I like this thread. Based on some extensive talks with a group of very good and regular carvers at Kirkwood (Tahoe), I got myself a Proton 178 (have a volkl 163 sl as a short board for crowded/less ideal days). Then exchanged a few more emails with carvers in europe and studied some reviews and concluded that Proton was a better choice for me (as I am not the greatest carver around, so I could use a more friendly/forgiving board, which meant again proton).
I also looked at F2 and found out that those are extremely good boards as well, but I heard that they need more aggresive work and they are typically performers for hard packed snow and icy conditions, (which you don't see often in tahoe).
just my 2 cents
P.S. Okay, I am weak....I just ordered the oxygen LTD 170 too, hoping it would fit somewhere between my volkl renntiger and proton 178. Time will tell.