Review: K2 Poacher Skis · 2023
By Curated Experts
Hayden Wright and Zeke Hill
K2 Poacher Skis · 2023
$274.98
$549.95
50% off
12 photos
The Curated Take
4.1/5
The 2023 K2 Poacher Skis are versatile and particularly dialed for both in-park skiing and resort runs. Their wood core construction infused with carbon fiber makes them lightweight, forgiving, and responsive. This build, combined with a rocker-camber-rocker shape, offers exceptional pop and playfulness. The skis shine at medium speeds and are easy to carve, especially on groomers. They are ideal for those seeking a playful, all-around resort ski with a leaning toward park activities.
Ideal for
- Very durable skis
- Forgiving skis
- Great for skiing around the resorts both in and out of the park
Not ideal for
- Not stable at high speeds
- Not good in powder
- Might be too flexible for heavier/advanced high-speed skiers
Turn Ease
The wood core with carbon fiber creates a ski that doesn't bite back and is an easy, forgiving ride. These have a good amount of camber underfoot and are a...Read more
No matter how tight things get out on the trails, the Poachers will keep up. Their narrow waist makes them naturally agile and easy to get on edge. Combine this...Read more
Playfulness
The K2 Poachers are the ideal flex for what I want from a ski. They are soft and forgiving enough and do not bite back. The skis get a little...Read more
These skis love to pop ollies off every bump, side hit, and knuckle. They are a bit stiff for butters, but advanced park skiers won't have any issues flexing them....Read more
Durability
I have skied these around 40-ish days in the park all day, and the sidewalls, edges, and topsheets have held up great. These have lasted longer than my K2 Reckoners...Read more
The full sidewall adds a bit of weight to this ski, but it is worth it for the durability it adds. In the past, I have broken multiple skis in...Read more
High Speed Stability
There are better skis for getting out early and ripping high-speed groomer laps before heading into the park in the late afternoon. The Aspen core paired with carbon fiber does...Read more
I didn't know what to expect from the Poachers regarding the speed limit. They are made with fir and aspen but no metal, so I was worried about how they...Read more
Carving
The camber underfoot allows these to hold edge great on firmer snowpacks. These are fun to push through my turn and feel the ski flex as they're super playful. Again,...Read more
I have been very happy with these skis' carving abilities. They are highly stable and grip well on a groomer if skiers don't detune them for the terrain park. They...Read more
Versatility
While these are not good in deep powder or ripping race gates, everything else I love the Poachers for. These are fun if I'm cruising the groomers with my wife...Read more
The K2 Poacher is an absolute dream all-mountain ski for a more playful freeride skier. As long as there isn't a lot of fresh powder on the ground, these skis...Read more
Flotation
These hold their own in the 96mm waist category for float. The early rise in the tips allows them to float much better than other skis around that waist width...Read more
Curated Experts are not sponsored by brands. Their reviews are based on their honest experiences testing products.
Hayden Wright
Zeke Hill
About the ski gear
- Model: K2 Poacher Skis · 2023
Test conditions
- When I bought these: Fall 2022
- Where I’ve used them: Copper, Aspen, Breck, Winterpark, and Ruby Hill
- How many times I've used it: 100
Expert Reviews of the K2 Poacher Skis
Hayden Wright The 2023 K2 Poachers are ideal for any skier looking for a dialed ski for inside and outside the park. However, they are unideal for skiers who want a high-speed carver that's stable at speeds. I love these for both skiing jumps and rails and ripping around the resorts both on and off the groomers. The wood core build and carbon fiber throughout the skis keep them lightweight and forgiving. The rocker-camber-rocker shape is why they are so fun in and out of the park. The camber underfoot gives these a considerable amount of pop. The low swingweight will help skiers progress and learn more tricks. The slight early rise in the tip and tail helps these 96mm waist skis handle a few inches of tracked pow.
Zeke Hill The K2 Poacher is an excellent one-ski quiver for anyone in the terrain park daily but still wants to keep up with their ski crew on the rest of the mountain. This ski is a park/freestyle ski at its core, but the Poacher is so much more than that.
The Poacher is excellent on any terrain park feature. Its durability is truly unmatched, as well. They will hold up to the worst abuse skiers can throw at them, ideal for people who are hard on their gear. I am a tree skier, and the Poachers are surprisingly great tree skis, too.
They are nimble and energetic in any condition, no matter how tight it gets. The Poachers welcome short, aggressive turns but can also rip a groomer up with the best of them. The energy transfer from the skis on groomers isn't perfect, but it performs great for a purely wood and carbon ski! I have never had a bad day on these skis.
Product Specs
| Age Group | Adult |
| Gender | Men's |
| Includes bindings | No |
| Model year | 2023 |
| Ski type | All Mountain |
| Skill level | Intermediate, Advanced |
Review Ratings
Averaged between reviewers, view below how all experts voted.
