Board: Gnu Hyak
Size: 157
Camber Option: BTX. Center reverse camber.
Bindings: K2 Indy
Stance: 21.5 Wide 18 Negative 15 Goofy
Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10
My Weight: 188lbs
Resort: Arapahoe Basin
Conditions: A mix of gray over cast skies to puking snow/sleet, warmer temps, moderate winds, snow that was frozen and sticky to fast and slushy.
Flex: This board comes in right around a middle of the road. You get a little more play in the tips than under foot. The middle of the board matches up to the play in the tips. The torsional flex is there but not over whelming or over powering, it’s just right.
Stability: This board is stable to a point, would I charge into a rutted out mogul field? Probably not as it would buck me. But cruising around this board was fine and dandy. It’s a board with that right mix for the recreational rider that likes to charge occasionally.
Ollies: This board has a skate like approach to how it snaps due to the reverse camber. You can load up at the last minute and it will pop or you can be more assertive and really load it up and get a decent snap. It’s designed to help make the whole mountain your skatepark.
Pop On Jumps: Small to medium/large it’s got you covered. There’s enough snap and rebound to pop off any lip and still not wash out when it lands.
Butterability: Being reverse camber really helps you unleash your buttery imagination all over the slopes. So get sideways, pop a 180, just be weird. There is some rebound so you will have to put in marginal work to get the desired effect you want.
Jibbing: This board locks in with some effort and has snap out of any nose/tail press combo you’re going to do. Want to get sideways? Go for it, the board hugs the feature and won’t buckle.
Carving: The edge to edge initiation is smooth and you can transition from toe to heel as fast as you want. When railing a hard turn the board isn’t a limp noodle that will buckle so you can drive the deck as you see fit. It’s one of those decks that lets you be mellow when skidding a turn or just riding around a groomer but still be aggressive when you want to lay a deep trench.
Rider in Mind: The all mountain freestyle guy that wants a little setback.
Personal Thoughts: This is a stiffer Skate Banana in my opinion. It’s got some snap and rebound which makes it a bit more fun to ride. It has solid pop, can jib with the best of them, and makes the whole mountain into a skatepark. If you’re looking for a board that can do it all, then check this out.
Comparable Boards: Arbor Westmark Rocker, Flow Era, Ride Machete
Support your local snowboard shop buy locally. Find a shop here.
14 Comments
Leaning on picking up this board. This will be my second year boarding my first year I rode a very used burton raven for all mountain riding and had a blast minus the fact it wouldn’t hold a edge and somehow managed to catch an edge everytime I didnt want it to. Couple really good deals for labor day weekend going on is this still a good all mountain board? I really never touched the park or any big jumps. Mostly played in trees and hit the occasional side hit or small drop hoping to run harder with a better board.
Do you still recommend this as a good all mountain runner? Found a deal on a New deck to good to pass up.
Thanks!
Snag it.
Thanks for the informative review. Currently have a very stiff Rome and want a skate style board for ollies, presses, sidecuts, green/blue trails, and getting into easy park riding. This seems like a good fit. I love driving automatic.
Been riding a 2014 K2 Raygun for just a week a year the last couple of years. Right now im looking for a board to improve my overall riding.
I’d like to carve a little more agressive, right now my raygun washes out on me when i try to push it harder, and rutted out terrain with moguls makes my knees fucking bleed. Looking to improve my pow riding and i just started out hitting some bigger jumps.
Would you consider the Hyak a good follow up on my Raygun? I’ve been looking at the capita Mercury as well, but i think it might be a bit too much board for me for now.
More so it sounds like you need to ride more.
Well no shit, i wish i could. I rode several boards before the raygun, but at the time the raygun was the one for me and helped me improve faster.
Well then, you got the advice.
Yes, thanks for that, but here’s the thing. I’m going to gift my board to a friend for reasons, so i’m going to need a new one anyways. The raygun has been great, so do you consider the hyak a great follow up on it? I’d like something a bit more challenging, but not one that asks the rider to bring his A game for i have none.
Get the Yes Libre.
Fairly aggressive, intermediate-advanced rider, looking for something to take all mountain/trees and some park play w/ rails and small to medium jumps. Tired of demoing 30+ days a year, don’t want to break the bank.
Between this and the Rome Reverb Rocker, which would you recommend? If neither, then what? Preesh
Neither. If you’re on a budget get a Jones Frontier, a K2 Raygun or Raygun Pop,and maybe even a Rome Warden.
Narrowed it down to the Warden and the Yes Libre. Leaning towards the libre. Convince me one way or the other. As always, appreciate your input.
I own and ride the Warden daily right now.
thank you sir