Board: K2 Manifest Team
Size: 156
Camber Option: Directional Combination Camber Profile. Directional camrocker with more rocker in the nose than the tail.
Bindings: Rome Black Label
Stance: 21.5 Wide 15 Negative 12 Goofy
Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10
My Weight: 200lbs
Resort: Arapahoe Basin
Conditions: Overcast skies with a little bit of blue coming through, warmer temps, an inch or so of grapple snow that was granular in spots, firm fast groomers to soft and creamy groomers.
Flex: So the flex on this board does come in a bit past middle of the road freeride all mountain but there’s some clear defined flex points that give it some freestyle flare. What you get is a consistent flex from tip to tail with a moderate amount of torsional flex and then there’s these flex points right outside the inserts that are more abundant.
Stability: This board is smooth and predictable which means you know when you’re about to feel something and when it’s going to dampen it out. At speeds you get a minor amount of chatter in the tips and that pretty much dissipates before it hits the insert packs. Through the middle you only feel unstable if you’re in lumpy or rutted out terrain trying to point it.
Ollies/Pop: The camber profile is easy to load up and has a quick response rate which makes for ideal snap. Load it up and prepare to boost off a sidehit, cat track gap, or little push mound.
Butterability: Those clear defined flex points right outside the insert pack make all the difference in the world. You can really press into the tips and feel it lock in and give you fight but if you keep pushing through that rebound you’ll get your weight over the nose or tail of the board and feel it really engage. This is the optimal sweet spot and opens the board up for more playful variations.
Carving: There’s a smooth, nimble, and responsive edge to edge control on this board. You feel it set the edge and drive in to the turn then the flex and camber profile take over and it changes from driving outside the front foot to driving from the middle through the tail. This allows you to really push your carves to the next level and set a deep edge. Overall it’s great for short quick set up turns or the ones where you throw your weight so hard into the board you’re laying it over on edge.
Rider in Mind: All mountain freeride guy that likes some freestyle flare.
Personal Thoughts: I’ve ridden the regular Manifest and it was OK nothing crazy special but got the job done. This makes the board lighter, more responsive, and more playful in spots. I liked that about it as it’s not just a freeride board but one that can handle freestyle aspects as I took a few mellow park laps with it and it was fine.
Comparable Boards: Jones Flagship, Capita Mega Mercury, Yes Standard
Recommended Bindings: K2 Lien AT, Now Select Pro, Rome Katana
