# 2011 K2 Anagram or 2011 Ride Kink



## Lupin (Nov 21, 2010)

First off I want to start by saying that I have not ridden either snowboard so I do not know how they will feel on snow.

However I can tell you that the Kink is a directional twin shape which may make riding switch a little less easy than with the Anagram which is a true twin. The kink is also softer, which will make landing bigger jumps a little squirrely. The kink is really intended to be a jib board. 

The Anagram is a beginner board and it does not have the best speed. You won't be able to floor it and so if you like to race down the hill it is not the right board. Other than that I personally do not think the fact that it is a beginner board will effect you much if you just want to have fun and your riding style is more chill. The Anagram will be better on bigger jumps as it is a little stiffer.

Out of these two boards I personally would go with the Anagram for sure. I think it is better suited to what you said you wanted and it definitely would not be worth it for you to pay the extra money for the kink.

That being said you also might want to look into the k2 Raygun if it is at a similar price as the Anagram because I think it will ride similar to the Anagram but be better at higher speeds. 

Again I have not actually ridden any of the boards, what I say is just based off of the specs.


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## Lupin (Nov 21, 2010)

Okay, I'm just going to go out on a limb here and guess that you are thinking of purchasing at sportchek?

The Raygun at sportchek is 303.99. If it were me I would definitely pay the extra 50 dollars or so to step up from the Anagram to the Raygun. I just think the Raygun will ride better all mountain. 

The Raygun does have a 3/4 inch stance setback but that shouldn't hinder learning to ride switch much and it will make it better for riding all mountain (I also think it makes it a little easier to land jumps).

I've actually been looking into the Raygun for a while. I bought a Scaremaster a couple months ago for 239.99 in the states but with shipping and everything it ended up being about 300 Canadian. If I had known I would be able to get the Raygun for about the same I think I would have gone for the Raygun since I would have liked a board with a bit more all mountain capability. But whatever, both boards are probably a lot of fun!


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## jgsqueak (Mar 9, 2010)

Having ridden both of these boards, I would say that the Anagram is stiffer (less tech core) and has slight (they call it "catch free") rocker. Both are twin, both are centered, neither is directional anything. The Kink is more jib/butter friendly than the Agram due to the Slimewalls and Prorise Rocker. 

The price on the Agram is good (if it is in fact a 2011), so that is really hard to pass up, but if you wind up buying a new board next season because it didn't do what you wanted it to, you will be out more than $400...I guess if you are trying to decide between a Kink and Agram, then you may not have been a Kink customer from the start.


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## Lupin (Nov 21, 2010)

This is what the good ride had to say about the kink:


Intermediate to Expert Freestyle Jib
Flat Camber Twin Like Directional Shape
The Kink has a solid build that is made to deal with the jib park and not much outside of it. The Kink is pretty soft and playful. This is called low pro rocker but it's more flat camber than rocker. What ever that means it really means that the Kink is pretty stable between Jibs and is fun to play with. 

So for some reason their borders that tested it thought it was twin-like directional but yeah, on the sportchek description it says it is a centered true twin. 

Even so its still meant as a jib board and the Raygun will be better all mountain/on bigger jumps. And is over 100 dollars cheaper.


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## SnowboardRX (Dec 8, 2010)

Lupin said:


> This is what the good ride had to say about the kink:
> 
> 
> Intermediate to Expert Freestyle Jib
> ...


Lupin,
Thanks for your help. I think I've definitely been swayed into getting the K2 instead of the Ride now.
But now I don't know if I want the Anagram or the Raygun lol.

Here's some more info on my riding:
The hills I go on around where I'm at aren't big at all so I'm mostly in the Park anyway. I only go to big mountains about once a year for a couple days and then when I'm riding those is the only time I'm usually on the mountain instead of the park. I also really wanna learn switch this year as noted before.

