Who says you camber is dead and it couldn’t be reinvented? Well leave it to K2 to add it back to their line after touting how great rocker has been the last few years. The new 2014 Happy Hour gets to be the guinea pig for this new camber and why not it’s the snowboard of choice for a lot of their team.
Board: K2 Happy Hour
Size: 154
Camber Option: Precision Baseline. This is a hard one to describe. Think of it like a camrocker but with some tweaks. Instead of the camber being an arc it’s flat then it kinks down like a reverse rocker where it blends into the tip kicks. This gives it the snap of camber but the playfulness of rocker.
Bindings: K2 Formulas
Stance: 22.5 Wide 18 Negative 15 Goofy
Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10
My Weight: 175lbs
Resort: Arapahoe Basin
Conditions: The day started off with serious flat light to the point you couldn’t see the snow definition at the tip of your board, with firmer snow, and some winds. Then the sun broke through the gray layer making visibility better and softening up the snow.
Flex: Right where the flat camber point ends and it kinks down there is a lot of flex making the tips playful. From insert to insert it’s about middle of the road flex. The torsional give is just enough to center twist the board while carving.
Stability: This board is super stable for charging with regardless if it’s frozen death moguls or spring slush push mounds. Don’t fear charging with this.
Ollies: This board has snap, but two kinds. You can be powerful and load the the tail up to get the boost you want or you can be skate-styled and do it last minute. That’s the beauty of this camber profile.
Pop On Jumps: Off of a tranny and out of the lip this board boosts. It’s one of those boards that has the force to make sure you can make it to your desired landing location. Small to large jumps are not going to be an issue at all.
Butterability: It does take a slight bit more effort to get this board to butter around due to the flex and camber profile but it’s not one of those decks that makes it impossible to perform. The Stabby Tips sometimes do catch so be prepared for that.
Jibbing: Stabby Tips aren’t exactly the best on wide boxes if you get really up on the tip in a press. But other than that this board locks in with a little bit of effort and holds the press. The camber zone between the feet locks in great for a board slide as well.
Carving: Like railing hard turns? Then you’ll love this board you can lay a trench and transition over from edge to edge the whole way down the mountain. This board is designed to be aggressive when you want to or lazy if you need.
Rider in Mind: The guy that’s charging the whole mountain as their personal skatepark, whether it’s powder or rails they’ll do it all.
Personal Thoughts: I wasn’t sure how the new camber profile would work out, but I have to say I love it. It’s aggressive when you need it but mellow if you want to be lazy. The fact you can get two different kinds of pop out of this board depending on your mood is ideal. The one thing that does suck is catching that Stabby Tip when spinning off natural features or bonking various obstacles on the hill. But on a plus side you can poke people in the side of their foot in the lift line.
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Disclaimer: This board was loaned to us for review from the K2 Snowboarding Rockies rep.
34 Comments
Hey Angry,
So it seems the camber profile on the new happy hour is very similar (dare to say identical) as the Salomon Villian. How do they compare? I know you have to great reviews on them, but I want to know what you think head to head.
Thanks
Have I posted the Villains review yet?
Well yeah, the 2013 villain. I wasn’t sure that it changed so much for next year.
[…] […]
[…] Avran over at Angrysnowboarder.com actually has a review of the new K2 Happy Hour using this new camber technology if you want to check it out more (see: 2014 K2 Happy Hour Snowboard Review). […]
angry,
are there any differences between the 2013 and 2014 happy hour?
Camber profile is completely different. Lifted is all new.
how is it in powder?
As it’s more like traditional camber you have that going against the ease of something that is flat, reverse, or hybrid. Otherwise it’s fine.
How would a k2 happy hour compare with a rome mod rocker i terms of playfullness and feeling when riding ??
Well the K2 has camber which changes how it rides compared to the Mod Rocker. The Mod Rocker makes up for not having the snap of camber by having that hallow rod in the tip. They’re fairly equal in terms of playfulness.
I’m 145lbs, but can get a deal on a 154. Too long? I notice the effective edge on these guys aren’t long at all (pointy tips). I’ll be using it for aggressive freestyle (I have a separate buttering board).
