Donek MK?

[1xsculler]

While I wait for Sean to respond to my inquiry can any of you fill in the details on the Donek MK?  161 only?  Best suited for who or what?  Can it be custom built for a particular weight rider?

Are there any reasons why a Donek is any better than a similar speced. Coiler?

What's the difference between a MK 161 and  Rev 163 other than 2 cm and a few other specs?

It's just dawning on me that MK must stand for Madd Killer.

Edited December 25, 2017 by 1xsculler

[buster]

check out thread       mad killer strikes back!

[AcousticBoarder]

That thread will cover all your questions on the MK.

 

As far as Coiler vs Donek, a somewhat over generalization between the two is that the MK is kinda the pinnacle of Donek... It requires a whole lot from the rider in order for it to play nice with you, but if the rider can provide that high caliber input, that is what the board will dish out, a get what you put in kind of deal. Often extremely fun but exhausting.

The defining trait of Coilers is they are a little more relaxed vacationy day off feel. They typically are not as demanding from the rider in order to behave nicely; they feel like a dream. The Nirvana is basically the definition of Coiler.

Again, these are over generalizations from an intermediate carver who has only ridden a few of each, but between my use of them and discussing with others, this seems to be the case most of the time. Not saying that either maker cannot create a board to do what the other can, but the stock boards tend to behave in these ways.

[jim_s]

2 hours ago, AcousticBoarder said:

It requires a whole lot from the rider in order for it to play nice with you, but if the rider can provide that high caliber input, that is what the board will dish out, a get what you put in kind of deal. Often extremely fun but exhausting.

I can't speak to the comments on the Coiler (though it sounds like the Nirvana would be really fun to try!), but as to the MK, AccousticBoarder nails it - without trying to come across as 'elitist', if you're not pretty seriously athletic, the MK could be a very hard board to ride for more than a few hours (heck, even a few runs...). If you're an endurance type of athlete, or just have legs of steel, and can drive the MK hard all day, there's probably not an alpine board out there that will net you more finely-carved turns in the course of a day than the MK. (And I say that having spent a decade on a super tight 8.5m SL board before getting the MK this season - the MK is in that same class.) If you love to turn hard, constantly, the MK is the board for you - just be sure your legs bring their 'A' game!! :-)

[jburk]

1 hour ago, jim_s said:

if you're not pretty seriously athletic, the MK could be a very hard board to ride for more than a few hours (heck, even a few runs...). If you're an endurance type of athlete, or just have legs of steel, and can drive the MK hard all day,

Thank you for confirming that I made the right choice; I wanted to buy an MK this year, but a realistic assessment of my current fitness levels led me down a different path.  Hopefully this isn't a case of "the older I get, the better I was", but 10 years ago I rode 200+ miles a week (7.5K to 9K per year), mostly averaging between 19-21 mph.  That sort of fitness evaporates in months, and there are a lot of months in 10 years.

I spec'd out a Donek Freecarve with the "secret" construction, but the geometry is in the same part of town as the MK: 167cm, 8.5-10.5 scr, 18.5 cm waist.  Sort of a "kinder, gentler" MK, I've only got about 4 days on it so far, and it seems that it can take everything I dish out without complaint, but is a real sweetheart to ride when I'm feeling less energetic.

Edited December 28, 2017 by jburk
fixed incorrect board length

[Lurch]

16 minutes ago, jburk said:

16 minutes ago, jburk said:

it seems that it can take everything I dish out without complaint, but is a real sweetheart to ride when I'm feeling less energetic.

A lot to be said for that quality Mr Burk!

 

[jim_s]

Sounds like you made a great choice - I've read lots of very happy/good stuff about both the Freecarve and the Secret construction! I ride a lot of hard miles in fairly hilly terrain (road and MTB), and do a lot of slalom waterskiing, which helps loads with the core. But, at the ripe old age of 52, I am a little concerned about how sustainable of a long-term of an investment the MK will be for me. :-) It'll be good motivation to stay on the bike and the waterski right up to boarding season each year (thank Heaven for dry suits! :-) I made the mistake over the weekend of doing a hard 30 mi ride on Saturday, including intervals, and then trying to ride the MK all day on Sunday. At the 5.5hr mark (no lunch, I suspect that contributed, LoL), the quads completely locked up on me - I got in 2 more runs, and had to call it a day.

Look forward to hearing more about how you like the Freecarve setup, as you get to know it better and better!!

 

Edited December 28, 2017 by jim_s

[bigwavedave]

Has anyone ever ridden a MK back to back with a Kessler and/or SG slalom. I've owned and ridden both (Kessler 162 & SG 163 SL), and everything I'm hearing about the MK one could say about the mind-blowing ride of either of these other boards, except that they have a wider waist (~20cm).

[DonPablo]

10 minutes ago, bigwavedave said:

Has anyone ever ridden a MK back to back with a Kessler and/or SG slalom. I've owned and ridden both (Kessler 162 & SG 163 SL), and everything I'm hearing about the MK one could say about the mind-blowing ride of either of these other boards, except that they have a wider waist (~20cm).