Personally, I don't really like the Rayguns graphics that much and the fact that it is not totally centered kinda deters me as well.
If I don't really plan on going "warp speed" down a mountain; quick but not blisteringly fast, would you say that the Anagram would still be good?
That would definitely help my decision? 

Thanks


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## jgsqueak (Mar 9, 2010)

I would take Ride's info over another individual's review. I have their catalog in hand. The Kink's nose and tail width is identical in each size. The side cut radius is symmetrical in each size. The stance is centered in each size. And Prorise is flat all the way past the insert and rockered (the same amount) on the nose and tail. Unfortunately I could not find those specs for you on Ride's website. I will email their Sales Manager to see if they can't get those there for people to read. 

I read the review that you copied from; I think that they are just trying to describe the board not using the companies term for their rocker shape. The problem is that "flat camber" doesn't exist. Flat is flat and Camber is camber. You can combine the two shape (three if you want include rocker) but they cannot exist in the same spot on a board. Once you combine and two of the three existing shapes, you get "hybrid" rocker.

If you can get a Raygun for $250, buy it. A Kink should be $350 and if there is a Raygun out there for "over $100 cheaper" it is a steal. And the Raygun rips for a $350 board!


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## Lupin (Nov 21, 2010)

Here is what the good ride said about the Anagram:

Beginner to Intermediate Freestyle to All Mountain
Continuous Rocker Twin Shape
The K2 Anagram is a good beginner Twin shaped snowboard despite the fact it has an extruded base. An extruded base is less expensive and more sturdy but a bit slower than the very common sintered base you see on most snowboards. Another issue with extruded bases is they are a bit more difficult to repair. For 2011 the Anagram now has a very smooth rocker that makes for a catch free ride. It doesn't have the pop or carving ability that the 2010 had but it performs better in powder and is a little more jib friendly. The Anagram has built in more tech than your average snowboard for this price. So you lose a little speed, which is ok if you are a beginner/intermediate rider, but you get a board that has a good all around performance. This is perfect for those that want to learn a bit of everything in the park and mountain. 

Here is what the good ride said about the Raygun:

Intermediate to Expert All Mountain Freestyle
Continuous All Mountain Rocker Twin
The K2 Raygun is a good all mountain to freestyle rocker snowboard. It has stability when flat basing and hitting more than a crusing speed. It's not the best when it comes to carving but the Raygun will be great for jibbing all over the mountain. For the price its hard to get a good all mountian freestyle snowboard at this level. 

The k2 Raygun also won a good wood award this year from Transworld Snowboarding and this is what they said:

A brand-new board in the K2 line, the Raygun performs as well in the park as it does in the sidecountry. Generous rocker in the tips yields maximum float in pow and easy presses in the park, while its setback stance keeps you firmly in the driver’s seat. With carbon fibers woven throughout the topsheet, this gun is steady and easy to aim.

“Really good carving board. It has a great shape and flex for ripping turns and jumps.”

Honestly, its hard to say without having ridden the boards which you will like better but the testers seemed to really like the Raygun both at the good ride and at Transworld. The Raygun will most likely be better when you hit the big mountain and will probably be more stable at high speeds or when flat basing.

As far as the park at your local resort I personally think the Anagram would be totally fine and the centered stance should make it a little easier to ride switch (although none of the testers had any problems riding switch on the raygun-but they are advanced to expert park riders). If you are first learning to ride switch the anagram probably would be better. Also learning to ride switch is kind of like learning to ride again for some (it was for me) and having a board intended for beginners with a catch-free rocker will most likely make it easier.


