# It's down to two...Lib Tech Skate Banana vs. K2 Parkstar



## uberR (Feb 1, 2010)

So ive never my search for a dedicated park board down to two. I can get a GREAT deal on both from a local shop, and they would be about the same price.

A little background...Im looking for a dedicated park board to help me LEARN more tricks. I need something that is going to be ideal for getting down spins, better on boxes and rails. I am an advanced all mountain rider, just starting to get better in the park. I already have my every day stick, this will be to improve my park skills.

Skate Banana 156 W - As always a ton of great things written about the SB. Found it in the less obnoxious blue color , and seems like if you're going to go with a reverse board, why not go with where it started?

K2 Parkstar 155 W - Among the other boards I put against the SB in the price range, this one really stood out. Alot of great tech in it from K2 , and overall seems like a solid park board.

So help me out, which one is better for what im looking for? Im pretty torn here! Thanks!


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2010)

Hey, I cannot speak for the k2 as i have never ridden it before, however I just got my first day out on my new banana 156 and it was and absolute blast to ride! sooo much fun. I doubt you would be disappointed with the banana if you picked one up.


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## LTshredTN (Apr 14, 2009)

just my opinion, but i would consider a more flexible board for a dedicated park board...around here everyones uses bananas for a all around board..there not as flexible as alot of other boards, look at some capita boards or Rome


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## uberR (Feb 1, 2010)

LTshredTN said:


> just my opinion, but i would consider a more flexible board for a dedicated park board...around here everyones uses bananas for a all around board..there not as flexible as alot of other boards, look at some capita boards or Rome


Ive sort of noticed that, but I do want something that is going to be good for jumps as well. Not a totally flexy noodle. Mainly aiding in getting spins down. Alot of those really flexible boards I tend to get afraid will lack the pop im looking for.


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## jtchompy (Feb 6, 2009)

banana lacks in pop compared to the k2, i even heard that the banana loses pop over time but i can't comfirm as i have only riden my friends


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## jputtho2 (Jan 14, 2010)

I've owned both but only have ridden the Parkstar. I sold the banana earlier this season to go to the parkstar actually. I love my parkstar, rides awesome. I can't speak for the Skate Banana though. Wish I would have ridden it to see if the "hype" is what it is.


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## mrpez (Jan 29, 2010)

why is it that whenever someone mentions they are buying a libtech, someone chimes in with the automated answer "NEVERSUMMER, ROME!!"?


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## uberR (Feb 1, 2010)

jputtho2 said:


> I've owned both but only have ridden the Parkstar. I sold the banana earlier this season to go to the parkstar actually. I love my parkstar, rides awesome. I can't speak for the Skate Banana though. Wish I would have ridden it to see if the "hype" is what it is.


Could you tell me more about the Parkstar? How flexy is it? Do you feel like its a good board to start mastering tricks on, etc. Thanks!


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## jputtho2 (Jan 14, 2010)

uberR said:


> Could you tell me more about the Parkstar? How flexy is it? Do you feel like its a good board to start mastering tricks on, etc. Thanks!


Actually, I see guys on here say it's too soft but I think they don't know what they are talking about and going off of what they read because today I cmpared it to my buddies '10 Legacy-r and my board is definitely stiffer than that board. I think it's a good board to start learning tricks. I have learned pretty much all my shit on it actually. Before I got the board I basically could just jump, now I can do grabs, ride rails, and spin 1's and 3's and butter pretty well too (in about a months time).


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## legends6spd (Jan 18, 2010)

are u saying the parkstar is 'definitely stiffer' than the legacy-r? i'm shocked....


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2010)

*similar problem...*

hey guys, dont mean to hijack your thread but doesnt seem sensible to set up a new one with so much overlap.

i'm looking to get better at more park stuff, jumps > rails, but especially want to get better at buttering and messing around on the flats (so quite flexy). problem: when i go snowboarding my mates are usually not up for the same thing the whole time so i will have to take it all over the mountains...

which of these (or others) would you suggest fits my needs?
-rome artifact
-capita stairmaster
-lib tech skate banana

(I'm not too worried about the price, but i am a bit worried the first two are too noodley to take anywhere around the mountain)

would really appreciate your help on this so thanks a lot!

ben


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## uberR (Feb 1, 2010)

bendy said:


> hey guys, dont mean to hijack your thread but doesnt seem sensible to set up a new one with so much overlap.
> 
> i'm looking to get better at more park stuff, jumps > rails, but especially want to get better at buttering and messing around on the flats (so quite flexy). problem: when i go snowboarding my mates are usually not up for the same thing the whole time so i will have to take it all over the mountains...
> 
> ...


I settled up on the K2 Parkstar. Seems like the best bet for park jibbing and hitting kickers. The SB looks like a great board too, and probably a little bit more flexy (maybe)...but im going K2.


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## XdinobotX (Jan 9, 2010)

uberR said:


> I settled up on the K2 Parkstar. Seems like the best bet for park jibbing and hitting kickers. The SB looks like a great board too, and probably a little bit more flexy (maybe)...but im going K2.


