because for its size the Poacher was pretty chonky.
Groomers & Resort Skiing:
The shape of the Omen Team is pretty similar to the Poacher, the turn radius is a little longer but because the ski is a smidge softer it bends into very similar turn shapes and feels very familiar if you’re used to that ski. The slightly softer flex means the ski doesn’t charge quite as hard, but it’s a more accessible ski as a result. It’s still a very solid resort twin-tip and remains one of the stiffer park skis we had at the test (perhaps a smidge stiffer than the ARV 94) with the result that it’s also one of the most capable on hardpack snow.
Powder & Mixed Conditions:
The Omen Team shape is suprisingly natural feeling some deeper snow. They have plenty of rocker and taper, and so like the Poacher they outperform their width in powder. But there are of course limitations to a 96mm ski, so these aren’t ideal for properly deep days. But if you ski somewhere that occasionally has some snow but basically you ski hardpack, they might do the job for you. The softer tips and tails vs the Poacher do reduce their crud charging abilities but these are still a solid choppy snow ski, as park skis go.
Park & Jibbing:
Ultimately these are a park ski, and for us, this is where they have the Poacher, and many other skis beat. While most of our testers tend to prefer wider skis the versatility of the Omen Team in terms of park skiing impressed our whole squad. It’s still on the stiffer end of modern-day park skis, meaning it was plenty stable on jumps but K2 has added more playfulness to the tips and tails of the ski, so it’s much easier to butter and jib than the outgoing Poacher. At 96mm underfoot, it’s wide enough that it feels stable but is still narrow enough for technical rail skiing where quick edge sets are required. These are a beast in the park and have plenty of backbone for jibbing all over the mountain too.
“The K2 Omen is a very nice park ski. With the 96 underfoot it's very good for getting technical on rails. The stiffness of the ski makes it very stable on jumps and landings” - Lucas Duckworth
“This ski shreds park laps. Low swing weight makes it fun for dancing on rails and boosting jumps. The ski is pretty stiff but has a playful rockered shape so it still butters well. Super solid ski underfoot on big boosts in and out of the park.” - Jordan Condon
Who's it for?
The Omen 96 is a great new addition to the K2 Skis line. It brings their narrower park skis more into line with how the Reckoner lineup feels, just with a stiffer backbone for more harder snow conditions. The reduction in weight, especially swingweight, is a big improvement for technical park skiers, and more butter and press oriented shredders will appreciate the slightly softer tips and tails.
Groomers & Resort Skiing:
The shape of the Omen Team is pretty similar to the Poacher, the turn radius is a little longer but because the ski is a smidge softer it bends into very similar turn shapes and feels very familiar if you’re used to that ski. The slightly softer flex means the ski doesn’t charge quite as hard, but it’s a more accessible ski as a result. It’s still a very solid resort twin-tip and remains one of the stiffer park skis we had at the test (perhaps a smidge stiffer than the ARV 94) with the result that it’s also one of the most capable on hardpack snow.
Skier: Alex Stange. P: Hanne Lundin Wallengren
Powder & Mixed Conditions:
The Omen Team shape is suprisingly natural feeling some deeper snow. They have plenty of rocker and taper, and so like the Poacher they outperform their width in powder. But there are of course limitations to a 96mm ski, so these aren’t ideal for properly deep days. But if you ski somewhere that occasionally has some snow but basically you ski hardpack, they might do the job for you. The softer tips and tails vs the Poacher do reduce their crud charging abilities but these are still a solid choppy snow ski, as park skis go.
Skier: Milo Harper. P: Chris Foote
Park & Jibbing:
Ultimately these are a park ski, and for us, this is where they have the Poacher, and many other skis beat. While most of our testers tend to prefer wider skis the versatility of the Omen Team in terms of park skiing impressed our whole squad. It’s still on the stiffer end of modern-day park skis, meaning it was plenty stable on jumps but K2 has added more playfulness to the tips and tails of the ski, so it’s much easier to butter and jib than the outgoing Poacher. At 96mm underfoot, it’s wide enough that it feels stable but is still narrow enough for technical rail skiing where quick edge sets are required. These are a beast in the park and have plenty of backbone for jibbing all over the mountain too.
“The K2 Omen is a very nice park ski. With the 96 underfoot it's very good for getting technical on rails. The stiffness of the ski makes it very stable on jumps and landings” - Lucas Duckworth
Skier: Brock Marzolf. P: Hanne Lundin Wallengren
“This ski shreds park laps. Low swing weight makes it fun for dancing on rails and boosting jumps. The ski is pretty stiff but has a playful rockered shape so it still butters well. Super solid ski underfoot on big boosts in and out of the park.” - Jordan Condon
Who's it for?
The Omen 96 is a great new addition to the K2 Skis line. It brings their narrower park skis more into line with how the Reckoner lineup feels, just with a stiffer backbone for more harder snow conditions. The reduction in weight, especially swingweight, is a big improvement for technical park skiers, and more butter and press oriented shredders will appreciate the slightly softer tips and tails.
