Improving on something that was so far and away the best in it's field is not easy, so K2 wisely choose to keep everything the same except for making the metal laminate sheet lighter. The IBX binding remains for generating power out of the turn, the MOD Monic is still there for a quiet ride over the hard stuff, the diMen'sions stay the same so whether you're on piste or venturing away the feeling remains one of stability and power, and the stealthy black colour stays. This year's version does actually improve on last years though, as the lighter metal now adds an even greater sense of agility. All the ingredients are there - power, precision, stability, strength - and testing just further confirmed what we already knew, this is the best all mountain weapon ever made for confident skiersàtruly awesome.