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## Lupin (Nov 21, 2010)

jgsqueak said:


> I would take Ride's info over another individual's review. I have their catalog in hand. The Kink's nose and tail width is identical in each size. The side cut radius is symmetrical in each size. The stance is centered in each size. And Prorise is flat all the way past the insert and rockered (the same amount) on the nose and tail. Unfortunately I could not find those specs for you on Ride's website. I will email their Sales Manager to see if they can't get those there for people to read.
> 
> I read the review that you copied from; I think that they are just trying to describe the board not using the companies term for their rocker shape. The problem is that "flat camber" doesn't exist. Flat is flat and Camber is camber. You can combine the two shape (three if you want include rocker) but they cannot exist in the same spot on a board. Once you combine and two of the three existing shapes, you get "hybrid" rocker.
> 
> If you can get a Raygun for $250, buy it. A Kink should be $350 and if there is a Raygun out there for "over $100 cheaper" it is a steal. And the Raygun rips for a $350 board!


Yeah you are definitely right about the Kink. The good ride got in wrong. Although I do find the good ride reviews helpful in general. The boards that I have ridden do ride pretty similar to how the good ride says they will ride. But they make mistakes for sure. 

The Raygun at our local store is 303.99 Canadian! Which is sweet! The kink is 415 Canadian. I have no idea why the Raygun is at such a good price. Boards in Canada are almost never cheaper than in the US. Capita Stairmasters for example cost 400 dollars here.


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## jgsqueak (Mar 9, 2010)

Lupin said:


> Here is what the good ride said about the Anagram:
> 
> Beginner to Intermediate Freestyle to All Mountain
> Continuous Rocker Twin Shape


The Anagram is flat between the feet too, not continuous. I was just looking around the thegoodride and I think they have really good reviews...just bad description of rocker lines. I can't blame them though, there are only about 100+ variations (names) of camber, flat, rocker, and hybrid. When it comes to rocker lines, you have to take the company's word for it, after all, they are the ones who designed it. 

Lupin, thanks for showing me that site though, I had never been on there before. Do you know where these guys are out of?


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## SnowboardRX (Dec 8, 2010)

So i've kinda gotten confused between these conversations but if I was to purchase the Anagram for what I want to do, do you think it should suffice for a few years then?


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## jgsqueak (Mar 9, 2010)

Not really. Look at it this way:

Are you going to kill it in the park? Spend 80% of your time there? If you answered yes, go Kink.

Are you going to ride all aspects of the mountain, not spending more than 60% in any one area (park, groomers, powder)? If you answered yes, go Raygun.

Are you just wanting to save some cash and go with cheapest, park-like, entry level board out of the three? If you answered yes, go with the Anagram.


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## SnowboardRX (Dec 8, 2010)

jgsqueak:
Ok, but when I talk about park, I don't care to ride rails or boxes....only jumps and doing 360's about 85% of the time.
The other 15% riding would be the rest of the mountain, not going for crazy speed but a decent speed.

(Note: The board i've been riding for the last 6 years is a Kemper Vertex) So how would the Anagram stack up to that. If it's better in all aspects then the Kemper, then I'm good with the Anagram.

Thanks,


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## boarder27 (Sep 9, 2010)

I think I would go with the Raygun. It sounds like a good deal and you get something that you could progress on for a few years. The kink is too jib oriented and the sintered base will help on the big jumps when the snow is less than ideal (spring riding)


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## Lupin (Nov 21, 2010)

Here is a link to the page showing some of the reviewers details:

About The Good Ride

It doesn't really say where they are from though. But I like that they aren't professional snowboarders because I often find that what the professionals want in a board is different from what I want based on the fact that I'm mostly just fooling around on smaller mountains (my local resort is basically a hill) and smaller features. I personally don't need as much board as what a professional would want. I always find the pro models pretty stiff!

And they have a contact page where you can email them and ask their opinions on boards for you personally. And you can request reviews that they haven't done yet. 

Contact The Good Ride

When I was buying a board I found it overwhelming because I had been boarding on the same board for about 8 years and when I last bought one they didn't even have different camber options! 

This site was really helpful too but I found people tended just to recommend their favourite boards and it was a bit biased so I found the good ride and used it too. Together they were pretty good resources!


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## Nmbr1Ballr (Feb 3, 2009)

I have a 2009 anagram, I like it...


