The K2 Antidote is one of those “kitchen sink” style of boards that has just a ton of technology and sophistication packed into a narrow window. They really throw all of their stuff into this board, and for good reason. It’s one of the smoothest and most precise boards that K2 makes, and is intended for intermediate through expert riders. Built with their A1 core, the board has a fantastic combination of light weight, energy, and toughness that will take riders to the next level of skills and adventure. They add their ICG 20 Triaxial carbon fiberglass layup featuring 20 vertically placed carbon stringers woven into the glass. Space Glass in the tip and tail reduce swing weight, increase stability, and make the board pop out of the turn. Additionally, Carbon DarkWeb adds torsional stiffness to the underfoot zones, allowing for stronger and more aggressive riding at speed and on firmer conditions. Mainly camber, the board has tremendous grip and energy, allowing advanced and expert riders the confidence to lay down some mean carves on any type of snow condition or terrain.
ROCKER & OUTLINE SHAPE
Camber
PREFERRED TERRAIN
Powder, Groomers, All Mountain
David Lombardi rode the 158W and noted that it felt just right. He scored it 4’s out of 5 for stability, quickness, maneuverability, and playfulness. We see 3’s for overall impression, versatility, torsional stiffness, edge hold, forgiveness, and flotation. Dave “Would recommend the Antidote to intermediate and advanced riders. It charged through soft and choppy spring conditions and held on better than expected in icy steep terrain. A great choice for riders with bigger feet.” Having that wider option is certainly a good thing for riders who have experienced drag in the past for sure. Andy Hull calls the 158W “Advanced. This board super stiff to me and did not have much forgiveness. You would want to be a hard charger on this board! It felt great on groomers where you could let it run, it was very stable.”
Sam Whitney notes that the 158 W is a traditional shape that rides true to size, scoring the Antidote 5 out of 5 for stability, torsional stiffness, and edge hold. Versatility, forgiveness, playfulness, quickness, and maneuverability all got 4’s while flotation was a lone 3. Sam calls it “A modern take on the traditional all-mountain board, great for intermediate to expert riders looking for something that will hold an edge well and cut through anything. The 3D core shape in the tip and tail provides incredible pop and power through turns while the all-mountain freestyle shape allows it to spin and cut through anything the mountain can offer. From powder laps in the trees, spinning 3's in the park, to spring time goggle tans this board does it all.” That sounds like Sam is in agreement with the K2 catalog people for sure. It’s always nice to see when the tester’s feedback lines up with marketing fodder.
If you’re looking for a ride on the higher end of the performance spectrum, the K2 Antidote is one of the best of the bunch. Thanks to the innovative construction techniques and the directional shape and rocker, the Antidote carves super-clean turns on the trails while keeping things interesting for off-piste adventures. They’ve done a nice job with this board, and advanced and expert riders will have a lot of nice things to say about the Antidote.
