Expert Comparison: Faction Mana 2 Skis vs K2 Reckoner 102 Skis

Published on 11/23/2023 · 3 min readComparing two all-mountain freeride freestyle skis, the Faction Manitou and K2 Reckoner 102, this article provides an in-depth look at their features and performance.
Leo Cocchiara, Ski Expert
By Ski Expert Leo Cocchiara

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Video Transcript

My name's Leo. I'm a curated.com ski expert and today we're talking about the Faction Mana 2 versus the K2 Reckoner 102.

Faction Mana 2 Skis

Let's start with the Faction Mana 2. This is a ski I have in my own collection. It is an all-mountain freeride freestyle ski. That's a lot of categories for one ski to encompass, but the Faction Mana 2 does it really well. With 102 underfoot, it's designed for high-level intermediate, advanced, and expert skiers who want to be able to perform with style all-mountain in all conditions. It specifically excels in freeriding off-piste like moguls, trees, back bowls, and powder. It can even get into the park because this ski is a true twin and has a carbon rubber dampener under the foot. So, when you take big impacts, it will help absorb that really well. Many of Faction's freeride athletes, the people you see in ski movies, are rocking this ski but it's actually decently forgiving.

If you're not somebody who wants to cook at high speeds but wants to start moving through things with a little bit more creativity, this is a great ski to get you out there. I love the classic black and white design. It's something that's timeless.

Now, if you want to rip groomers at super-fast speeds, this is not the ski for you. It does eventually have a speed limit when we're talking about bulletproof hard-pack. But if you're looking for that flow, that creativity, and even a little bit of powder handling, this is an awesome ski.

K2 Reckoner 102 Skis

If you jump over here to the K2 Reckoner 102, we're looking at a ski that's nearly identical by the numbers with just a bit of different tech specific to K2. If we come down here to product specs, you can see that there's a little bit more carbon in this ski. K2 does what they call Triaxial braiding. It's basically some carbon strands woven together, running through the ski to give it a bit more stiffness and pop. It's also really fun and freestyle-oriented. It can perform impressively well on a groomer, but it's really going to shine in moguls, trees, powder, and freestyle, making everything you do out there as easy and stylish as possible.

So if you're looking for some flair, if you like cool graphics, if you want to be able to butter into your tips and tails and still have a ski that's going to perform when you push it really hard, the K2 Reckoner 102 could be great for you. Again, it's not a groomer ski. It's not a ski for beginners but something that is designed to unlock your creativity everywhere on the mountain, even in deep powder conditions.

Similarities and Differences

If you are unsure which one is right for you, come here and chat with me or other Curated experts. We'll get you dialed into exactly the perfect ski for you.

Comparison Table

ProductFaction Mana 2 SkisK2 Reckoner 102 Skis
Product CharacteristicsAll-mountain freeride freestyle ski, carbon rubber dampener under footFreestyle-oriented, more carbon for stiffness and pop, Triaxial braiding
Best ForHigh-level intermediate, advanced, and expert skiers, freeriding off-piste, creativity and powder handlingSkiers looking for flair and creativity, moguls, trees, powder, and freestyle, deep powder conditions
LimitationsNot for super fast speeds on groomers, not for bulletproof hard packNot a groomer ski, not for beginners

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