Or just suck it up it’s less than an inch and get off the damn site.
Do you need a 154? Seems a bit long for that weight.
Between the happy hour and the mod rocker which one is more stable in off-piste conditions ?
Depends on a few factors.
what are the factors ?
Rider weight and personal preference.
Yeah a 154 does seem long and I’m looking to lose about 10 lbs (down to 135).
Torn between this and a Salomon Time Machine and have 4 weeks to decide (Whistler). Looking for playfulness, some moderate speed butters, and lots of pop.
I’ll flip a coin when the time comes. If this didn’t have the stabby tips I’m all over it with the ollie bar and camber.
[…] the day). That said, there are some early reviews on it (it's a brand new lifted camber design): 2014 K2 Happy Hour Snowboard Used and Reviewed « If you do a quick search on the forum, I don't think you'll find a single person who's ridden it […]
I’m 6 feet tall and weigh 140lbs and I’m thinking about buying this board in the 154 is that a good size for me?
Do you think it’s a good size for you?
This is my first time buying a board so I’m really not too sure I haven’t rode a 154 before and I would say I’m an intermediate I will probably ride the groomed trails most of the time and try tricks there but I also might want to take it anywhere I can go so I’m wondering if it will do everything for me at that size I feel like I need a long board because Pf my height but I’m also light so I don’t know where I fall and I know it’s a lot of personal preference but I just need to know that this will be fun, also what do you think about having the ipo bindings on this board size 11 boot if that matters
It’s not a bad size for you. Weight over height any day of the week. Bigger thing is making sure it fits your feet.
Is the 11 a problem?
K2 Rocks !!!
A bit confused on sizing.. I weigh about 150 lbs give or take 5. I was going to go for a 154 but you told the guy who weighed 145 lbs it was a bit big, then you told the guy who was 140 that 154 would be a good size…. If i get this itll be my only board so what size would be more versatile for an all around board?
just of out curiosity too, do you like riding small boards? you weigh 175 right and rode the 154?
Don’t over analyze it get what you want.
Deciding whether to purchase either the 2013 or 2014 happy hour…being that they both have completely different camber profiles, which do you prefer out of the 2? I’ve only ridden rockers so they’re both new to me. I usually ride half park, half cruise the groomers, and like to butter around as well…..i would probably think the 2013 would would better, but i’m intrigued by the “lifted’ profile as well..it looks pretty much like a camber to me, would i have to defile the edges for the 2014?
thanks for any advice.
You’re right that Lifted looks more like camber. It’s what I call camber 2.0 and honestly I would go with that over the flat version. It’s more versatile. Defiling the edges is all up to you, me personally I never defile my edges or my snowboard unless I’m angry.
I’m considering replacing my Skate Banana. I currently ride a 156 and use it for all mountain freestyle… slopes, trees, pow, plus a little park, but it gets a little too loose at speed (could be my Salomon Relays being overly soft). Debating on picking up a 157 2014 Happy Hour, but the fact you ride a 154 is making me consider that too. I’m 511 and 160lbs tops. Oh and I used to ride a 154 Burton UnInc even in pow, worked ok from what I remember. What do you think??? I want to be able to ride everything without getting squirrrly at speed or sinking in pow. I have Ride Rodeo’s coming to pair with whatever I get next for what that’s worth.
This board is exactly what I want, but do the stabby tips really mess you up?
Depends on what you mean by mess you up.
Based your review and some other comments on the Internets, I ordered a 2014 154 HH in the end. Sounds like it can handle pow well enough. Can’t wait to try it out. Might get a 160 Sick Stick next year if I need more float.
Finally tested out my 154 Happy Hour and Ride Rodeos on very crappy snow at Mountain Creek in NJ last Fri. Great combo. The HH is super poppy, playful, surfy. Doesn’t feel too small at all. In fact, I struggled to feel the size difference between it and my 156 Skate Banana. However, the HH is way more stable at speed and the base feels faster. Taking it to CO in two weeks and can’t wait to try it in some pow, tress, etc.