Per Vince`s request, this is a quick review and follow up of the season`s test.To recap, I received the board shortly after the first of the year and got some bottomless PNW powder days to give it some serious tests in deep, off piste powder. It was ridden extensively at Mt.Hood Meadows and Timberline Lodge in Oregon, White Pass in Washington, Alyeska Resort in the Chugach of Alaska. The board traveled to the farthest north ski are in North America at Mt. Aurora outside Fairbanks, Alaska. I spent an entire night of park riding at Birch Hill in Fairbanks and put it through some extreme back country conditions on a summit of Mt. Hood in Oregon. I spent many days teaching with this board and from an instructors point of view, it is an ideal board for providing great demos and it makes riding to high AASI exam standards effortless.

I have found this board to be one of the most truly “All Mountain does everything very well” boards I have ridden. Whether it is getting your sea legs on the bunny hill, slashing deep powder, bombing firm and fast groomers, high speed carving, general park and pipe, tight trees, steep chutes, open bowls or extreme back country, this board handles it all.

Like any board, it has limitations. I would not choose this board for urban riding; it has too much of an aggressive edge and is stiffer than rail rider would want. While it is quite adept in powder, I think a slight tweaking of the cambered sections in the nose would improve it as a powder slayer. The nose is just prone enough to diving that some powder purists my find it annoying. One of the great things about this board is its versatility. It is such an easy board to ride that even a beginner would find it suitable to learn on. It handles quite well at slow speeds and is very responsive to torsional twisting. making those first turns a breeze. When the rider advances and turns the power up, this board begins to really shine. It is fast and stable at high speed with an edge that wont let you down. When that rider leaves the beaten path and heads off into the trees and steeps, this board will not let them down.

The board is designed and marketed as all mountain and Never Summer hit the mark in a big way with this stick. It is an ideal board for any level of rider from the never ever first timer to the hardcore big mountain line rider.