About me: 6', 165 lbs, size 12 Salomon boots (though normally size 11 shoes). I've been riding for almost a year and spend most of my time on the steeps - some groomers some off piste. I'm working on the bumps some and want to improve there. I also am starting to learn how to jump, but I'm starting very small. I have no interest in the rails, table tops, etc. My first board as a beginner was a Liquid Man. This was an injection moulded foam core board. The upgrade to the Donek, therefore, was indeed drastic. It took a few runs to adjust. The first and most noticeable difference with the Donek was its torsional stiffness. Where my old board could be twisted torsionally by leaning into it, the Donek could not. This, initially, made the Donek feel harder to maneuver but after a short adjustment period, I had forgotten about my old board's performance characteristics (or relative lack thereof) and felt completely comfortable. And, oh, once on the steeps this attribute of the Donek was much appreciated. I think, also, because of this the Donek never felt as though it would inadvertantly catch an edge on flat runs as my old board was famous for doing. I was constantly fighting with the torsional flexibility of my old board on the flats to prevent it from catching. Not so with the Donek. Enter the steeps. This was my first day out on the Donek, and after a few warmups and a brief adjustment period, I headed up the Cornice Express at Kirkwood for a few runs down the groomed blacks. Immediately, within 30 seconds, I knew why I had bought a new board! Where I had taken my old board to its limits, the Donek picked right up and was undoubtedly capable of much more. First, on turns. I had become so accustomed to washing out on turns, excessively skidding, that the first few cuts on the Donek startled me! WOW! This thing just sticks! I had to relax my turns a bit, even (for a while). Turn transitions are fantastic, too. This board is full of life. As I push out of a turn to transition into the next, I can just feel the board snapping up below me. The Donek will clearly carve at a level that far exceeds my current ability to do so. Second, at high speeds. I had gotten frustrated with the speed chattering characteristic of my old board. Well, good riddance! The Donek goes FAST and stays steady. It was a fast day at Kirkwood. 10" of new, rather moist snow had just fallen over the past two days. Within about 1/2 hour on the steeps I was going faster than I was ever comfortable going on my Liquid. This board is clearly able to ride much faster than I am currently comfortable riding. This is good! Third, off piste. This board cuts through the crud. I was having a terrible time getting comfotable off piste with my old board. It would bounce around and not hold well in the process. The Donek, in contrast, just plows right through. Off piste was fun today, instead of frustrating! Fourth, jumps. Though I'm not terribly qualified to comment here, as I'm the least proficient in jumping compared to my other areas of interest, I will say that landing (albeit small jumps) feels very very solid. I can see myself getting better quickly. It is quite clear that I will grow and improve as a rider in all aspects of the riding I enjoy with this board. Where I was previously limitted by the capability of my board, I am now limitted by my own ability. I wonder where its limits are. I wonder where mine are! Over the next few years I look forward to finding out!!

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