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Snowboards

K2 Fastplant 2017-2018 Snowboard Review

  • Price: £470 / €590
  • Lengths: 151, 154, 157, 156W, 159W
  • Flex: 8
  • Profile: Flat
  • Shape: True Twin
  • k2snowboarding.com

Some say that you shouldn’t spend too much on a dedicated freestyle stick, as there’s only so much abuse a board can take before it needs replacing. The counter-argument to that is the K2 Fastplant – not the cheapest, but tougher than an overcooked steak and far, far tastier.

“not the cheapest, but tougher than an overcooked steak and far, far tastier”

The K2 Fastplant features a bamboo core, which has a whopping five-year warranty against breakages. It’s no plank, though, as bamboo is famously light.

The flat profile means that you get more pop than a rocker, and none of the twitchiness of camber. It’s all a matter of taste of course, but anyone whose autopilot takes them to a camber board should note that this has a carbon bar between the feet that compensates for the lack of bend in the base. Shaped to load energy, this will improve its airtime whilst not losing the benefits of a flat base.

At each end there’s a gradual rise to the extremities, giving you massive, stable platforms on which to press and butter. So whatever feature you throw the K2 Fastplant at, it’s fit for purpose. For the unrelenting park fiend, the K2 Fastplant is an investment worth making.

Tester’s Verdict

Michael Readsnowfit.co.uk

“The Fastplant has been among the most talked about boards in the years that I’ve been riding, and it certainly didn’t disappoint when I finally got to ride it on snow.

“It’s so incredibly stable on jumps, it really gives you the confidence to send it slightly harder than you normally would”

I got the chance to shred park, powder and piste, and boy did it handle well! It’s so incredibly stable on jumps, it really gives you the confidence to send it slightly harder than you normally would.

While I’d normally find boards like that a bit dull when you want to mess about with butters and presses, on the Fastplant was so much fun. If I was to be really picky I would say that compared to similar boards it seemed quite heavy and it has quite a sizeable price tag, but with the five-year guarantee on the core it can be excused.”

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