2023 K2 Party Platter

Blending the lines between freeride and freestyle has never been so fun. The 2023 K2 Party Platter certainly lives up to its name, allowing riders in the intermediate through advanced abilities to access the entirety of the mountain, from the park and pipe to the trees, groomers, and bowls. With a squared-off nose and tail, the Party Platter is quick and agile from edge to edge, making it an ideal choice for shorter and more energetic turns through softer snow and mixed terrain. K2 has always done a great job mixing up the woods used in the board, and in the case of the Party Platter, their BAP core answers that call as well. By using Bamboo, Aspen, and Paulownia wood stringers in the core, the engineers at K2 are able to fine-tune the flex and pop of the board. They do not stop there, though, as their Ollie Bar takes the energy to the next level. This pre-curved carbon strip spans the space between the binding mount zones and adds an extra boost of rebound when you’re putting pressure in the mid-zone of the board. For sizing, the Party Platter is built as a Volume Shift, meaning you should size down 3-5 cm from your normal snowboard length in order to maximize the performance. Directional riders looking for a cambered board and a ton of energy should look no further than K2’s Party Platter.

John Gernt rode the 152, noting that since it’s a size-down model, he’d prefer the 147. JG scored it his highest mark of 4 out of 5 for stability, with 3’s for flotation, torsional stiffness, edge hold, and overall impression. He notes that “The length and stiffer flex of the 152 was too much for me. I think the 147 would have been right up my alley. The width gives it stability but also makes it slow edge to edge for shorter boot sizes, better for longer length boots. Easy enough to jump on and ride, be sure to get the right length.” Valuable information right there, as we do get a ton of sizing questions regarding boards. Eric Gagnon found his 152 to feel truer to size, and he gave it 5’s out of 5 for flotation and playfulness with 4’s for overall impression, forgiveness, quickness, maneuverability, and stability. We see 3’s for versatility, torsional stiffness, and edge hold, but still a pretty high overall scorecard from Eric, who states that the Party Platter is a “Very fun and playful board. Wish we had some pow so it could live up to its full potential.” Ditto, Eric. It would be awesome if we could dial up powder whenever we want.

Also on the 152, Maxx Connolly scored it 5’s out of 5 for overall impression, playfulness, quickness, maneuverability, and stability. Versatility and flotation got 4’s, so again, we’re seeing a high threshold of scores for the Party Platter. Maxx comments that “This board was a thrill to ride. Super fun and playful but also rips hard groomers with ease. I bet its strengths shine in the woods making tight quick turns. Probably best for advanced riders. Loved this board, favorite from day 1. The K2 party platter had me smiling ear to ear the whole time I was on it. This board has amazing pop and playfulness as well as a nice surfing feel to it. I think it is best on soft snow, in the woods or in a berm/bank terrain park. Pretty versatile, but probably not ideal for hard pack groomers. Probably would recommend for more advanced riders. I had a wicked good time on this one, it could be my favorite of the test.” That’s some nice praise there from Maxx, who didn’t find the 152 to be too long or daunting.

The fun level of the Party Platter is off the charts. For riders who are looking to have a daily driver that can do it all, this should be on top of the list. Thanks to the wood core, carbon strip, and directional shaping, the Party Platter is one of those sticks that stands out from a crowded field of versatile products, making it easier, rather than harder, to access all the terrain and snow possible on a given day.