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## SnowboardRX (Dec 8, 2010)

Nmbr1Ballr said:


> I have a 2009 anagram, I like it...


So is it good for doing jumps/kickers & riding switch?

That's the main reason I want this board.
I mean it has to be better than a Kemper Vertex right?


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## Nmbr1Ballr (Feb 3, 2009)

SnowboardRX said:


> So is it good for doing jumps/kickers & riding switch?
> 
> That's the main reason I want this board.
> I mean it has to be better than a Kemper Vertex right?


I havent gone off any BIG jumps, but maybe some 10footers or so. And its done well on those. As far as riding switch, it does that well also. I don't have all that much experience so I can't turn and carve riding switch as well as I can riding my normal way, but I blame that on experience/skill more then the board.

My only gripes, and this is just opinion, that the board isn't as flexy as some others may be. I would like it to be a bit more flexible. Also I don't have the specs or anything, and this may be in my head, but I feel like if I got another board (parkstar) and bindings (390s), it would be much more lightweight. Again, idk if the difference would be ounces or a couple lbs, but I have the anagram and cinch ctc's, so for my next board I want to look at something more lightweight. 

I'll sell ya my anagram for $150 if ya want it, base is perfectly fine, maybe 2 chips in the nose on the top sheet.


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## jgsqueak (Mar 9, 2010)

Nmbr1Ballr said:


> I have a 2009 anagram, I like it...


The 2009 Anagram is Camber (like your Kemper), the 2011 is rocker (athough fairly minimal rocker 5mm) at the tip and tail and flat in between your feet; not really the same board. If you are not hitting boxes/rails, I think that you are more fit for a Raygun.

Is the Anagram better than your Kemper? Yes. Are they really comparable? No. New tech/materials are 10 times out of 10 better than obsolete/old tech/material. At the end of the day anything you buy that is 3 or less years old is going to be "better," but will it be better for what you want (jumps and some speed/turns, not rails)? That is why I say Raygun. At the end of the day it is your cash and your choice. Will the Agram still slide down a snow covered hill fast enough for you to get your thrill on? Yes.

Ride on.


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## jgsqueak (Mar 9, 2010)

Nmbr1Ballr said:


> like if I got another board (parkstar) and bindings (390s), it would be much more lightweight. Again, idk if the difference would be ounces or a couple lbs, but I have the anagram and cinch ctc's, so for my next board I want to look at something more lightweight.


It is the CTCs weighing your board down. the weight difference between a Parkstar and Anagram is minimal. Most(newer) boards are pretty similar in weight unless you get something with a tech core like a Vapor...


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## SnowboardRX (Dec 8, 2010)

jgsqueak said:


> The 2009 Anagram is Camber (like your Kemper), the 2011 is rocker (athough fairly minimal rocker 5mm) at the tip and tail and flat in between your feet; not really the same board. If you are not hitting boxes/rails, I think that you are more fit for a Raygun.
> 
> Is the Anagram better than your Kemper? Yes. Are they really comparable? No. New tech/materials are 10 times out of 10 better than obsolete/old tech/material. At the end of the day anything you buy that is 3 or less years old is going to be "better," but will it be better for what you want (jumps and some speed/turns, not rails)? That is why I say Raygun. At the end of the day it is your cash and your choice. Will the Agram still slide down a snow covered hill fast enough for you to get your thrill on? Yes.
> 
> Ride on.


Thanks jgsqueak, I think you've helped me make my decision.
Although the Raygun would prolly suit me a lil better than the Anagram, I think I'm gonna get the Anagram.
It's a true twin and I can't pass up on the price for it ($255 Brand New)
If its definitely better than my Kemper in all aspects (speed wise too) thats perfect for me. The way my Kemper rides is sweet and if this is better because of all the technology since then, I shouldn't complain then.

Thanks guys for your help, Anagram with Flow Flite 2 Bindings it is.


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