Turn Ease
5/5
Hayden Wright gave 4 of 5 stars. The wood core with carbon fiber creates a ski that doesn't bite back and is an easy, forgiving ride. These have a good amount of camber underfoot and are a blast to carve down the groomers or into one's favorite park jump. I enjoy the turning ease of the K2 Poachers.
Zeke Hill gave 5 of 5 stars. No matter how tight things get out on the trails, the Poachers will keep up. Their narrow waist makes them naturally agile and easy to get on edge. Combine this with the twin-tip design, and skiers get a playful, energetic ski that is just as comfortable making tight jump turns as it is ripping big turns on the groomers.
Playfulness
5/5
Hayden Wright gave 5 of 5 stars. The K2 Poachers are the ideal flex for what I want from a ski. They are soft and forgiving enough and do not bite back. The skis get a little squirrelly at speeds or in the mornings on the firm snowpack. However, once the snow softens, these are right at home.
Zeke Hill gave 5 of 5 stars. These skis love to pop ollies off every bump, side hit, and knuckle. They are a bit stiff for butters, but advanced park skiers won't have any issues flexing them. The Poachers are on the stiff side for a park ski and a little soft for a hard-charging ski, but they occupy the ideal middle ground for a playful all-mountain ski that still has real stability outside of the park.
Durability
5/5
Hayden Wright gave 4 of 5 stars. I have skied these around 40-ish days in the park all day, and the sidewalls, edges, and topsheets have held up great. These have lasted longer than my K2 Reckoners in the park. The edges are still intact, and I hope to get another season or two out of them.
Zeke Hill gave 5 of 5 stars. The full sidewall adds a bit of weight to this ski, but it is worth it for the durability it adds. In the past, I have broken multiple skis in one year from other brands. So far I've got about 30 days on the K2 Poacher, and they still look relatively unaffected no matter what I throw at them. I'm very unkind to my gear, and these are the only skis to withstand my abuse day after day.
High Speed Stability
4/5
Hayden Wright gave 3 of 5 stars. There are better skis for getting out early and ripping high-speed groomer laps before heading into the park in the late afternoon. The Aspen core paired with carbon fiber does all right, but these aren't the most stable at higher speeds. The K2 Poachers are not ideal for larger or taller riders looking for a stable speed option.
Zeke Hill gave 5 of 5 stars. I didn't know what to expect from the Poachers regarding the speed limit. They are made with fir and aspen but no metal, so I was worried about how they would hold up on the groomers when pushed above 50mph. I have been pleasantly surprised as I've gotten them as high as 65mph and had no chatter in the tips. They will fly if I let them. They are insanely quick and stable for an all-mountain ski made with a freestyle focus.
Carving
4/5
Hayden Wright gave 4 of 5 stars. The camber underfoot allows these to hold edge great on firmer snowpacks. These are fun to push through my turn and feel the ski flex as they're super playful. Again, the K2 Poacher is not a high-speed carver but a slow-to-medium-speed carver. The skis are great for cruising around the resorts.
Zeke Hill gave 4 of 5 stars. I have been very happy with these skis' carving abilities. They are highly stable and grip well on a groomer if skiers don't detune them for the terrain park. They don't perform with quite the same energy that a more carving-specific ski would, but they aim to achieve much more than just carving, so that makes sense.
Versatility
4/5
Hayden Wright gave 3 of 5 stars. While these are not good in deep powder or ripping race gates, everything else I love the Poachers for. These are fun if I'm cruising the groomers with my wife and popping in and out of the trees. The K2 Poachers are a great park ski and are at home in the park.
Zeke Hill gave 5 of 5 stars. The K2 Poacher is an absolute dream all-mountain ski for a more playful freeride skier. As long as there isn't a lot of fresh powder on the ground, these skis will literally do anything. They make me feel like a pro, letting me push my jumps to new heights in the terrain park and jib confidently. They even zip through tight tree runs and chutes with absolute ease.
Flotation
2/5
Hayden Wright gave 2 of 5 stars. These hold their own in the 96mm waist category for float. The early rise in the tips allows them to float much better than other skis around that waist width with less early rise. It's a ski I'd take on a ski trip if I was planning to go ski park.
FAQs
What do you love about this product?
Hayden Wright I love that these are great skis for all over the resorts and are still a dialed park option. I ski these on the groomers, in the trees, bumps, and even some back bowls. It could be a better ski for off-trail, but they hold their own.
Zeke Hill I love how versatile the K2 Poacher is outside of the terrain park, even though it's a freestyle park ski. It makes the whole mountain my playground.
Why did you choose this product?
Hayden Wright I wanted a ski that would be great in the park but still fun to ski around the rest of the resort with my wife.
Zeke Hill I was shopping for a park ski that I could use everywhere on the mountain, and I found the K2 Poacher. I was hoping it would work as an all-mountain freestyle ski, and it did not disappoint.
Hayden Wright
Ski ExpertZeke Hill
Ski ExpertShare article:
