Hello and welcome to my K2 Fastplant review.
In this review, I will take a look at the Fastplant as a freestyle snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Fastplant a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other freestyle snowboards.
NOTE: The 2018 Model was the last model of the Fastplant that K2 produced.
Overall Rating
Board: K2 Fastplant 2018
Price: $599 (USD recommended retail)
Style: Freestyle
Flex Rating: Medium-Soft
Flex Feel on Snow: Medium-Soft (4/10)
Rating Score: 85.2/100
Compared to other Men’s Freestyle Boards
Out of the 42 men’s freestyle snowboards that I rated:
- The average score was 79.6/100
- The highest score was 92.3/100 (see below)
- The lowest score was 69.8/100
- The average price was $439
- The Fastplant ranked 5th out of 42
Overview of the Fastplant’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Fastplant’s specs and available sizes.
Specs
| Style | Freestyle | Flex | Medium-Soft (4/10) |
| Ability Level | Beginner to Expert | Feel | Stable |
| Weight | Normal | Turn Initiation | Medium |
| Camber Profile | Flat to Rocker but mostly flat | Shape | True Twin |
| Stance Setback | Centered | Edge-hold | Up to medium snow |
| Price | $599 (USD) | Base | Sintered |
Sizing
| Size (Length) | 151 | 154 | 157 | 160 | 156W | 159W | 162W |
| Waist Width (mm) | 248 | 250 | 252 | 254 | 262 | 264 | 266 |
| Weight Range (lbs) | 110-170 | 120-180 | 140-200 | 150-210 | 140-200 | 150-210 | 160-220+ |
| Weight Range (kgs) | 50-75 | 55-80 | 65-90 | 70-95 | 65-90 | 70-95 | 75-100+ |
Who is the Fastplant Most Suited to?
The Fastplant is great for anyone looking to tear up the park – both down the jump line and the jib line. For a lot of park/freesttyle boards, they are either really good at one or the other but not both – so you get the best of both worlds.
You do have to pay for all that though, so this is only suited to those with a decent sized budget.
It’s ok out of the park, if you want to do a cruisey groomer run, or want to find some natural hits – but it’s not great in powder, or at speed – so it’s not your do it all kind of board, but great for freestyle.
The Fastplant in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Fastplant is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: K2 Fastplant 2018, 157cm (252mm waist width)
Date: April 15, 2017
Conditions: Mostly cloudy in the morning with periods of sun. Started snowing around midday (so much snow in April – it’s awesome!) Some fresh overnight snow made the snow nice and soft in the morning – hardened up as it was compacted but was still soft-packed. Then Softened up again a bit in the afternoon with the new snow.
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Powder
It’s ok in a little bit of powder but once it gets a bit deeper it’s pretty sinky. But powder isn’t what this board is designed for.
Carving & Turning
Not a hard carver but again that’s not what it’s designed to be.
Easy to skid turns on and generally pretty easy to initiate turns on.
Edge-to-edge it felt a little heavy at first, but once I got used to the board it got quicker edge to edge.
Didn’t really have that much hard snow and certainly no icy snow to test it on but I’d say edge hold would be more suitable for medium to soft snow.
Speed
Not a bomber by any means – but again, this board is designed for freestyle and predominantly park riding so that’s no surprise.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
Uneven Terrain
The Fastplant felt pretty good in uneven terrain – certainly a board that you can take through end of day crud and still enjoy it.
Jumps
This board was really fun to jump on. It excelled on small to medium jumps particularly and was nice to spin in the air. Was still good for larger jumps but not quite as good as something a little stiffer might be – but then that would take away from it’s jibbing, which it’s pretty darn good at.
The approach to jumps was nice and the landings felt stable. It also had a good amount of pop.
Switch
Apart from an asym twin, this is about as good as it gets for riding switch. Especially if you’re on the +15/-15 binding angles that I was, it feels pretty close to the same going both ways (depending on your switch riding ability).
Jibbing
This board is a great little jibber and definitely inspires confidence on jibs.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Switch: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Jumps: | 4.0 | 20/25 |
| Jibbing: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Powder: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| Carving: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Speed: | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
| Pipe: | 2.0 | 2/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 85.2/100 |
Overall, this is a killer deck for hitting the park on. Once it’s inside the park, it does everything well. It’s on the pricier side for a freestyle board, but if you’re looking for something that can nail the jib line and jump line well, then this is a great choice.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you’re interested in learning more about the Fastplant, are ready to buy or want to research current prices and availability, check out the links below.
If you want to see how the Fastplant compared to others or want to check out some other freestyle options, check out the next link.
>>My Top 10 Men’s Freestyle Snowboards
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