I picked up the Rayne Avenger late last summer from Black Diamond Sports in Palo Alto, CA. The board was in stock and the staff were super helpful. Probably what finally made me take the plunge... mind you the board is not cheap... was watching Kyle Chin's Stand Up Slide video. While the board wouldn't guarantee I could slide like Kyle, at least I knew I had the gear necessary for when my abilities caught up. So I grabbed the board, threw on a pair of Adam Colten Paris Trucks, and a set of Orangatang Stimulus Yellow 86's.

Getting home I immediately hit the street to try out the new deck. The board was amazing. While I love the flex and cruiser feel of my Loaded Dervish, the Avenger had the opposite feeling. It was solid, very solid. I would say it has a zero flex rating, and with the added concave, my feet were locked in and ready to bomb any hill. Stability is what I noticed first about this board. It is very stable at high speeds, and very... very comfortable. Unlike other boards I've tried that are narrow, or super flexy.. this board is my first choice if the ride involves hills, but also calls for some carving and some slides. It's also a great commute board if you just need to get from Point A to Point B.

What it's not. It's not a switch board. Not that a pro can't ride it switch, but it's a directional board and not designed for switch riding.

Lastly, it's a top mount board, which comes with its own pros and cons. It is the highest mount board I have (Evo, Apex 34, Dervish). While it doesn't bother me, it does have a different feel that the super low to the ground Evo, or drop through Dervish. Anyhow, worth noting in case you were looking for a low to the ground ride... that it's not.

And for the "almost forgot" comments... I love the graphic. The fusion of wooly mammoth, Japanese accents, and modern utility give this design a feeling un-found on most boards out there today. I've been a big fan of what Arbor has been doing with their snowboard designs... perhaps more of the industry should take queues from these companies.

If you are thinking about the Avenger... or considering your first Rayne board.. then I highly recommend it.