$429 Intermediate to Expert Freestyle to All Mountain Flat Camber Twin Shape K2 was right there with Lib-Tech with the introduction of rockered boards to the public so don't think they don't know how to make a good rocker snowboard. The Parkstar is actually very different than many popular continuous rocker boards. The flat/rocker design makes it very stable between the feet. The flat in the middle of the board makes this very easy to handle one footing or when flatbasing. The Parkstar has softened up a bit for 2011 but is still pretty much the same board as 2010. The Parkstar is a good choice for someone who wants to jib everywhere and likes jumps. It's not super popy but it's also not lifeless. The Jib Rocker makes sense and does a great job where it's supposed to. All in all the Parkstar is a very fun board. Our only real complaint is we'd like to see this have a little more edge hold. If you ride in good conditions you will not have any issues. For 2012 it's a bit lighter, has a shorter size range and a little more playful but still the same parkstar that many liked from last year.
The Good Ride Take on K2 K2 is a big company that makes a lot of ski and snowboard gear. So many companies are really proud of their gear and let sites like the Good Ride borrow it for a few weeks. K2 doesn’t and is only about the on-snow demo so we have to put in extra effort to get a hold of K2 gear. K2 chose Flat Camber and variations of flat/rocker for their rides in the post camber revolution. Their flat camber has a mixed take but their flat/rocker shapes (especially all terrain) seem to be some of the best out there and are well liked. When it comes to Bindings K2 spends a lot of time working on the quick release side of things. We at the Good Ride aren’t big fans of the quick release but acknowledge that many do like this tech. To us we’d rather see them work on improved turn initiation, comfort and better board flex under foot but many don’t agree with our take. Their boots are well made, long lasting and comfortable but many don’t have the traditional upper and lower BOA system that most companies offer. Instead most have an inner and outer lacing system’s which some like but we’d rather see upper and lower autonomy instead of two lacing systems focusing on the same 2 regions. Their customer support is very good but there is no phone # on their site so you must contact them via email.
Back again with the Jib Rocker™ freestyle feel and pop. New for 2011 the addition of Carbon web bringing super pop while the Hybritaper makes it light and quick. The 2011-2012 K2 Parkstar Snowboard is the foundation of K2 freestyle.
A better Look at the 2012 K2 Parkstar from K2
Jib Rocker
PARK & RAIL AUTHORITY
Jib Rocker is a versatile twin Rocker built to dominate the park. Just enough rise in the tip and tail to create a loose, buttery feel on all types of terrain. Contact points stay well off the snow until engaged – eliminating edge hook while maintaining fun pop.
Carbon Web
Connect to the web
Always improving the feel and energy return of our boards, the R+D group releases the CARBON WEB rider input/output system. Offered in two levels of sensitivity. Resulting in a more connected feedback loop from terrain to rider.
Hybritaper
Lightweight & Strong
Hybritaper takes our Hybritech Construction, and tapers out the core at the tip and tail to reduce the swing weight. We blend the tips from a cap into a thin sandwich removing material where you don’t need it.
WH3 Core
Lightweight honeykomb core technology
Using the same wood lay up as the W2 core; Our WH3 adds` two strips of Honeykomb material between the bindings and the rails.
ICG 10
Triaxial Glass
A glass laminate with diagonal layers that stiffens the board torsionally. Giving you improved edge hold and increased stability for those off-axis landings
Hyper Progressive
An infinite number of different radius are blended together flawlessly from mellow in the tips, to more aggressive in the center. The result is a super predictable feel that never hooks. Responsive at high speeds and smooth enough to butter your way from the peak to park.
4000 Sintered
• Fastest natural base material available • Exceptionally Durable • Absorbs deeper & retains wax longer
K2 Parkstar 2011
$429.95
Rookie of the Year
Last season, the K2 Parkstar™ took Rookie of the Year honors, winning over camp kids, seasoned pros and magazine testers straight off the rack. This year the 2010-11 K2 Parkstar flexes a little more muscle, emerging as a fun, press-ready ride with screaming base swaps, a chaos topsheet and the forgiving JIB ROCKER feel that made it famous. Unmatched maneuverability and something loosely defined as ‘buttery goodness’ back the Parkstar’s game.
Park & Rail Authority
Matrix 1 - Carbon Lively Feel
4000 Sintered - Fast, Durable, Hold the Wax!
Parkstar Construction Features
BASELINE:
Jib Rocker™
CONSTRUCTION:
Hybritaper™
SHAPE:
Twin Tip, Hyper Progressive
CORE:
W2™ Core
TORSION FORKS:
Carbon Matrix I
K2 Park Star 2010
TRUE PEAK TO PARK PERFORMANCE
Everything you loved about the Darkstar got Rockered for the ultimate versatile high performance freestyle board.
Some say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – so we didn’t, we just took the legendary freestyle performance of the Darkstar and added a super playful Jib Rocker to the design and, voila, the Parkstar is born. It’s twin tip design and medium flex defines true freestyle versatility. Touting the same hyper progressive sidecut and centered stance for precise response and easy maneuverability, the Parkstar’s genius lies in it’s ability to dominate the peak, get to the park and lay waist on everything in between.
Rocker Range: 6-2mm/ 120-160mm
Your park and rail ROCKER with the automatic 'press higher' function, JIB ROCKER allows for a loose, buttery feel while jibbing around the park or slaughtering the streets. Whether you’re pressing boxes or just playing around on the flats, JIB ROCKER has a forgiving no-catch feel that allows you to pull off even the most wild combinations. The flat mid-section allows you to lock into rails like you were on a skateboard.
