Handling/Responsiveness
The wider nose on this horse initially got dubious looks from a few testers, but the long taper and sidecut got it on edge remarkably quick. “No weirdness in transition between turns,” said one tester, who kept plenty of speed from edge-to-edge. Even the most powerful riders found the amount of torsional flex substantial and forgiving.

Float
The setback stance put testers in perfect position to blast through crud and skim high above the pow. They also liked how stable it felt straight-lining runouts and even landing cliff drops. You’ll definitely have to get used to riding in the back seat on this one, but the ride is so smooth you’ll barely notice the difference.

Versatility
“I would have a blast ripping across the entire mountain with this thing,” said one tester who thought the 160 rode longer than expected. As one of the most functional powder planks in the test, riders still felt in complete control when they topped out above a wind-scoured open face and had to carve down their way down the thin cover.

Stiffness
Pop comes in many forms, even for splitboards. While testers weren’t ollieing this thing through the park, they were snapping in and out of turns at high speeds, and the stiffness held up well in all directions. Some splitboard sacrifice flex with the metal interior edge, but no the Winterstick, which felt almost as smooth as the solid.

Durability/Craftsmanship
This board is directional and proud of it. If you’re on that same page and don’t plan to land or ride switch, the combination of all-mountain versatility and powder-ready nose width provide a solid all-around value for the $925 price tag, which includes free shipping within the United States from the custom ski and snowboard factory of Pete Wagner near Telluride, Colorado. As a reliable substitute for several boards in your quiver, you won’t need much more.