High- K isomers are excited metastable excitations that are found amongst the rotational states of deformed atomic nuclei. They exemplify the coexistence of single-particle and collective degrees of freedom. We review their properties and their theoretical description based on extensions of the Nilsson–Strutinsky approach. Emphasis is given to the limits of K -isomer existence, exotic shapes, fission, K -isomer collective rotations, and the possibilities for isomer manipulation.