Some misinformed critics assume that the ski manufacturers who don't tweak their ski models during the off-season are doing so to save money. They couldn't be more wrong than a beginner making a snowplow turn into a double-diamond rated ski bowl. Keeping the same ski design gives your competitors a golden opportunity to catch up with copied designs, and some of the best ski magazines won't include the same model the second year in a buyer's guide because nothing new isn't news and doesn't sell magazines. So it's no small feat that K2's Apache Recon came out on top with a gold medal award in Ski Magazine's All-Mountain Expert category for two consecutive years. It's also no small feat that the Apache Recon topped all of the other skis in Skiing Magazine's Gear Guide (Best in Test award--better than all Testers' Choice award winners for category) in their All Terrain Expert category. It also picked up the Testers' Choice award for the One-Ski Quiver category. The K2 Apache Recon is that good. It's an integrated binding ski design so far ahead of its time that most of the competition is still groping for a foothold in the rarified air of ski design excellence. If your travel ski bag or fiscal budget limits you to one pair of skis, the K2 Apache Recon ski with Marker Piston Control IBX 12 binding is your all-access terrain pass. The Marker Piston Control IBX 12 binding has a Piston Control interface equipped with a hydraulic oil piston that delivers superb flex and control between the boot, binding and ski. The result is a quiet and smooth ride that minimizes vibrations and unsettling oscillations. Unlike many binding designs that use a slick plastic or Teflon AFD toe plate, the Marker AFD plate has a gliding, stainless steel construction that facilitates boot exit during backward twisting falls. The stainless steel design has a clear advantage: It resists dirt, abrasion and temperature changes far better than Teflon and plastic AFD bindings over the long haul for consistent performance that lasts through multiple seasons.