RIGHT ON!!! finally someone who isn't going with a SB :laugh: 
i just got mine in and so far i'm loving it! it's a great jibbing board and super fun to ride in general.


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## rasmasyean (Jan 26, 2008)

mrpez said:


> why is it that whenever someone mentions they are buying a libtech, someone chimes in with the automated answer "NEVERSUMMER, ROME!!"?


I think Never Summer factory is like "nearby" the Lib Tech one or something like that. So it's like a sports team thing. Maybe they even bury eachother's doors with snowplows or something.


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## rasmasyean (Jan 26, 2008)

uberR said:


> Ive sort of noticed that, but I do want something that is going to be good for jumps as well. Not a totally flexy noodle. Mainly aiding in getting spins down. Alot of those really flexible boards I tend to get afraid will lack the pop im looking for.


I read that reverse camber boards sacrifice a little pop compared to cambered boards. I guess that makes a bit of sense logically.

I've also heard that cambered boards are better for landing spins. But I'm not sure it this is still true about "learning" to land spins. Perhaps cambered boards can stop your spin quicker once you are more accurate and align properly??? Maybe someone can chime it. 

When I briefly tried reverse cambered boards for a day, I found landing a spin would be easy to "overspin" but on the plus side, it's not as easy to catch an edge otherwise and get off balanced by that. As long as you can handle a bit of overspinning. But the boards I tried were the Burton Hero and Burton Fix, and they both have "scoops" (raised edges arround the tip and tail) so maybe that's a contributing factor.


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## rasmasyean (Jan 26, 2008)

XdinobotX said:


> RIGHT ON!!! finally someone who isn't going with a SB :laugh:
> i just got mine in and so far i'm loving it! it's a great jibbing board and super fun to ride in general.


I've actaully got the impression that the Skate Banana is really an all mountain board. The thing that makes it "jibbish" is the reverse camber, twin shape. It makes it easier to press and butter, but the banana is relatively stiff compared to other "jib" specialized boards.

If you look here:
Skate Banana Lib Tech Snowboards

Only the smallest size is flex 4...and that's a 148N when a small rider is on it or a girl or something. It then goes quickly up to flex 6, which is only 1.5 lower than the Dark Series (the serious air board).


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## Guest (Mar 6, 2010)

uberR said:


> K2 Parkstar 155 W - Among the other boards I put against the SB in the price range, this one really stood out. Alot of great tech in it from K2 , and overall seems like a solid park board.


I'm pretty sure the K2 Parkstar is an all-mountain board. If you're interested in K2 park boards go with the www rocker or if you're willing to spend a good amount of money get the JIbpan. I have a Jibpan and prefer it over any other board I've tried for park use.


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## jputtho2 (Jan 14, 2010)

XdinobotX said:


> RIGHT ON!!! finally someone who isn't going with a SB :laugh:
> i just got mine in and so far i'm loving it! it's a great jibbing board and super fun to ride in general.


I sold my Skate Banana for a Parkstar.  But yeah it's a blast to ride. I get a ton of pop from it too when I ollie and nollie which I see some people (who I don't think have ever ridden one or if they have it was for a very short time) say that it doesn't pop well. 

Sucks that our resort here is closing in a week.  Weather here is 55-60 degrees now. We have a couple CO trips to A-Basin though, one at the end of this month and then again in April.


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## jputtho2 (Jan 14, 2010)

Boston092 said:


> I'm pretty sure the K2 Parkstar is an all-mountain board. If you're interested in K2 park boards go with the www rocker or if you're willing to spend a good amount of money get the JIbpan. I have a Jibpan and prefer it over any other board I've tried for park use.


It's a Peak to Park board but it won the TWS Good Wood for boards over $400 for Park and also won the award for Top ten boards of 2010.


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2010)

*Skate Bananan!*

Get the Skate Banana it has magnatraction so you can detune all your edges and still make pretty sharp turns. Its super flexy but not noodly or anything and for a rocker it has some pretty good pop! Then throw on a pair of Union Contacts and your good to go!!


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## VenomousSVT (Feb 17, 2009)

uberR said:


> So ive never my search for a dedicated park board down to two. I can get a GREAT deal on both from a local shop, and they would be about the same price.
> 
> A little background...Im looking for a dedicated park board to help me LEARN more tricks. I need something that is going to be ideal for getting down spins, better on boxes and rails. I am an advanced all mountain rider, just starting to get better in the park. I already have my every day stick, this will be to improve my park skills.
> 
> ...


if you're thinking skate banana why not buy a pickle.. its all that a banana is but with PTX as well


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## jputtho2 (Jan 14, 2010)

rider002 said:


> Get the Skate Banana it has magnatraction so you can detune all your edges and still make pretty sharp turns. Its super flexy but not noodly or anything and for a rocker it has some pretty good pop! Then throw on a pair of Union Contacts and your good to go!!


He already bought the park.


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