2011 Burton Whammy Bar

Pros: Concave base makes for completely catch-free ride (gave me the confidence to try 270's on and I was able to do it despite the fact that my weight wasn't centered) Spoon/concave makes for a ridiculously loose ride, which is something I liked a lot once I got used to it but is definitely not for everyone and it will take some time to adapt your riding styleNearly impossible to catch an edge when riding! This board had a very mellow rideV-Rocker allows for decent float in pow, but really shines in the park (easy presses, flatground and butters are a breeze thanks to the rocker and spoon tech)Landings on jumps was interesting, I found myself washing out the first few times I hit a decent sized jump but once I got a feel for landings it was nice because it has no bite if you land a bit over or under rotated on spins
Cons: Medium flex, definitely didn't feel the 3 rating on Burton's flex scale reflected the stiffness of this board. I was expecting a wet noodle and I got al dente! I would put this at about a 4 or 5 on the flex scale. Could be viewed as a good or bad thing depending on your riding style, but I got on this board thinking it was going to be a soft buttery rail slaying machine so it was a bit of a disappointment to me.Spoon tech made the ride VERY loose, and this made it very difficult to ride 1 footed off the chairlift! I'm not someone that has trouble riding one footed, but this thing was tough. The problem is that you don't have a stable base to stand on, instead the base is like three separate levels so when you try and set an edge there's simply nothing there to grip the snow.Not for people looking to lay out powerful carves. Think more along the lines of surf-like turns.Difficult to stay locked in on rails because of the spoon tech, I found myself slipping off rails early which is not something I have happen when I'm riding a board with a flat baseICS can be dangerous if you don't check your mounting screws! Unlike traditional mounting styles where you can lose a screw and be fine, if your screws are not bolted down TIGHT it is very possible to have your binding move during a hard landing or fall. This happened to me after over shooting the landing of a big jump and it caused my front foot to move way too far forward and strained my knee. Plus the board got deep scratches on the topsheet from the binding moving.Despite being a medium flex board, it was definitely lacking in the pop department. Chalk it up to the V-rocker or to the concave nose and tail, but I didn't feel any sort of boost from this board off jumps

Comments: I have mixed emotions about this board. I think for it to excel in the area it was meant to perform in (park) it would have to be a bit softer.In the end I want to say I liked this board and it has its place, but I wouldn't want this to be my only board. It's fun if you want to have a mellow day of cruising the mountain without putting out too much energy turning, and it would be a lot of fun for an experienced jib kid if it were a bit softer.