Come to Buck sometime and you can ride my MK =)

[bigwavedave]

That could be fun. I picked up a used white 162 Kessler last spring that I've only ridden once. Might be fun compare. Are you planning to go to the annual New Year's day session at Buck?

[st_lupo]

@bigwavedave if you get a chance to try the MK, I'd be really interested in hearing your impression of it compared to the Kessler 162.

[Corey]

I've ridden a Donek Rev 163 back to back with the MK. 

The MK is more nervous, more eager to turn. It's less versatile, less happy to stretch the turn radius larger. But the MK brings some excitement that's lacking in the Rev. It's eager and playful while the Rev is serious business. 

The MK can turn tighter, and really wants to turn all the time. The Rev wants to go fast and turn only as much as is necessary. 

[bigwavedave]

On 12/29/2017 at 8:07 AM, Corey said:

I've ridden a Donek Rev 163 back to back with the MK. 

The MK is more nervous, more eager to turn. It's less versatile, less happy to stretch the turn radius larger. But the MK brings some excitement that's lacking in the Rev. It's eager and playful while the Rev is serious business. 

The MK can turn tighter, and really wants to turn all the time. The Rev wants to go fast and turn only as much as is necessary. 

Is your Rev the Ptex topped version? That would make it a mellower ride.  Of course the 2cm difference in width may account for nervousness vs stable. Sounds like the MK's "secret" scr is not as open in the tail.

I had an SG 163, which does not come with a ptex top, so it was a very lively board that could pop you in the air in transitions and could turn so tight that it felt like my hand on the snow was the pivot point of the turn. It took some effort to keep weight forward if you wanted to keep the turns tight. As much as I liked that board I was wanting something that would be more willing to complete turns, rather than so easily go off down the fall line. 

Might be fun to try DonPablo's MK, although I've really grown to like the stable stance and heel/toe edge pressure advantage of a slightly wider board ~20cm. I suppose the incorporation of decamber has made edge to edge transitions easier in a wider board.

[Corey]

2 hours ago, bigwavedave said:

Is your Rev the Ptex topped version? That would make it a mellower ride.  Of course the 2cm difference in width may account for nervousness vs stable. Sounds like the MK's "secret" scr is not as open in the tail.

My personal Rev has a ptex topsheet, but the demo had the carbonium. The difference is small between those two topsheets; very small when compared to the design differences between the Rev and the MK. 

I think the nervousness/eagerness of the MK is by design. Just like how I imagine an acrobatic plane is harder to fly straight than a large passenger plane. 

[barryj]

Hmm?   If the Donek MK is Sean's pinnacle Bad Ass hard charger....                                  .......where does the Proteus fit? ........the miss guided step child?......a wild, but predictable spirit?? 

It sounds like the MK is more like my experience on my Virus UFC 163....loved the board and a hell of a ride! ......but you better have Thunder Thighs!!

[Jonny]

57 minutes ago, barryj said:

Hmm?   If the Donek MK is Sean's pinnacle Bad Ass hard charger....                                  .......where does the Proteus fit? ........the miss guided step child?......a wild, but predictable spirit?? 

It sounds like the MK is more like my experience on my Virus UFC 163....loved the board and a hell of a ride! ......but you better have Thunder Thighs!!

Well it does seem as though the Proteus is happier to just cruise than the MK but I wouldn't call it any kind of a step-child. I bought mine to be a one-board quiver and that's pretty much what it is. They're just different concepts. I'm still learning the ropes with mine but it's for sure easy to just make smooth, big banking turns with little leg drive but utter confidence, you'll just be going 40mph+ by the fourth turn because the thing will not sketch unless you insist on it. It's a little like going for a cruise on real-deal GS skis - they'll do it but you'll accelerate until you check hard.  It's not QUITE as stable at really high speeds as a true race board but it's a lot quieter than any 161 I've ever been on. At the higher energy end of the spectrum, it'll take every amount of leg drive you want to throw at it and just turn tighter. It'll do an EC type turn but for me at least the modified "gunslinger" seems to give the most versatility in terms of altering radius mid-turn. It's hard to compare it with anything else - the edge grip is phenomenal but it is also easy going in slop. Compared with my old main board - a Coiler Racecarve with an 11.5m radius - the Proteus 180 is much grippier (I've not yet hit any ice it wouldn't hold on, although I haven't yet had it on any really steep terrain), much happier to be just tipped up on edge because it'll start turning right away, and substantially less nimble at slow speeds - that Coiler would make ridiculously tight pumping push-pull turns, just as tight as my 160 SL board. I'm assuming that the Proteus will be faster in GS gates but I'm not strong enough bully it through a slalom course, which I often did on the Coiler. It's not just a matter of stiffness because the Coiler was built for me at 220lb and the Proteus is bone-stock.