So I've been using a Ride DH 157 for atleast 3-4 years now and decided I needed a new board. I was looking for something shorter and softer but I wasn't quite sure how short I should go without losing stability. I was debating between the K2 Darkstar and Jibpan. The main thing that sold me on the Jibpan was the short length for the effective edge it has. From other reviews I read, it was softer or stiffer than the DH. From first hand experience it's definitely softer and in my opinion easier for me to ride. The DH used to get super squirly whenever I would build up enough speed whenever the board was flat so I would constantly use my edges. The jibpan is totally different, I eventually learned to trust and it's AWESOME. It's very stable at speed. It's also got equal if not more pop in comparison to my DH. I have it setup with some cartel's at the moment and I'm loving the combo. I'm 5'8 and about 185 with all my gear on. I know I'm at the very top of the weight range for the 153 but it works well for me and what I ask from the board. I'm still getting used to it and figuring out how much I can and can't do, but I have no complaints so far. One last thing, I honestly don't notice any difference with the harshmellow on the board, maybe with the bindings and boots it would be more noticeable but I can't tell it's present. It would be nice if it had rocker tech but we can't always get what we want... but then again, I heard next year such will be the case!

i am sure ya'll are intelligent enough to take 'SheldonTEF' comments as per there value. about every review he/she has written, especially about K2 product, says the exact same thing? I bet he is stoked on his Rome Crail, that the top sheet just delamed on right out of plastic. sweet bro!!! i will not stoop to his level beyond that....
regarding this review, it is my opinion that the JibPan was just way too high performance for him...if he even rode it. relative to a Rome deck, way more carbon/kevlar/ICG/honeycomb, hence the higher price bro. the name of this board can be misleading. it is not a slow speed buttering machine; it is a super tech/evolved super park/pipe machine, for very advanced riders doing huuuge freestyle manuevers. nuff said....

I got last years board,mainly cause our snowboard shop didnt have any other boards that would work for me(i live in Alaska)...its a great board for those days when all you want to do is hike 1/4 of the way up some mt near Girdwood and build a big jump and just hit it time after time...its a little to stiff for some hardcore tree runs though,so beware of that...but you sure can pick up speed with it