Board: Flow Darwin
Size: 157
Camber Option: Pow-Cam. Rocker nose, set back camber under the front foot, flat zone between the middle, camber under the back foot.
Bindings: K2 Indy
Stance: 22.5 Wide 18 Negative 15 Goofy
Boots: K2 T1 DB Size 10
My Weight: 170lbs
Resort: Breckenridge
Conditions: Mix of sun and clouds with fresh snow to be had in the wide open and in the trees.
Flex: Much like the 2015 version this board has a softer flex in the nose that stiffens up as you get towards the end of the tail. The torsional give is highly abundant which makes it playful.
Stability: The biggest difference to the Darwin for 2016 is that the ABT isn’t bulging out of the base. Instead there’s internal urethane that provides the dampening you need when getting into a chattery situation. This board remains playful yet stable.
Ollies/Pop: Having those camber zones really lets you load up and pop. This board is at home boosting of powder pillows into fresh snow. Don’t ever worry about not having enough snap to get the board into the air or over a feature.
Butterability: That wide nose is great for buttering around in snow, but the stubby swallow tail can hook. Be prepared to work for a good 360 nose butter in deep snow.
Carving: The sidecut is sound enough to rail a turn on a groomer, if you push it too hard though you will find you’re only carving with your back foot and the rest of the board is already raised up out of the arc. This board is meant for the steep and deep.
Rider in Mind: The person chasing powder and only powder.
Personal Thoughts: In 2014 I tinked the edge and blew it out on the first run I ever made on a Darwin. That didn’t effect the ride, but it made me question the durability of the board. In 2015 it was a bit more beefed up, but here we are in 2016 and the board is even more durable. It was also nice to see the pronounced ABT gone and instead replaced with a better dampening agent to give it a far more stable ride.
Check out the past reviews of the 2015 and 2014 Darwin.
Comparable Boards: Salomon Sick Stick, Rome Mountain Division, Rossignol XV
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This board was loaned to us for review by Flow Snowboards marketing department.
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